GMS Faculty & Staff Resource Guide

 
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GMS Faculty & Staff Resource Guide 
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 
Recruitment .......................................................................................................................... 3 
GMS Support .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3 
Program Responsibilities ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 
Admissions Process ............................................................................................................... 3 
For Program Administration Use: .................................................................................................................................... 3 
General Application Support (Program Directors/Administrators) .................................................................. 4 
Minimum Application Standards (Program Directors/Administrators) ............................................................ 4 
Submitting Admission Decisions (Program Director/Administrators) ............................................................... 4 
Local Statuses- PhD Programs ................................................................................................................................................ 4 
Local Statuses- Non-Degree Programs ............................................................................................................................... 5 
Admission Decision Deadlines for Domestic Masters Applicants (Program Directors/Administrators)
 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 
Admission Decision Deadlines for International Masters Applicants (Program 
Directors/Administrators) ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 
For GMS Admissions Team Use: ........................................................................................................................................ 6 
Sending Admission Decisions for Domestic Applicants (Admissions Team) ...................................................... 6 
Sending Admission Decisions for International Applicants (Admissions Team) ............................................. 6 
Updating Admissions Decisions from Domestic Applicants (Admissions Team) ............................................. 6 
Updating Admissions Decisions from International Applicants (Admissions Team) .................................... 7 
Additional Local Statuses (Admissions Team in partnership with Program 
Directors/Administrators) ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 
Non-Degree Application Procedure ...................................................................................................................................... 8 
Financial Aid .......................................................................................................................... 9 
Pre-Enrollment ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 
Financial Aid FAQs ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9 
Additional Resources ................................................................................................................................................................ 10 
Summary of Loan Options.................................................................................................................................................. 11 
Graduate Medical Sciences Stipends ............................................................................................................................. 12 
Types of Student Funding .................................................................................................................................................. 12 
Dean’s Fellowship ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 
Research Assistantships .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 
Bridge Funding ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13 
External Fellowships ................................................................................................................................................................. 13 
Internal Training Grant Programs .................................................................................................................................... 13 
Updated Sept.1 2021 
 

 
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Stipend Paychecks ................................................................................................................................................................. 14 
Stipend Schedule ......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 
Dean’s Fellowship ....................................................................................................................................................................... 14 
Research Fellowships (Research Assistantships)......................................................................................................... 15 
GMS Pre-Doctoral Non-Service Stipends Payment Request ................................................................................... 15 
Stipend Request Process Steps ............................................................................................................................................. 15 
Completing the GMS Student Non-Service Stipend Request ................................................................................... 16 
GMS Supplement of Grant Stipends ................................................................................................................................... 16 
Stipend Processing Deadlines ............................................................................................................................................... 16 
Errors and Amendments to Non-Service Stipends ...................................................................................................... 17 
Post-Enrollment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 
OnBase Submission .................................................................................................................................................................... 17 
Miscellaneous ..................................................................................................................... 19 
Notification for BUMC closed or open due to weather inclement or emergency situations .................. 19 
Department Degree and Hegis Codes ............................................................................................................................ 19 
Course Scheduling ................................................................................................................................................................. 21 
Instructions ................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 
Graduate Medical Sciences Clinical Instructors ........................................................................................................ 23 
 
 
 
   

Recruitment

GMS Support

• GMS maintains centralized recruitment efforts for Master’s and PiBS programs that can

be utilized upon timely request and agreement

• Examples of recruitment materials include:

– Brochures (print and web)

– Websites

– Email campaigns

– Social Media

– Videos

• GMS will also participate in various larger recruitment events locally and nationally and

is happy to bring your promotional materials or include you for virtual events.

•

Program Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing recruitment plan to GMS Master’s programs (overseen by Dr. Davies)

-Include GMS involvement requests in plan

-Notify GMS (tdavies@bu.edu) of program recruitment efforts for broadcast on GMS

website and social media

Contact:

Dr. Theresa Davies [email protected] (Master’s programs, GMS-wide recruitment)

Shuchita Rao [email protected] (Admissions)

Admissions Process

For Program Administration Use:

Request Access for New Users:

Email the new users name, email and function (Program Director, Administrator or Reviewer) to

Shuchita Rao (sra[email protected]). Once new user information is entered an email will be sent to

the new user from Liaison instructing the new user on how to set up their BU account.

Request Fee Waiver:

Fee Waiver request forms can be found here. Only one fee waiver can be processed for an

applicant per cycle. Typically, it is a 24-48 hour turnaround. Fees are non-refundable if they

already paid.

