There are three different graduate student specific classifications that will commonly appear on the accounts:
- Teaching Assistants (Expense Type 71215)
- Type B Research Assistants (Expense Type 71200), and
- Type A Research Assistants (xpense Type 71215).
Under usual circumstances, teaching assistants should be funded only from internally funded accounts, most commonly departmental teaching accounts.
Research assistants are most commonly funded from sponsored awards or from unrestricted start-up funding. The difference between the two types of research assistants is that Type B generates a tuition remission charge. Type A research assistants do not generate this charge. The Physical Sciences Division's established policy for graduate research assistants is to request tuition remission support at a rate of 47.24% for academic year 2026-2027 for graduate student base funding. The amount partially covers the graduate student's actual tuition cost. By default, all research assistants are classified as Type B unless the award regulations specifically prohibit tuition remission charges in connection with research assistants or during limited periods when graduate students are not registered, usually summer quarters early in the graduate career.
Research assistants must serve for a minimum of 2 consecutive months during a quarter. However, if possible, it is best to issue full quarter appointments for both research assistants and teaching assistants.
If a grant or funding source does not allow charges for insurance and fees, please contact your LBC administrator to identify an alternate funding source.
Grant funds should not be used as a convenient source of student financial aid. Efforts should be made to ensure that the number of students and the time they spend on the award are in line with the award budget. During the proposal phase, it is important for the PI to carefully think through how many months their research assistant(s) can be reasonably expected to work on the project annually rather than assuming that it will always be for 12 months. Likewise, the number of person-months it should reasonably take to complete the project should be carefully considered.
PSD Standard Type B Graduate Research Assistant Funding
Since October 2021, GRA insurance and graduate student fees are paid separately from the base funding. Base funding, insurance, and fees are subject to recovery of indirect costs. Tuition remission is only charged on the base funding.
Effective October 2026, the GRA compensation at the Physical Sciences Division of the University of Chicago consists of $47,741 as a 12-month 100% effort GRA, $5,517 for health insurance, $2,080 for graduate student fees and tuition remission at a rate of 47.24%.
| Program | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All PSD (71200-SAL-GRA-Type B) | 11,935.25 | 11,925.25 | 11,935.25 | 11,935.25 | 47,741.00 |
| Health Insurance (74650-OGC: USHIP Fees) | 1,839.00 | 1,839.00 | 1,839.00 | 0.00 | 5,517.00 |
| Student Fees (74651-OGC: Student Services Fees) | 520.00 | 520.00 | 520.00 | 520.00 | 2,080.00 |
| Tuition Remission (75725-Tuition Remission) | 47.24% | Rate applies to GRA base funding, regardless of funding source | |||
Graduate Research Assistant Fees
In accordance with the University of Chicago Physical Sciences Division’s established policy, graduate student fees are applied commensurate to the level of effort each year.
Tuition Remission
Graduate student tuition remission is requested in accordance with the University of Chicago Physical Sciences Division's established policy of requesting tuition support at the rate 47.24% (Academic Year 2026-2027) of graduate student salaries. The amount partially covers the graduate student's actual tuition cost.
PSD GRA Funding Academic Year 2026-2027
| Annual Grad RA Funding, Academic Year 2026-2027 | ||
| 1 Oct 26 to 30 Sep 27 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Annual Base Funding | 47,741 | |
| Annual Insurance | 5,517 | |
| Annual Graduate Student Fees | 2,080 | |
| Total Annual Funding | 55,338 | |
| Tuition remission @ 47.24% of Base Funding | 22,553 | |
| Total Annual Cost, 2026-2027 | 77,891 | |
| Quarterly Grad RA Funding, Academic Quarters 2026-2027 | ||
| 1 Oct 26 to 30 Jun 27 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Academic Quarters, Base Funding | 11,935 | |
| Academic Quarters, Insurance | 1,839 | |
| Academic Quarters, Student Fees | 520 | |
| Total Quarterly Funding | 14,294 | |
| Tuition remission @ 47.24% of Base Funding | 5,638 | |
| Total Quarterly Cost, Academic Quarters 2026-2027 | 19,932 | |
| Quarterly Grad RA Funding, Summer Quarter 2027 | ||
| 1 Jul to 30 Sep 2027 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Summer Quarter Base Funding | 11,935 | |
| Summer Quarter Insurance | 0 | |
| Summer Quarter Student Fees | 520 | |
| Total Summer Quarter Funding | 12,455 | |
| Tuition remission @ 47.24% of Base Funding | 5,638 | |
| Total Cost, Summer Quarter 2027 | 18,093 | |
PSD GRA Funding Academic Year 2025-2026
| Annual Grad RA Funding, Academic Year 2025-2026 | ||
| 1 Oct 25 to 30 Sep 26 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Annual Base Funding | 46,350 | |
| Annual Insurance | 5,145 | |
| Annual Graduate Student Fees | 2,012 | |
| Total Annual Funding | 53,507 | |
| Tuition remission @ 48.36% of Base Funding | 22,415 | |
| Total Annual Cost, 2025-2026 | 75,922 | |
| Quarterly Grad RA Funding, Academic Quarters 2025-2026 | ||
| 1 Oct 25 to 30 Jun 26 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Academic Quarters, Base Funding | 11,588 | |
| Academic Quarters, Insurance | 1,715 | |
| Academic Quarters, Student Fees | 503 | |
| Total Quarterly Funding | 13,805 | |
| Tuition remission @ 48.36% of Base Funding | 5,604 | |
| Total Quarterly Cost, Academic Quarters 2025-2026 | 19,409 | |
| Quarterly Grad RA Funding, Summer Quarter 2026 | ||
| 1 Jul to 30 Sep 2026 | ||
| PSD | ||
| Summer Quarter Base Funding | 11,588 | |
| Summer Quarter Insurance | 0 | |
| Summer Quarter Student Fees | 503 | |
| Total Summer Quarter Funding | 12,091 | |
| Tuition remission @ 48.36% of Base Funding | 5,604 | |
| Total Cost, Summer Quarter 2026 | 17,695 | |