GRA Assignments

Graduate Research Assistants are appointed for 20 hours per week in the department of Chemical Engineering. Read more about the benefits and rules for Student Employees on the UT HR website. GRAs receive employee health insurance at no additional cost and a tuition waiver for the out-of-state portion of their tuition bill. The minimum GRA salary set by the Cockrell School of Engineering for 2023-2024 is $35,700 per year. Students may be entitled to a higher GRA minimum, depending on the terms of their offer letters.

Assignments are processed either by the Chemical Engineering HR department, or by the administrator for the student’s group. The graduate coordinator can assist with questions about GRA assignments.

TA Assignments

If students are working to meet their departmental requirement, then the TA hours replace GRA hours for a total of 20 each semester. Once students complete that requirement, they can request permission from their supervisors for a 20 hour per week GRA assignment, plus a TA assignment for extra money. Students on F-1 and J-1 visas are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week, except in the summer, or by using their CPT allowance.

TAs employed 20 hours at the university receive employee health insurance, and students assigned as TAs in the spring will have employee health insurance coverage through August 31^st, even if they are not assigned in the summer.

TAs working 10 or more hours are eligible for a Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB) that will pay up a portion of their tuition bill.

UT Fellowships (Graduate School or Cockrell School of Engineering)

The Cockrell School of Engineering and the Graduate School award and administer a significant number of fellowships awarded to students in the department. They will communicate the terms of their fellowships directly to students.

Continuing students are nominated for these fellowships by their supervisors throughout the year. The majority of nominations are solicited in the late spring and a departmental selection committee makes final recommendations to the Graduate School and Cockrell School of Engineering for funding the following academic year.

If you fellowship is managed, at least in part, through the Cockrell School of Engineering, you will be able to view details of your fellowship payments in the Fellowship App. 

External Fellowships

Students are encouraged to apply for external fellowships during their enrollment in the graduate program. Continuing students have been very successful in winning prestigious external awards during their time in the department.

Fellowship stipends are taxable and recipients must arrange to pay their taxes quarterly since their stipends are not subject to withholding tax.  See the Taxes section below.

Students on external fellowships are eligible for student health insurance (see the section below), and may enroll in any healthcare plan for which they are eligible. International students will automatically be enrolled in the UT Health Insurance plan, unless they submit a waiver.

Transitioning between Funding Sources

Fellowships are paid at the beginning of a month for the coming month. By contrast, funding connected to work (Payroll) is paid at the end of a month, after you complete the work.

Fellowship payments typically come in one of two schedules. In the first, the fellowship for the 4.5-month fall semester is divided into four equal payments (Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.).  Your last fall scholarship payment will be paid at the beginning of December. In the second schedule, the fellowship for the 4.5-month fall semester is divided into 4.5 payments; the final payment will be half the amount of the monthly payments. You can ask the graduate coordinator which fellowship payment you are on.

Schedule 1

Your first payroll paycheck will be paid out at the beginning of February for half of January (beginning of spring semester). Because of the academic calendar, January 15^th is the end of the fall semester and so the month of January is split in half. Your second payroll paycheck will be paid out at the beginning of March for the full month of February.

 The chart below displays a hypothetical full monthly funding amount of $100. In this scenario, the fellowship payments on are the first schedule with 4 equal payments. Note that the monthly fellowship payment is higher because there are only 4 payments for a 4.5-month period.

Schedule 2

The second chart displays a hypothetical full monthly funding amount of $100. In this scenario, the fellowship payments on are the second schedule with 4.5 payments.

Special Considerations for TA Payments

For those students working as a TA in two consecutive semesters you will receive two half-paychecks in February, one for the first half of January (fall semester) and one for the second half of January (spring semester) because the academic semester divides January in half. Expect February paychecks as described in the chart below.

Also note the transition with health insurance.

Additional Funding Resources

Entering Bank Details

For nonpayroll payments, including fellowship payments, refunds, and reimbursements, complete the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) 

Establish or update Direct Deposit information for payroll payments, including GRA and TA stipends. You will only be able to access this website after you have an active employee assignment.

Note: Access requires an upgraded UT EID (i.e., The University of Texas at Austin has been presented with physical proof of an individual's identity such as a driver's license or passport). Upgrading your UT EID.

Note 2: paper checks are available for pick up in the Main Tower, MAI room 134 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Payment Records and Verification

To see their previous and pending payments, students can use the following links

"Where's My Check?" from UT direct for paychecks

Payroll earnings statements for TAs and GRAs

Fellowship payments for fellowships distributed by the university

Students requiring employment verification for mortgages, leasing companies, state agencies, etc. can request two different types of verification. If that is not enough, contact the graduate coordinator for a tailor-made verification letter.

Tuition

Tuition, Fees and Other Costs are available online. 

Texas Residency

Students should confirm that they are listed as Texas residents in the Registry database, if they are eligible.

Eligibility requirements

This reduces resident students’ income taxes, and allows waivers to be distributed to non-resident students who need them.