General Application Review (Program Directors/Administrators/Reviewers)

1. Program Directors must log into WebAdmit on a daily basis to check for newly submitted

applications

2. Reviewers must log into WebAdmit twice per week (or at a frequency determined by Program

Director) to check for newly submitted assignments

General Application Support (Program Directors/Administrators)

1. If an applicant contacts the program directly indicating they are having difficulty completing

their application, please tell the applicant to try the following tips…

a. Clear browser history

b. Use Firefox or Google Chrome

c. Switch wireless connection

d. Reset username and/or password

e. Call Liaison Tech Support directly at 857-304-2005 for personalized help with their

application

Minimum Application Standards (Program Directors/Administrators)

- Under Review by GMS Admissions Oversight Committee (chair: Dr. Laurie Craigen)

Submitting Admission Decisions (Program Director/Administrators)

Local Statuses- Masters Programs

1. Masters Accept: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM

Official Masters Accept” for Admissions team to send Masters acceptance letter

2. Master’s Accept w/ Provost: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to

“PROGRAM Official Masters Accept” for Admissions team to send Masters acceptance letter

with a Provost Scholarship. The Provost Scholarship Amount custom field must be filled out with

the total scholarship award. The Provost Scholarship Frequency custom field must be filled out

to indicate if the student will receive the scholarship for one academic year (two semesters) or

two academic years (four semesters).

a. Ex: Megan Smith is awarded a $10,000 scholarship for Mental Health Counseling. The

Provost Scholarship Amount field should equal $10,000 and Provost Scholarship

Frequency field should equal four semesters since Mental Health Counseling is a two-

year program. Megan will receive $2,500 per semester during her time as a Mental

Health Counseling student.

3. Masters Accept- Military: ONLY APPLIES TO HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. Program

Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM Official Masters Accept” for

Admissions team to send Masters acceptance letter with a Military and First Responder

scholarship. The current (as of Fall 2016) scholarship award is $16,408 to be distributed over

two semesters.

4. Waitlist: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM Official

Waitlist” as an internal utility status. The Admissions team will not send a Waitlist letter to

students who are given this Local Status.

5. Reject: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM Official

Reject” for Admissions team to send rejection letter.

Local Statuses- PhD Programs

1. PhD Accept: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “

PROGRAM Official PhD Accept” for Admissions team to send PhD acceptance letter. This

acceptance letter indicates the student will receive a “full tuition scholarship, fully covered

student fees and a stipend of $36,782 per year, contingent upon remaining in good academic

standing. Additionally, the University will provide health insurance if you choose to enroll in our

plan.” Please note that the $36,782 is valid as of Fall 2021.

2. PhD Accept- No Stipend: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to

“PROGRAM Official PhD Accept No Stipend” for Admissions team to send PhD acceptance letter.

The Program Director/Administrator must communicate with the Admissions team directly prior

to using this Local Status since a specific acceptance letter must be tailored to each applicant

indicating the applicant’s source of funding.

3. Waitlist: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM Official

Waitlist” as an internal utility status. The Admissions team will not send a Waitlist letter to

students who are given this Local Status.

4. Reject: Program Director/Administrator changes applicant’s status to “PROGRAM Official

Reject” for Admissions team to send rejection letter.

Local Statuses- Non-Degree Programs

1. Non-Degree Accept: Admissions team changes applicant’s status to “Non-Degree Accept” for

Admissions team to send Non-Degree acceptance letter. No acceptance letters will be sent to

applicants until they follow all steps as outlined under “Non-Degree Application Procedure”.

2. Reject: Admissions team changes applicant’s status to “Reject” for Admissions team to send

rejection letter.

Admission Decision Deadlines for Domestic Masters Applicants (Program

Directors/Administrators)

1. For Spring semester matriculation: January 5

2. For Fall semester matriculation: August 15

3. Rationale: Domestic applicants need time to indicate whether or not they will accept their offer

of admission. It is only fair to applicants that they receive a few weeks notice in order to secure

housing and plan their transition into a Masters program.

Admission Decision Deadlines for International Masters Applicants (Program

Directors/Administrators)

4. For Spring semester matriculation: Nov. 15

5. For Fall semester matriculation: July 25

6. Rationale: Once international students receive notice of acceptance, it typically takes at least 1.5

weeks for Admissions office to receive all necessary documents for the I-20 application from the

accepted student. Once the I-20 application is submitted to the International Students &

Scholars Office (ISSO), ISSO typically takes at least 2 weeks to process the I-20 application. ISSO

then mails the I-20 to the international student, who uses the I-20 as part of their student visa

application in their home country. UPDATE: It takes 1.5 weeks for admissions office to process

all necessary documents for the I-20 application from the accepted student to be sent to the

ISSO Office. The ISSO office takes up to 5 to 6 weeks to process all paperwork. The student

should plan to check in 4 weeks after submitting documents to ISSO. The student should check

in with the ISSO office directly regarding questions about their I-20 and questions on

documentation requirements. Admissions office updates applicant status once I-20 is processed,

generally checks once a week.

7. NOTE: Neither Program Directors nor Administrators should contact ISSO to check on the I-20

status of international applicants. The Admissions team checks daily on the I-20 status of

international students and additional communication may confuse the I-20 application process.

This is true- programs should not contact ISSO directly. Students may contact ISSO for questions

about the requirements. See above.

For GMS Admissions Team Use:

Sending Admission Decisions for Domestic Applicants (Admissions Team)

Local Statuses- Masters Programs

1. GMS Admin Only- Masters Accept: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a Masters

acceptance letter has been sent. Admissions team opens “Extend Offer” and “Fee Collection”

applicant gateways.

