Graduate students may receive university funding through one or more of the following:
1) Stipend support comes from department, university, or external fund sources. These awards are typically to provide a supplement (department stipend) to other funding sources that a student receives such as from TA or GSR employment.
2) Salary support comes from employment as a TA, GSR, or other university employment during the year.
3) University or External Fellowships are another form of funding support and are disbursed typically via the same mechanism as the department stipends. Some examples include the Jacobs Fellowship from the School of Social Sciences, the National Science Foundation GFRP, etc.
Stipends are disbursed through the university's Student Financial Solutions. If you have questions about billing charges or refunds, you can submit a ticket to: https://support.ucsd.edu/students
Salaries are disbursed via UCPath payroll. For questions pertaining to your TA or GSR salary, you can contact UCPath Center by:
Logging in to UCPath > Ask UCPath button
Call (855) 982-7284 (Mon - Fri: 8 am - 5 pm)
Students are supported through stipends and salary pay. First-year students can expect to receive their Research Stipend on Sept. 1st. Then, on Nov. 1st, you can expect to start receiving your salary for the 50% TAship. Please refer to your admissions offer letter for additional details.
Regular TAs are hired for 3 full months for each quarter they work. They are paid equally for each month. TAs for Fall Quarter should be aware that they do not receive their first paycheck until after their first full month of work (end of October).
Below is the general schedule of paycheck disbursement. See here for current payroll calendars (PDF).
Fall TA – October 31st, November 30th, December 31st; 3 equal payments.
Winter TA – January 31st, February 28th, March 31st; 3 equal payments.
Spring TA – April 30th, May 31st, June 30th; 3 equal payments.
Per university policy, academic advisors cannot provide tax advice.
For tax questions, please see our Tax FAQ.
The TA loan fund provides Teaching Assistants with a loan for living expenses until receipt of the first paycheck on 11/1. If you are employed as a TA for a minimum of 25% for the entire quarter, you are eligible for this loan. Find information about the loan program on the GEPA's website.
Additionally, the UCSD Basic Needs Hub provides resources concerning food security, housing, and financial wellness for current UC San Diego students!
Location: Original Student Center Building A, Room E-100
9500 Gilman Dr #0802, La Jolla, CA 92093
Phone: 858-246-2632
Email: basicneeds@ucsd.edu