Tuition & Financial Aid
Also see the Yale University Graduate School Programs and Policies2012-2013 and the BBS funding guidelines.
Tuition
With rare exceptions, all PhD students are charged full tuition for four years (eight terms). In essentially all cases, tuition for graduate students in Genetics is paid by NIH NRSA institutional training grants, individual predoctoral awards from various agencies such as NSF, or by the Department, supplemented with Yale fellowships. Tuition and stipend for advanced students is paid by advisors' research grants.
After four years of tuition have been paid, the student is expected to continue registering until the dissertation is submitted or the terminal date is passed. The fee for continuous registration (CRF) is paid by a student's thesis advisor.
Financial Aid
The Department of Genetics attempts to ensure that all students registered in its PhD program are provided with adequate financial aid. Because financial aid is budgeted on a year-by-year basis, it is not possible to guarantee any particular level of financial aid in subsequent years. However, it is our expectation that graduate students in the Department of Genetics will be supported in the years to come at least at the level described below.
Sources of Support
For the 2012-2013 academic year, tuition ($35,500/AY) will be paid for all students. In addition, a stipend of $31,700 will be paid over 12 months. All stipends are considered taxable income, and students are expected to file a tax return with the IRS. The University will withhold tax on all research, teaching and other assistantships; on casual wages paid; and on the fellowship stipends of foreign students. Taxes are not withheld on fellowship or traineeship stipends for U.S. citizens. For the latter, most students file quarterly estimated tax reports.
NB: Withholding forms for Connecticut State and Federal taxes must be on file at the Payroll Office, 155 Whitney Avenue and updated annually, otherwise the maximum amount will be deducted from stipend checks. Students who are on assistantships in research (ARs) should file a Federal and State W4 form. See Appendix 7. Taxation of Scholarships and Fellowships. Also, please refer to IRS publications 520 Scholarships and Fellowships and 920 Explanation of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 for information on taxes. Foreign students should also refer to IRS publication 901 U.S. Tax Treaties.
USPHS National Research Service Awards (NRSA)
These awards (which are also called traineeships) support the great majority of students in the Department during their initial years of study. NRSAs (training grants) are awarded to the Department by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and pay one-half to two-thirds tuition plus a partial stipend of $22,032. A supplement is added by the BBS or the Department of Genetics and the School of Medicine to bring the total tuition and stipend to the current University levels. These positions are only available to US citizens and permanent residents. Predoctoral students are supported by NRSA's for three years. Taxes are not withheld for students on NRSAs, and such students are expected to file estimated tax reports with the IRS.
External Fellowships
There are several fellowships administered by federal sources for which students may be eligible (e.g., National Science Foundation, Department of Defense). Announcements of these fellowships are forwarded to eligible students and are on-line at the respective websites. Also, Dean Sleight's office maintains an extensive file of fellowships and publishes the on-line Graduate School Fellowship Guide. Students should be aware of the fellowships that are available, and should make every effort to apply for those for which their training and background are appropriate. Being awarded a competitive individual fellowship carries with it several advantages.
Stipends on such fellowships are occasionally higher than the NRSA level, funds for travel and laboratory expenses may also be available, and the award will strengthen a student's curriculum vitae. In addition, students who are awarded a competitive fellowship that is open to students on a national level are paid a substantial bonus to their stipend, currently $4,000/year, in accordance with the Graduate Schoolís Combined Awards Policy.
University Fellowships
These are awarded by the Graduate School, but Graduate students in Genetics do not usually apply for University Fellowships. However, University Fellowships are provided by the Graduate and Medical Schools for HHMI and NSF awards to make up the difference in tuition and as an additional stipend supplement incentive (Combined Award Policy). These fellowships are only for the duration of the award period.
Research Assistantships
Federal and non-Federal research grants and contracts awarded by outside agencies to support the research projects of faculty members may contain funds for research assistantships that can be held by graduate students. Appointments as research assistants are usually only made to students who have been admitted to candidacy for the PhD This is the most common source of support for advanced students, and federal taxes are withheld.
How Are Stipend Checks Paid?
The Graduate Student Payroll System (GSPS) is a semi-monthly payroll; checks are paid on the 15th and the last day of each month. Students may have their checks deposited directly to their banks. Forms are available in the Graduate Program Office, the Financial Aid Office of the Graduate School, or on-line. Questions about pay checks should be directed to the Genetics Registrar.
Loans
For information on the various types of loans that are available to graduate students, you should consult the Financial Aid Office, 127 HGS, tel. 432-2737. This office can provide short-term loans during temporary financial crises (for example, if a stipend check is delayed). This office also has up-to-date information on federally sponsored student loan plans.