2. GMS Admin Only- Reject: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a rejection letter

has been sent.

Local Statuses- PhD Programs

1. GMS Admin Only- PhD Accept: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a PhD

acceptance letter has been sent. Admissions team opens “Extend Offer” applicant gateway.

2. GMS Admin Only- Reject: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a rejection letter

has been sent.

Local Statuses- Non-Degree Programs

1. GMS Admin Only- Non-Degree Accept: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a Non-

Degree acceptance letter has been sent. Admissions team opens “Extend Offer” applicant

gateway.

2. GMS Admin Only- Reject: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a rejection letter

has been sent.

Sending Admission Decisions for International Applicants (Admissions Team)

1. GMS Admin Only- International Accepts: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate an

appropriate Masters/PhD acceptance letter has been sent. Admissions team opens “Extend

Offer”, “Fee Collection” (Masters applicants only), and “Collect Documents” applicant gateways.

2. GMS Admin Only- Reject: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate a rejection letter

has been sent.

Updating Admissions Decisions from Domestic Applicants (Admissions Team)

Local Statuses- Masters and PhD Programs

1. GMS Admin Only- Mutual Fall Accept: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate

applicant has “Accepted” in “Extend Offer” applicant gateway (only requirement for PhD

applicants) and submitted $250 tuition deposit via “Fee Collection” applicant gateway

(additional Masters applicant requirement). M.S. in Medical Sciences students must submit a

$500 tuition deposit. This status is used for students matriculating in the fall semester.

2. GMS Admin Only- Mutual Spring Accept: This status only applies to Masters applicants since no

PhD applicants matriculate in the spring semester. The same requirements apply for Masters

students to be granted this status as indicated in the “GMS Admin Only- Mutual Fall Accept”

status.

3. GMS Admin Only- Declined Offer: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant

has “Declined” in “Extend Offer” applicant gateway.

4. GMS Admin Only- Declined Offer (No Response): Admissions team changes Local Status to

indicate applicant has not responded to offer of admission in allotted timeframe to submit

decision in the “Extend Offer” applicant gateway. All applicants receive four weeks to indicate

their admission decision, but this timeframe shortens as we approach the beginning of the

semester in which the applicant plans to matriculate. All PhD applicants must submit their final

decision by April 15

(national deadline).

Updating Admissions Decisions from International Applicants (Admissions Team)

1. GMS Admin Only- Intl. Mutual Accept (I-20 Pending): Admissions team changes Local Status to

indicate applicant has “Accepted” in “Extend Offer” applicant gateway (only requirement for

PhD applicants) and submitted $250 tuition deposit via “Fee Collection” applicant gateway

(additional Masters applicant requirement). M.S. in Medical Sciences students must submit a

$500 tuition deposit. International applicants (both PhD and Masters) must submit all

documents for their I-20 application as outlined on the Documents & Procedures webpage of

the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) website. Once all required applicant

gateways are completed…

a. Admissions team prints off ISSO Coversheet for international applicant and submits all

completed I-20 application documents along with coversheet to ISSO.

b. Admissions team checks ISSO Document Tracking on the Faculty/Staff Link on a daily

basis. Once applicant’s status changes from “Pending” to “Active”, admissions team

changes Local Status to either “GMS Admin Only- Mutual Fall Accept” or “GMS Admin

Only- Mutual Spring Accept”.

c. If ISSO does not approve the international applicant’s I-20, then admissions team

changes applicant’s Local Status to “GMS Admin Only- Declined Offer”. ISSO and/or

admissions team communicates with applicant that their I-20 application was rejected.

2. GMS Admin Only- Declined Offer: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant

has “Declined” in “Extend Offer” applicant gateway.

3. GMS Admin Only- Declined Offer (No Response): Admissions team changes Local Status to

indicate applicant has not responded to offer of admission in allotted timeframe to submit

decision in the “Extend Offer” applicant gateway. All applicants receive four weeks to indicate

their admission decision, but this timeframe shortens as we approach the beginning of the

semester in which the applicant plans to matriculate. All PhD applicants must submit their final

decision by April 15

(national deadline).

Additional Local Statuses (Admissions Team in partnership with Program

Directors/Administrators)

1. Withdrawn Before Action: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant has

chosen to withdraw their application prior to receiving an official admission decision.

Admissions team will be aware of this change either from applicants contacting admissions team

directly or applicants contacting Program Director/Administrator. The Program

Director/Administrator should immediately forward written request for withdrawal of

application to admissions team.

2. Withdrawn After Action: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant has chosen

to withdraw application after indicating they will attend a program in the Division of Graduate

Medical Sciences. Admissions team will be aware of this change either from applicants

contacting admissions team directly or applicants contacting Program Director/Administrator.

