The Graduate School

NIH Predoctoral Fellow Tuition and Fees Shortfall Funds for 2002-2003

M E M O R A N D U M

The Research Committee has authorized the Graduate School to provide funds to continue to cover tuition and fees shortfalls (resulting from the NIH formula which provides 100% of the first $3,000 and 60% of costs exceeding $3,000*) on NIH Predoctoral (F31) fellowships in the current fiscal year, and the procedures for requesting these funds are listed below. Please be aware that all funds awarded in the “institutional allowance” category of the fellowship must be applied toward the tuition and health insurance shortfall. Rarely, there may be no shortfall, but a balance available after all tuition, fees and health insurance have been paid. In this case, the balance may be used for other training related expenses for the fellow, but should be expended within 90 days after the end date of the award. (When this occurs, please process the charges using class code 5709 and activity 4, indicating on the requisition or other expense documentation that the goods/services are purchased for the benefit of the fellow's training. You may need to request that activity 4 be added to the account as the fellowships are generally established with only activity 9.) Should a balance remain after 90 days have passed, the funds will be transferred to a general account used to cover the shortfall on other awards, and will no longer be available to the fellow or his/her department.

Procedures for requesting funds to cover tuition shortfalls:

1. Charge 100% of the tuition costs for your fellows to the fellowship account through third party deferral (see the bursar’s web site for instructions and forms. In most cases, tuition costs will exceed the total awarded in the institutional allowance and “other fellowship expenses” categories, and the account will have a negative balance by the end of the fellowship year.

2. At the end of each fellowship year, or when the final tuition charges have been made (but no later than 75 days after the fellowship year end date), RSP staff will determine the total amount of the shortfall. The funds awarded as institutional allowance, as well as those awarded for tuition, fees and health insurance in the “other fellowship expenses” category should be used for tuition and fees (see example calculation below).

3. RSP staff will complete and forward to the department, a Request for Graduate School Supplemental Funds form. The department should review the form, discuss any discrepancies with the RSP accountant, then obtain the PI's signature and send it to Petra Schroeder at 321 Bascom Hall. Petra will work with RSP to arrange for the shortfall to be transferred to Graduate School funds. After this transfer is made, the 144 account number will be closed. If you have not been notified of a new account number for the next year of the fellowship (if applicable) prior to your pay rolling deadline you may request an account number in advance of award by using the “88-1" form available on the RSP web site.

You may contact Petra Schroeder (265-4868 or pschroeder@bascom.wisc.edu) If you have any questions about these procedures.

*Note: At the application stage, please be sure to list the estimated full cost of tuition, fees and health insurance in section D of the Checklist form page (form JJ). The awarding component will apply the formula to this amount to determine budget to be awarded in the “other fellowship expenses” category.

Example Calculation