For graduate students with an Assistantship (Research/RA/GR or Teaching/TA) and Graduate Fellowships (GF)
Please carefully read the requirements and obligations that apply to assistantships and fellowships as stated here. If you have any questions concerning the conditions of an assistantship/fellowship, contact the CMP Chair. Your signature below is required and commits you to full agreement and compliance with the stated conditions and forms a contract between you and the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah. This agreement is based on the current guidelines for the Graduate Tuition Benefit Program (TBP) and Graduate student health plan, which is the definitive statement of conditions governing assistantships.
1. Students with Assistantships or Fellowships must be full-time, matriculated students working toward a postbaccalaureate degree. Full time is defined as being registered for at least 9 graduate credit hours You may register for a maximum of 16 hours but will have to pay full tuition for any credits over 12. Undergraduate, contract, and/or audited courses count toward the required minimum of nine credit hours but do not qualify for a tuition benefit.
2. A student holding an assistantship/fellowship must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
3. Students holding an assistantship
a. are obligated to work an average of 20 hours per week during the semester(s) they hold the assistantship.
b. receive a full waiver of general graduate base tuition during the semester(s) of the assistantship, plus the stipend specified in the offer letter.
4. Students holding a fellowship are not obligated to work and will receive a full waiver of general graduate base tuition and fees during the semester(s) of the fellowship plus the stipend specified in the offer letter.
5. Subsidized health insurance is available to teachings assistants (TA) and research assistants (RA) who receive a full 100% tuition benefit. Eligible TAs and RAs who wish to participate in this program, please choose the options below before signature. International students are automatically enrolled unless they complete a waiver. The Department covers 100% of the premium if you are eligible. Coverage for dependents is not subsidized.
6. Students with assistantships may not work more than 20 hours/week per position. If you work a second campus job, you are required to notify the department.
7. Students are not allowed to engage in “informal” labor or receive “bonus pay,” “special scholarships,” or “monetary gifts” from CMP faculty. Faculty are prohibited from paying students with personal funds for research or instruction, and students are prohibited from accepting such compensation. All compensation must be run through university payroll to ensure proper tax and withholding requirements are met.
8. Students with fellowships must receive approval to work a campus job and this is limited to 10 hours/week.
9. If you plan to earn the tuition benefit by working in another department, you will need permission from CMP. Pre-planning is required to make these situations work.
10. The TBP does NOT cover differential tuition. It covers only regular graduate tuition. The TBP does NOT cover undergraduate classes. The TBP allows a non-resident to qualify for resident tuition. The student is responsible to pay any additional credit hours, health insurance, differential graduate tuition, and fees.
11. Students eligible for the TBP should check their tuition bill 3 days before the date the bill is due. If the tuition benefit does not appear on the bill, please contact CMP immediately.
12. The assistantship generally begins one week before the first week of classes and ends the day grades are submitted. Work is directed by the supervisor (often a faculty member) to whom the student is assigned.
13. Training/orientation sessions begin before the start of the fall semester. International students should plan to arrive several weeks in advance and domestic students should be on campus the week before classes start. You are required to attend training/orientation sessions. Other training may be required during the semester. CMP will provide more detailed information on these training sessions when it becomes available.
14. You agree and understand that it is within your supervisor’s discretion to terminate your employment at any time if they deem that your job performance has been unsatisfactory or if you are not meeting your hourly obligation.
15. All international students should ensure they have proper documentation to establish their authorization to work and must complete an I-9 (they may need to apply to receive a social security number at least a month prior to the beginning of the semester in order to be processed for payroll and may need additional documentation; they may contact International Student & Scholars Services for assistance. International students must also complete the International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Program before the semester begins.
16. The tuition waiver is CONDITIONAL until all factors are confirmed as being satisfied at the end of the semester. If a student does not meet all the conditions of the Tuition Benefit Program, the student is responsible for the repayment of the portion of tuition waived during the semester in which the conditions were not met.
For more information, go to the Tuition Benefits Program and Health Insurance pages.