The Program Director/Administrator should immediately forward written request for

withdrawal of application to admissions team.

a. Admissions team completes and submits withdrawal form to the GMS Registrar.

b. NOTE: Program Directors/Administrators must immediately forward any requests from

applicants to withdraw to the admissions team. If the admissions team is not informed

of the student’s decision to withdraw, the process to refund tuition for the student

becomes much more difficult.

3. Administrative Deferral- Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant has chosen

to defer application from a Spring to Fall semester. This Local Status operates within the same

admissions cycle (i.e. the 2017-18 admissions cycle). Admissions team will be aware of this

change either from applicants contacting admissions team directly or applicants contacting

Program Director/Administrator. The Program Director/Administrator should immediately

forward written request for withdrawal of application to admissions team.

4. Deferred: Admissions team changes Local Status to indicate applicant has chosen to defer

application from one admissions cycle to the next (i.e. from the 2020-21 admissions cycle to the

2021-2022 admissions cycle). Admissions team will be aware of this change either from

applicants contacting admissions team directly or applicants contacting Program

Director/Administrator. The Program Director/Administrator should immediately forward

written request for withdrawal of application to admissions team.

Non-Degree Application Procedure

1. Complete the non-degree application form.

2. Complete the Add/Drop Form and have it signed by the course instructor. The form can be

found on the Students Forms page.

3. Email or drop off both along with a copy of your unofficial transcript to the GMS Registrar, Millie

Agosto or Karen Francis (kfranci@bu.edu) in the Student Services Office, L-309

4. Please Note:

a. The Non-Degree application is for those with an accredited bachelor’s degree or its

international equivalent who do not wish to enter a degree program but wish to take a

course(s). Except under unusual circumstances, non-degree students may transfer no

more than 8 credits for a master’s degree program or 16 credits for a PhD degree

program. In order to transfer credits toward a degree, course grades received must be a

“B” or higher.

b. Non-degree applicants are not eligible for University sources of financial aid or aid that

requires matriculation in a degree program. Please see the tuition page for up-to-date

costs per credit.

Central GMS Admissions: Shuchita Rao [email protected]

Financial Aid

Pre-Enrollment

Financial Aid FAQs

The following are commonly asked questions from applicants to Program Directors, Administrators and

Student Financial Services both during the application process and after mutually accepting to a GMS

program.

1. How much does a student need to borrow?

This depends on a student’s personal living expenses. Students should try to borrow

only what they absolutely need. Students should set a budget then visit the GMS

Financial Aid office to see how/if their needs can be met through loans.

2. How does a student know if they’ve reached their borrowing limit?

The federal maximum a GMS student can borrow in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized

Loans is $138,500. To view their current aggregate borrowing students should visit

StudentAid.gov.

3. What is the role of the Student Financial Services office?

Student Financial Services helps GMS students identify ways to effectively meet their

financial needs through available funding. SFS offers a friendly, student-centered

environment that welcomes walk-ins, appointments, telephone calls and emails.

4. What are some basic factors students should be aware of when considering taking on loans?

Students should consider Interest rates, repayment periods, deferment terms, and loan

fees. More information can be found on the SFS website.

5. Does GMS offer scholarship?

GMS offers a limited number of scholarship opportunities, which are awarded by an

internal committee. Students do not apply for GMS scholarships. Students are strongly

encouraged to seek out external scholarship opportunities. Visit the SFS website for

tools on how to begin your search.

6. If eligible, will students be awarded subsidized or unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans?

Subsidized Direct Loans are not available to graduate students. If a student is eligible for

Federal Direct Loans, the loans will be unsubsized. Congress ended Perkins Loans in

2015. Stafford Loans are now called Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans.

7. What steps should a student take after filing the FAFSA?

Students must complete the GMS Application for Financial Aid to declare their

enrollment and if they intend to keep or waive the health insurance. If a student plans

on borrowing the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, they will need to complete the

Entrance Counseling and Master Promissary Note at StudentAid.gov. More information

about application considerations can be found on the GMS Applying for Aid website.

8. What should a student do if they receive a SAR from FAFSA?

The SAR (Student Aid Report) includes an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and a DRN

(Data Release Number). Students should review the information to ensure it is correct.

 
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SAR information is sent to Boston University. The submitted data helps Student 
Financial Services determine the student’s eligibility for financial aid funds.  
9.  How many credits are considered “part-time”, “half-time”, etc? 
At GMS, “part-time” is considered 1-5 credits, “half-time” is considered 6-11 credits, 
“full-time” is considered 12+ credits, and “certified full-time” must be worked out with 
your program. “Full-time” students pay a flat fee, while other students are charged per 
credit. 
10. When is my tuition due? 
Students can find tuition due dates for each semester on the BU’s Accounting Services 
website.  
11. How does a student’s residency status affect their loan eligibility? 
Federal loans are open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.  
12. What is included in the “cost of attendance”? 
Tuition and fees, books and supplies, room, board, transportation, and personal 
expenses.  Cost of attendance also includes the cost of health insurance IF it was 
purchased through BU, or can provide proof of purchase from an outside source. More 
information can be found on the GMS Cost of Attendance webpage. 
13. What happens if a student has federal loans from a previous program. 
a.  Once a student begins a program in GMS, the Registrar will provide their enrollment 
status to the National Clearinghouse, which will be provided to their federal loan 
servicer. 
Additional Resources 
•  Student Financial Services.  
•  Loans and Financing Options. 
•  StudentAid.gov. 
•  Graduate PLUS. Loan.  
•  Housing Resources.  
Contact: Student Financial Services. 
Email: [email protected] 
Walk-in and virtual drop-in appointment schedules are found on the SFS Contact Us webpage.  
 

