Chapter 10: Tuition Benefit for Doctoral Research Associates
10.1 Purpose
Doctoral students are integral to UTEP’s research endeavors. To enable UTEP’s strategic goal of providing tuition benefits to doctoral students, Principal Investigators (PIs) who employ doctoral students as doctoral research associates (PhD RAs) on sponsored agreements are required to provide tuition benefits for PhD RAs. In agreement with the Uniform Guidance (UG), 2 CFR 200.431(j) and 2 CFR 200.466, tuition is an allowable direct cost on grants provided such benefits are distributed on an equitable basis to all non-federal entity activities. The allowability to direct charge this tuition benefit to individual sponsored agreements may vary based on individual granting agency terms and conditions and/or type of sponsored agreement.
10.2 Policy
Principal Investigators who employ students who are doctoral research associates as PhD RAs on sponsored agreements, are required to provide tuition benefits for PhD RAs in proposal submissions. If the funding source cannot pay tuition, then an approved alternate funding source must be charged. Similarly, when a PhD RA is appointed using state or local funds, tuition benefits must also be provided. When allowable, the same funding source should be used for both the salary and tuition benefit. If the funding source cannot pay tuition, then an approved alternate funding source must be charged. Individual awarding agency policies regarding direct charging tuition must always be followed. If an award agency’s policies are silent on direct charging tuition, then the University will apply the default federal policy as per Uniform Guidance. Please note that this is not a tuition waiver.
10.2.1 The following minimum requirements must be met in order for UTEP PhD RAs to be eligible for tuition benefit:
a. The graduate student must be performing research services that are necessary for the completion of the sponsored agreement objectives, and must be appointed as a Doctoral Research Associate (Job Code- 10091).
b. PhD RAs must be appointed for at least two and a half (2.5) months out of the semester in order to qualify for tuition benefit.
c. The total amount of compensation (S&W), including tuition paid for the graduate student must be reasonable for the services performed and is conditioned explicitly upon the performance of necessary work and must include the associated fringe benefits.
d. During the academic period, the graduate student must be enrolled in an advanced degree program at The University of Texas at El Paso, and the activities of the graduate student in relation to the sponsored agreement must be related to the degree program and must meet all other criteria required for a graduate student employee at UTEP – e.g., must be enrolled full-time, satisfactory GPA and progress toward degree.
10.2.2 The Graduate School website has information on eligibility and current minimum tuition benefit for all eligible PhD RAs.
10.2.3 On federally sponsored agreements, direct charging tuition is only allowed when there is a PhD RA appointment, or on a fellowship and training grant.