Traineeships

This section covers training grant appointments ("traineeships").

How training grant awards are made:

The Admissions Committee makes decisions on support each spring for incoming students. Decisions are based on a combination of factors: prior experience, computing knowledge, grades, GRE scores, English ability, and letters of recommendation. Traineeships are available to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents who intend to pursue a Ph.D. In general, training grant slots are reserved for the top applicants and current students. The number of positions available each year varies widely. Training grant support is usually good for five years; however, we must compete for renewal of the grant every five years and cannot guarantee funding will continue. In the event that the grant is not renewed and a student's funding ends, we will find a RA or TA position for the student provided he or she is making satisfactory progress. All of our training grants are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What an offer means:

An offer of a traineeship means the student will be paid a monthly stipend (currently $1,731/month), graduate appointee health insurance coverage, and a portion of tuition/benefits. NIH training grants pay 60% of tution. The portion not covered by the grant is approximately $900 per quarter, which must be paid by the student by each quarter's tuition deadline. We offer supplemental 10-hour/week RA and TA positions to cover these costs (See RA/TA assistantship information on this website.)

The student’s obligation:

A student on a training grant is expected to maintain satisfactory progress in the program and to register for full-time credits throughout their appointment (10 credits in Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters; 2 credits in Summer).

Students on training grants are obligated to choose a grant-related topic for their Biology project.

All students on training grants are required to attend four medical ethics lectures during the course of their studies. These lectures are offered and publicized during summer quarter.

Trainees should not accept any additional UW appointments or employment without receiving the prior approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Appointment paperwork:

Training grant appointments require initial appointment paperwork, annual renewal paperwork, and termination paperwork. It is crucial that forms be filled out on time; you will be contacted by our Fiscal Specialist Supervisor (currently Ellie Schweihs) regarding deadlines and should respond promptly.

Status report:

Each year students on training grants will be asked to provide a brief description of their academic progress for our grant renewal applications. For beginning students, this will consist of a list of courses taken, requirements met, and qualifying exams passed. Senior students should also include progress on the dissertation, biology project, and any publications resulting from their work.

Follow up:

The NIH makes extensive efforts to follow the progress of past trainees. Whenever we compete for renewal of a grant, we are asked to provide a substantial report on what current trainees have accomplished, and for past trainees (up to the prior ten years) we are asked for information on employment, other NIH support held, and publications. With the use of the Web and email, this information gathering is usually not a burden on the trainee, but we do ask for your cooperation in meeting critical deadlines. As with all students, we ask that trainees who have graduated keep us updated on their employment and contact address.

Supplemental RA/TA appointments:

Students on traineeships often have supplemental (10-hour/week) RA or TA appointments to help them cover the costs of study that are not covered by their training grant. The policies for regular RA/TA appointments also apply to these appointments with the exception of remuneration. Supplemental appointments pay a monthly stipend, but do not cover any portion of tuition or health insurance.

Supplemental support may not exceed 10 hours/week per NIH regulations. It is possible for a trainee to hold a 20-hour/week position in one quarter provided the student does not hold any supplemental appointment in at least one other quarter of that same academic year. Trainees may also do private consulting or tutoring work provided it does not exceed reasonable hours (five hours per week in addition to a 10-hour RA/TA would be considered reasonable), does not interfere with the student's academic progress, and is not paid for by NIH funds.

Biostatistics Department policy is to pay supplemental RA/TA appointments (where full or partial tuition waivers are included with the primary appointment) at the Schedule 1 rate.

Stipend rates/increases:

The monthly stipend for traineeships and any annual increase is set solely by the NIH.

Residency:

It is important for U.S. citizens to establish Washington state residency after their first year here so that the department will not have to cover out-of-state tuition rates. Information on establishing residency may be found on the Web at: http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/residency.html

FAQ:

Q: I consider myself a top student. Why haven't I been offered a training grant position?

A: There simply may not be any positions currently available. If you are interested in a position, you should notify the Graduate Program Coordinator or the Student Services Counselor. We often hold positions back for use as recruitment tools during admission season. Not all qualified students will be able to get a traineeship.

Q: If I'm on [for example] the Cancer-Epi grant; am I obligated to do a dissertation topic or biology project in this area?

A: Our training grants ask students to do their biology project in a grant-related area. No trainees are required to do their dissertation in the grant area.

Q: Can I work more than ten hours per week?

A: In general, the answer is no. Traineeships do not require any work, but are provided to help students concentrate on their studies, with the expectation that they are devoting their time and effort to their academic progress. Trainees are allowed to hold supplemental (10-hour/week) RA or TA positions. This is an NIH rule, not a departmental one. We realize that some trainees also do private consulting or tutoring work. The departmental guideline is that such outside work should not exceed, on average, five hours per week.

Q: Can I have an internship while on a training grant?

A: Again, in general, the answer is no, with occasional exceptions*. Each potential internship needs to be discussed with the Student Services Counselor to determine student eligibility. Please be advised that an internship for a student on a training grant may require extensive lead time for the necessary approval by the NIH. *Local area internships during summer quarter generally do not require approval from the NIH.

Q: How many quarters per year will I have a supplemental appointment?

A: Currently, a 10-hour appointment for at least two quarters per year will bring a trainee's annual salary, tuition, and benefits to approximately the same level as that of a 20-hour/week RA or TA who has a full tuition waiver. Appointments for three or four quarters per year will provide a higher annual amount than for the RA/TA. The Department will therefore arrange supplemental appointments for a minimum of two quarters. Please be aware that most RA supervisors want students who can work all year round; therefore the majority of supplemental appointments will be made on a 12-month (four quarters) basis. Supplemental TA positions are usually appointed for two or three quarters.

Q: No taxes are being withheld from my stipend. Is this normal?

A: Yes. The UW doesn't withhold any taxes on traineeship funds. Because some of your stipend may be taxable, you will have to request that additional withholdings be taken out of your paycheck. (Trainees do this so they aren't hit with a big tax bill). You'd request this withholding on a W-4 form when we sign you up for payroll. We are not allowed by law to give tax advice on how much you should have withheld. You might want to call the IRS (or check their web site) to see how stipends are treated under the tax laws.