Summary of Loan Options

Federal Loans

Private Loans

Type

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Direct PLUS

From banks, credit unions

or other private institutions

Pros

No credit check

Low interest rates

Repayment begins 6 months

after leaving school (or if drop

below half-time status)

Flexible repayment options

Fixed interest rate

Eligibility based on credit

rating

Can use the funds to cover

any related expenses

without completing FAFSA

Payments may be tax

deductible – speak with a

tax professional

Cons

Interest accumulates while in

school

Awards based on the cost of

attendance, not individual

financial need

Interest accumulates

while in school

See below about

origination fee

Higher, more variable

interest rates

Loans not dismissed in

bankruptcy

May need to make

payments while still in

school

May involve a credit check

and/or cosigner

How often do

I need to

apply?

File the FAFSA at least 3 weeks before your first semester

bill is due to allow time for processing

Submit a new application every academic year

Submit an additional application if you enroll for summer

courses

Check with your chosen

lender directly

How much

can I receive?

Up to cost of attendance

(determined by BU)

Up to cost of attendance

less other aid

Check with your chosen

lender directly

Are there

limits?

$20,500/calendar year

$138,500 aggregate

No annual or aggregate

limits

Check with your chosen

lender directly

Are there

fees?

1.068% origination fee

4.272% origination fee

Check with your chosen

lender directly

What should

I use this

money to

cover?

Cost of attendance (see FAQs)

Cost of attendance not

covered by Direct

Unsubsidized Loans

Anything beyond what

personal reserves and

federal loans will cover

What

requirements

exist?

Must be half-time, full-time, or certified full-time to be

eligible for federal aid (see FAQs)

Check with your chosen

lender directly

Where can I

get more

information?

“Tuition, Fees, and Other Financial Assistance Information”

webpage

Check with your chosen

lender directly

Graduate Medical Sciences Stipends

An incoming PhD student is typically funded by Graduate Medical Sciences through a

Dean’s Fellowship during their first year. By the end of the first academic year, the student

is expected to work with a research advisor who will take over funding the student via a

research assistantship. This transition in funding typically takes place in June. The student

is guaranteed 5 years of funding, given satisfactory progress. If the student’s research

advisor cannot provide funding for a short period, the student may receive bridge funding

through Graduate Medical Sciences.

Graduate Medical Sciences PhD student stipend funding has only one level. The stipend

level for the 2021-2022 academic year is $36,782. This stipend amount is reviewed

annually to ensure the vibrancy of the PhD programs.

Types of Student Funding

Dean’s Fellowship

The Dean’s Fellowship is awarded to a PhD student of exceptional academic promise for

the period of their first academic year. It covers their full tuition, BU’s individual health

insurance, student services fee, and a monthly stipend. All applicants to the PhD program

are automatically considered for the Dean’s Fellowship award, and no special application is

required.

For the remainder of the PhD program, the student is typically funded on a Research

Assistantship (RA) by their research advisor. The Dean’s Fellowship is not renewable, but

each recipient can expect continued support in the subsequent years if he/she/they makes

good progress toward completion of the doctoral degree.

No specific teaching or research service is required of Dean’s Fellows, but recipients are

expected to establish research goals with a research advisor during the first year of study.

Dean’s Fellows are paid monthly.

Research Assistantships

The most common funding mechanism after the first academic year is a research

assistantship (RA). They are offered by individual faculty members with sponsored

research grants. An RA is a member of a research group or a laboratory or center. The

position offers a close association with members of the faculty and is an effective

arrangement for graduate study. Work on the dissertation project is normally part of a RA’s

assignments. RAs are expected to work full-time, with time allowed for courses during the

academic year. RAs are paid weekly.

A first-year PhD student with a Dean’s Fellowship should secure a funded Research

Assistantship no later than the end of their first academic year (June 30). Research

Assistantships and academic obligations constitute a full-time commitment. In exchange for

the stipend provided, the student agrees to work a minimum of 20 hours/week during the

academic year, and 39 hours/week during the summer term. Because this appointment is

considered employment, the student should be aware that taxes may be deducted from the

stipend portion of their award.

As a RA, the student will receive a tuition scholarship for credits taken toward their degree

during their period of employment. The student is required to register for each semester in

a timely manner and complete required payroll forms as requested. PhD students may only

work under one Research Assistantship at a time. Research Assistants are paid weekly; this

breaks down to 17 weeks in the Fall and Spring and 18 weeks in the summer. Fall semester

paychecks are issued from September through December, Spring semester paychecks are

issued from January through April, Summer paychecks are issued from May through

August.

