University-Administered Graduate Student Fellowships and Traineeships

• Updated: July 2012
• Primary Contact : Alison Skoberg

Graduate student fellowships and traineeships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and provide actively enrolled students with the opportunity to pursue study, training and research. Fellowships carry no service obligations. Traineeships may carry service obligations.

1. Eligibility and Selection for Graduate Student Fellowships and Traineeships

   1. University of Minnesota (University) graduate students are eligible to hold a University-administered fellowship or traineeship if they are admitted to a University graduate program and are registered for at least the minimum number of credits required by the fellowship or traineeship for a particular term.
   2. All students who meet the eligibility criteria for a fellowship or traineeship must be considered for the fellowship or traineeship in accordance with established review and selection processes and criteria. Recipients of graduate student fellowships and traineeships must meet registration requirements and other terms and conditions of their award.
   3. University colleges and departments, or other University units as appropriate, must publicize the fellowships the unit offers.

2. Fellowship and Traineeship Stipends and Benefits

   1. Ranges for graduate fellowship and traineeship stipends are established each fiscal year by the awarding collegiate unit, department, academic program, and/or external agency. These ranges must follow the rules and guidelines set by the sponsoring entity.
   2. The awarding collegiate unit, department, academic program, and/or external agency stipulates the benefits. These benefits must follow the rules and guidelines set by the sponsoring entity.
   3. Graduate students who hold fellowships or traineeships that are administered by the University and provide a stipend that is at least equal to a 25% graduate assistantship may be eligible for resident tuition rates. Members of the student’s immediate family may be eligible for resident tuition rates.
   4. Fellows and trainees are responsible for payment of charges not covered by the fellowship or traineeship (e.g., lab, installment, or late registration fees).
   5. Fellows or trainees who leave their graduate program before the end of a semester in which they hold a fellowship or traineeship may be required to re-pay all or a portion of the stipend for that term.
   6. Fellowships and traineeships may be supplemented by other University-administered support (e.g., a graduate assistantship) unless restricted by the terms of the fellowship or traineeship.

3. Exceptions

   This policy does not apply to first professional degrees. (The first professional degrees are the J.D., M.D., Pharm.D., D.V.M., D.D.S, and L.L.M. degrees.)

This policy incorporates equity and fairness standards in the selection of recipients for University-administered fellowships and traineeships. This policy also aids the University in recruiting high-quality graduate students.

There are no procedures associated with this policy.

There are no forms associated with this policy.

Graduate Fellowship

A merit-based stipend award that an individual student wins competitively. The student applies (or is nominated) directly to the funding source.

Graduate Traineeship

Is awarded competitively to a group of faculty members in a particular disciplinary or interdisciplinary area, the discipline having been specified in advance by the funding agency. The University faculty group awarded the training grant identifies the recipients from among its students interested in studying in the targeted field.

Service

Work performed that is typically recognized by payment of a salary.

Stipend

A fixed sum of money primarily paid to cover living costs and educational expenses while the recipient is enrolled in an educational program.

Salary

A wage paid for work performed.

Immediate Family (for the purpose of qualifying for resident tuition rate)

Spouse/registered same-sex domestic partner, children, or legal ward living in the household.

Colleges

• Publicize the fellowships the college offers.
• Clearly stipulate the benefits provided by each fellowship offered by the college.
• Fairly consider all students who meet the eligibility criteria for a fellowship or traineeship.

Programs

• Publicize the fellowships the program offers.
• Clearly stipulate the benefits provided by each fellowship offered by the program.
• Fairly consider all students who meet the eligibility criteria for a fellowship or traineeship.

Students

• Meet all requirements, terms and conditions associated with their award.

There are no appendices associated with this policy.

• University-Administered Graduate Student Fellowships and Traineeships FAQ

• Board of Regents Policy: Tuition and Fees
• Administrative Policy: Leave of Absence and Reinstatement from a Leave: Graduate Students
• Administrative Appendix: Resident Tuition Rate

Effective:

July 2012 - New Policy, Comprehensive Review - 1. Establishes standards that apply to all University-Administered fellowships and traineeships. 2. Distinguishes fellowships and traineeships from salaried graduate student employment. 3. Requires fair and transparent selection process for awards. 4. Extends applicability of policy requirements to all programs, including that not formerly under the aegis of the Graduate School.