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
Department Reimbursed Graduate Student Business-Related Travel
The department supports the opportunity for enrolled, political science graduate students to travel as part of their academic and research endeavors. During the fiscal year, from July 1st to June 30th, graduate students may request reimbursement for business-related travel (non-taxable, nonreportable).
What does the department consider as business-related travel?
A graduate student attending a conference or workshop where they are a presenter/contributor; you will need to provide proof of affiliation with the event you are request reimbursement for—such as a brochure, pamphlet, etc.
What expense may be considered for reimbursement during business-related travel?
Effective January 1st, 2017, business-related travel includes: airfare, lodging accommodations (e.g. hotel stay), and other transportation expenses (e.g. taxi fare).
How much does the department provide for business-related travel?
Effective January 1st, 2017, the department will provide up to $300, per fiscal year, from July 1st to June 30th, for graduate student business-related travel. Any travel-related reimbursements submitted in 2017 that took place prior to Jan. 1st, 2017, will be reimbursed at the previous rate (up to) $200.
(If you have traveled in 2016 and have been reimbursed $200 and you plan to travel in 2017, you are not eligible for the additional $100; you will be eligible for (up to) $300 on July 1st, 2017)
How many times may I use department travel assistance?
Department travel assistance is allowed one time per fiscal year. Using receipts from more than one travel event is not allowed. For example, if one’s business-related travel expenses totaled: hotel cost $89, airfare $139 = $228, one would only receive a maximum of $228 for that fiscal year; one could not submit the remaining $72 from another travel event.
While on leave, a student may not be employed by UCSD, UCSD Extension, or UCSD Medical
Center or hold a fellowship, traineeship, or similar appointment administered by the University.
Students may not use any University facilities or place demands on faculty. Up to 3 Leave of
Absence quarters will not count towards doctoral support time limits. UC Student Health
Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage (medical, dental, pharmacy, and vision) expires if a graduate
student is not registered in courses.
Graduate and professional students who are on an approved Leave of Absence (LOA) may purchase two quarters of UC SHIP insurance per lifetime. Enrollment in UC SHIP coverage
while on a LOA is not automatic. For UC SHIP plan enrollment questions while on a LOA, and to
enroll in the plan, call AHP Customer Service at 855-428-0730 or e-mail
ucship@ahpservice.com. Non-registered students enrolled in the Voluntary UC SHIP Plan will
have the same benefits as registered UC SHIP students and must follow the same policy and
referral requirements.
https://shwadmin.ucsd.edu/uc-ship/non-registered/grad-students-leave.html
UC San Diego waives NRST for advanced nonresident students, including international
students, for nine (9) quarters after they have advanced to candidacy. Students who are
enrolled, or who re-enroll, after receiving the waiver for nine (9) quarters will be charged the full
NRST rate that is in effect at that time.
Typically, 9 academic quarters after advancement is sufficient time to complete the dissertation;
recall that summers do not count towards this limit.
Students past this 9 quarter limit who receive a GSR position at 25% or greater at UC San
Diego, based on current practice, will have their tuition and fees covered via the GSR blended
or “pooled” rate that combines resident and non-resident tuition and fee costs into one overall
rate. This ensures that there’s no disincentive to PIs to hire an international student as a GSR.