Bridge Funding

If a research advisor is unable to provide funding to the student immediately, or if there

will be a gap in the funding they have available at any point, the advisor should apply for

Graduate Medical Sciences bride funding through their department chair. If approved, the

bridge funding simply replaces the student’s funding mechanism. The advisor should notify

their department chair and Graduate Medical Sciences well ahead of the needed bridge

funding to allow for a transition between the funding sources. Bridge Funding Fellows are

paid weekly.

External Fellowships

Graduate Medical Sciences encourages PhD students to seek internal and external

fellowships from reputable sources that will enhance their careers and provide financial

support toward their tuition and stipend. If awarded an external fellowship, the student is

expected to accept external funds in lieu of internal fellowships and assistantships. Once

awarded an external fellowship, students are encouraged to apply for the Graduate Medical

Sciences Fellowship Award which recognizes PhD students who have obtained an external

fellowship. If an external award is less than the Graduate Medical Sciences stipend rate,

Graduate Medical Sciences will supplement it to make up the difference. Tapping into these

external sources allows Graduate Medical Sciences to support the greatest possible number

of eligible students, while also enhancing the research environment and impact. A student

who accepts such fellowships should check to make sure there no stipulations from their

funding agency that are at odds with the Graduate Medical Sciences PhD program.

Internal Training Grant Programs

Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center currently hold 20 NIH

institutional training grants that together support the research projects of over 60

predoctoral and 60 postdoctoral trainees. Individual programs bring together expert

faculty mentors from different schools and departments, creating an interdisciplinary

training environment and excellent opportunities for team-based science. There are also 4

additional training programs at Boston University’s Charles River Campus that bring the

total number of NIH-funded institutional research training programs at BU to 24. Some of

the training grants provide extra support for students such as funds for travel or supplies,

while others are full graduate fellowships that provide funding for the stipend, tuition, etc.

Students are encouraged to review the training grant program listing and contact directors

for additional information.

Stipend Paychecks

A student is expected to have a bank account in the United States. Direct Deposit of

payments to your bank account is the norm for most students. (Please note that a Social

Security Number is required for Direct Deposit: international students should apply for one

as early as possible.) If you elect not to use 8 direct deposit, or while you are waiting for

your SSN, paychecks can be picked up at the “Paycheck Express” counter located in the

First Point Lobby, 881 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd Floor. Paychecks are issued on the Friday

following each week of work.

Summer Stipends and Tax Withholding

A student-funded on fellowships other than NIH will have FICA taxes withheld from their

paychecks during the summer (May, June, July and August).

Stipend Schedule

It depends on the type of stipend you are receiving. Non-service stipends, such as a Dean’s

Fellowship, are paid on the fourth Friday of each month. Service stipends, such as Teaching

Fellows and Research Fellowships, are paid weekly, on Fridays. See the tables below for a

detailed breakdown.

Dean’s Fellowship

Stipend Amount

$12,260.67/semester

$3,065.17/month

Payment Period

Fall: September-December

Spring: January-April

Summer: May-August (only for those awarded

12-month fellowships)

Payment Structure

Stipend is paid on the 4th Friday of each month

in the semester

Taxes

The portion of financial aid that exceeds the

expense of tuition, books, and fees maybe

subject to income tax. For U.S. citizens and

permanent residents, this stipend

is not subject to tax withholding by the

University; however, it is your responsibility to

report it accurately to the IRS and make

payments on the taxable portion of your

award. For international students, you will be

required to apply for a Social Security

Number and your stipend will have a taxation

rate of 14% unless you are claiming exempt

under a tax treaty.

Research Fellowships (Research Assistantships)

Stipend Amount

$12,260.67/semester

$707.35/week

Payment Period

Fall: September-December (17 weeks)

Spring: January-April (17 weeks)

Summer: May-August (18 weeks)

Payment Structure

Stipend is paid weekly on Fridays

Taxes

The portion of financial aid that exceeds the

expense of tuition, books, and fees is subject to

income tax. This stipend is subject to tax

withholding by the University who is required

to report the stipend portion of the award as

income to the federal government.

GMS Pre-Doctoral Non-Service Stipends Payment Request

Below is the process for requesting GMS pre-doctoral non-service stipends. This includes

students

appointed to NRSA fellowships, federal training grants, and non-federal fellowships. The

following

process should not be used for students who are appointed to faculty research grants (RO1,

etc.), first year PiBS students, and/or students receiving bridge funding from Graduate Medical

Sciences.

Stipend Request Process Steps

1. Student is appointed to a grant in which they will receive a non-service stipend.

2. Funds Administrator will contact the student’s Department Administrator to gather student’s

information (UID number, college of registration, etc.) as well as instruct the Department

Administrator to terminate the previous stipend payment method.

3. Funds Administrator completes GMS Student Non-Service Stipend Request Form and submits

the form to GMS FAO. For Federal Grants: A Copy of The Statement of Appointment (Form

2271) should be included with the request form.

