Stipend and Salary Payments

Stipend Payments

The standard nine-month stipend for academic year 2018-2019 is $29,350.

The GSAS Office of Financial Aid disburses stipends to registered fellows in two payments: during the registration periods at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters (late August/early September and January). To expedite receipt of the stipend, all students are strongly encouraged to arrange for the direct deposit of their stipend payments by following the steps outlined below.

Note: Due to federal regulations, entering students may not enroll in direct deposit until they have arrived on campus and registered for classes. Once on campus, you may register for direct deposit for your second semester.

Students without direct deposit may pick up their stipend checks at the Student Financial Services (SFS) cashier's window at 210 Kent Hall. All students will receive email notification from Student Financial Services noting when the direct deposit or paper check will be available.

If you are unable to pick up your paper check at the cashier's window, please contact Norman Strong, SFS Assistant Director (ns2312 [at] columbia.edu), to make alternate arrangements.

Additional information about stipends and tax reporting may be found here.

Salary Payments

Students holding teaching fellow or research fellow appointments receive two-thirds of the total award as stipend (disbursed as described above) and the remainder as semi-monthly payroll (paid on the fifteenth and last day of the month, respectively). Students holding graduate research assistant appointments receive their entire stipend as semi-monthly payroll. All students may receive the payroll portion of their award via direct deposit and are strongly encouraged to do so; to enroll in direct deposit, follow the steps outlined at the bottom of this page.

Fellows who withdraw during a semester, who resign from their appointments, or who are terminated from their appointments must return a prorated portion of the award to the university. The GSAS Office of Financial Aid determines this prorated amount.

Direct Deposit

US citizens and permanent residents enroll in direct deposit using different procedures from those used by international students; please refer to the correct procedures outlined below.

US Citizens and Permanent Residents

To sign up for direct deposit, US citizens and permanent residents must complete the following steps:

  1. Register either for classes or in a registration category for the fall semester by August 1. You do not need to register for your full complement of courses, and you may change your registration subsequently; however, you must be registered for at least one class or registration category to be eligible for direct deposit in the fall semester. Consult SSOL for registration appointment times.
  2. Enroll in direct deposit via SSOL. You will need your bank routing number and your savings/checking account number.

International Students

To sign up for direct deposit, international students must complete the following steps:

  1. Register either for classes or in a registration category for the fall semester. You do not need to register for your full complement of courses, and you may change your registration subsequently; however, you must be registered for at least one class or registration category by August 1 to be eligible for direct deposit in the fall semester. Consult SSOL for registration appointment times.
  2. Sign up through the MyColumbia portal and follow these instructions.