4. GMS FAO will initiate the stipend in the BU SAP system if a valid financial aid fund number

already exists for the referenced award account.

5. The Medical Campus Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) must request a new financial aid

fund number for new award accounts; this process can take 1-3 weeks.

a. Any forms with inadequate or missing information will be returned to the Funds

Administrator for resubmission.

2. After the stipend has been initiated, OSFS will review and approve the stipend payment in BU

SAP system.

3. The stipend will then go to Post Award Financial Operations for review and final approval.

4. Funds Administrators will be notified of completion of stipend request process after this final

approval.

Completing the GMS Student Non-Service Stipend Request

The form can be found here with instructions and examples.

GMS Supplement of Grant Stipends

For doctoral students supported by training grants or fellowships, the Graduate Medical

Sciences will

cover a portion of a student’s total stipend up to the amount not covered by training grant or

fellowship

funds when the following criteria are met.

1. The student’s training grant or fellowship will not allow federal funds for supplementation of

stipends.

2. The student is registered as a MED student.

3. The training grant or fellowship has been awarded to Boston University (either campus).

4. Training grant or fellowship funds are being used to pay for the student's health insurance.

If the student receiving the non-service stipend does not meet the above criteria, please

indicate as such

on the GMS Student Non-Service Stipend Form and leave the corresponding “Amount Charged

per

Month” field blank. It is the responsibility of the Funds Administrator and the student’s

PI/home department to arrange funding in cases where a student does not meet the criteria

above. Note that GMS FAO will not process or approve charges on accounts unaffiliated with

the School of Medicine.

Stipend Processing Deadlines

There are several deadlines that must be met in order to pay student stipends on time.

For new non-service stipends or changes to current non-service stipends, requests must be

processed

and approved in the BU SAP system the 3rd Thursday of the payment’s initial month. As such

stipends

request should be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to the start of initial payment month. This

deadline

is to ensure that all requests are processed and approved by all relevant offices in a timely

fashion. It

also allows enough time for any registration issues to be resolved.

For new grant periods, 1-3 weeks are needed to create a fund number used in the BU SAP

system. The

stipend cannot be processed until the Office of Financial Assistance on the Charles River

Campus

establishes a fund number.

Due to the above deadlines, along with necessary processing times by GMS staff, stipend

requests must

be received at least three weeks prior to the start of the month the initial stipend payment will

be made.

For example: If a stipend is to start March 1st, the request must be received 2 weeks prior to the

start of March.

Errors and Amendments to Non-Service Stipends

Every effort will be made by GMS staff to ensure stipend payments are accurate and timely. If a

stipend

request is submitted in error and processed by GMS Finance and Administration, the Funds

Administrator must notify GMS Finance and Administration as soon as the error is discovered.

GMS will

make every effort to stop incorrect payments. It is the responsibility of the Grant Administrator

submit a new stipend request with corrected information to GMS and recover any funds

incorrectly paid

to the student. GMS can advise on this process if needed. If the student is underpaid due to an

error,

any unpaid funds will be paid to the student as soon as possible.

If a student is terminated from a grant or fellowship prematurely, the Funds Administrator

should alert

GMS as soon as possible to prevent an overpayment. The student’s Department Administrator

responsible for arranging funding for the student after they are terminated from the grant.

Questions, Comments, Issues

Contact GMS FAO regarding questions or comments on the Non-Service Stipend

Request process.

If you have any issues while using the new GMS Student Non-Service Stipend Request form, you

may

contact our group ([email protected]) for assistance.

Post-Enrollment

OnBase Submission

We are pleased to announce that GMS, along with IS&T, has finished the final phase of moving our

registration forms to electronic submission. Please note the following OnBase reminders.

1. Students are now able to electronically submit the following forms:

a. Class Adjustment (Add/Drop) Form, Ph.D. Dissertation Prospectus Outline, Certified Full-

Time Form, Medical Sciences Thesis Research Agreement, Ph.D. Summer Research

Status form, Ph.D. Dissertation Defense Abstract, Credit Transfer Request, Ph.D.

Schedule of Oral Defense, Master Thesis Title Approval Form, Special Service

Appointment Form, M.D./Ph.D. Program Transition and Diploma Application Form

2. If you experience any issues providing your review for a student form, please contact Millie

Agosto ([email protected]u) for help. Please do not contact IS&T for help. Millie will submit a ticket

to IS&T on your behalf for help if it is needed.

3. Please read all requests carefully, including the email text as well as the attached PDF form.

Several forms have similar names (i.e. Thesis Research Agreement & Thesis Title Approval). If

you believe you are receiving duplicate requests for the same student, please first confirm

whether the requests are in fact for the same form. The GMS office is unable to change your

review once submitted, therefore it is crucial you view the PDF form attached to each email to

verify the information the student submitted.

4. You must be connected to the BU VPN to submit your review. This may require a few extra

steps when you are off-campus and connecting to the Internet. If you are unable to connect to

the BU VPN and your review is time-sensitive, please contact Millie to approve/reject on your

behalf.

Please direct any questions or concerns to Millie Agosto ([email protected]).

Miscellaneous

Notification for BUMC closed or open due to weather inclement or emergency

situations

BU Medical Campus CLOSED (date)

Boston University Medical Campus will be open (date). *note Charles River Campus might be closed

BUSM MD and GMS classes will be held as scheduled, unless notified by course instructor. Medical, PA

and GMS students who are assigned to inpatient services or clinics are expected to be present, if

possible. Students who are assigned to outpatient services should check with their course director or the

policy at the clinical site.

The Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will follow normal school hours. All Patient

Treatment Centers will be open for patient care and all classes will be held as scheduled, unless notified

by the Office of Academic Affairs. GSDM students who are on externship should check their respective

externship site’s policy.

BU School of Public Health classes will be held as scheduled unless notified by course instructor. SPH

non-essential staff may telecommute or take a personal day.

A City of Boston snow emergency and parking ban is in effect. Please consider public transportation, if

available, for travel to the medical campus to reduce traffic on the roadways. Employees who are part of

the BUMC parking program should park in your assigned lot or garage.

For updated information, visit the BUMC emergency communications website.

Department Degree and Hegis Codes

COLLEGE

Department

PHD & (MDPHD - 82)

MA - 41/MS - 44

HEGIS

MED

Anatomy and Neurobiology

81, 88, (82)

N/A

0443

MED

Anatomy and Neurobiology

81, 86, (82)

0443

MED

Behavioral Neurosciences

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0425

MED

Biochemistry

81, 88, (82)

0414

MED

Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular

81, 88, (82)

0454

MED

Biochemistry, PIBS

81, 88, (82)

0477

MED

Bioimaging

N/A

0465

MED

Biomedical Forensic Science

N/A

0464

MED

Biomedical Research Technologies

N/A

0488

MED

Biophysics

81, 88, (82)

0439

MED

Biophysics, PIBS

81, 88, (82)

0478

MED

Clinical Research

N/A

44, 46

1351

MED

Computational Neuroscience

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0474

MED

Forensic Anthropology

N/A

0471

MED

Genetic Counseling

N/A

1328

MED

Genetics and Genomics

81, 88, 86, (82)

0444

MED

Genetics and Genomics, PIBS

81, 86, (82)

0479

MED

Healthcare Emergency Management

N/A

0468

MED

Health Professions Education

N/A

1356

MED

Medical Anthropology and Cross-

Cultural Practice

N/A

41, 44

0470

MED

Medical Science

N/A

1246

MED

Medical Science / MPH Program

N/A

MED 55 - SPH 59

1246

MED

Medical Science / Clinical Research

N/A

MED 43 - MED

1246/1351

MED

Medical Science / Mental Health

Counseling and Behavioral Medicine

N/A

MED 49 - MED

1246/1313

MED

Mental Health Counseling and

Behavioral Medicine

N/A

MED 41

1313

MED

Microbiology

81, 88, (82)

41, 44

0411

MED

Microbiology, program in Immunology

81, 88, (82)

1279

MED

Microbiology, PIBS

81, 86, (82)

0481

MED

Molec&Trans, Cell&Mol

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0487

MED

Molecular and Translational Medicine

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0486

MED

Molecular and Translational Medicine,

PIBS

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0482

MED

Molecular Medicine

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0457

MED

Molecular Medicine, Cell & Molecular

Biology

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0462

MED

Neuroscience

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0449

MED

Nutrition & Metabolism

81, 88, (82)

41, 44

1321

MED

Nutrition and Metabolism, PiBS

81, 88, (82)

480

MED

Oral Health Sciences

N/A

1333

MED

Pathology

81, 85

0408

MED

Pathology Laboratory Sciences

N/A

0490

MED

Pathology, PiBS

81, 85, (82)

N/A

0483

MED

Pathology, Cell & Molecular

81, 88, (82)

0450

MED

Pathology, Program in Biomedical

Neuroscience

81, 85, (82)

N/A

1325

MED

Pathology, program in Immunology

81, 85, (82)

N/A

1239

MED

Pharmacology

81, 88, (82)

0409

MED

Pharmacology, Program in Biomedical

Neuroscience

81, 88, (82)

1318

MED

Physiology

81, 88, (82)

0410

MED

Physiology, PIBS

81, 88, (82)

0484

MED

Program in Biomedical Sciences

N/A

0476

MED

Division of Graduate Medical Science

(WEB-REG NOT ALLOWED)

NON-DEGREE

0000

MED

Early medical selection program

(WEB-REG NOT ALLOWED)

NON-DEGREE

0000-EMSSP

ENG

Biomedical Engineering

(82)

N/A

0905

SDM

Oral Biology

NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WEB-REG

81, 85

N/A

1234

SDM

Oral Biology, PiBS

NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WEB-REG

81, 85

N/A

1346

For a list of all degree programs by school or college, please visit this webpage.

Course Scheduling

Instructions

1. To begin your review of class offerings navigate to the Instructor Entry tab of the excel workbook

that will be e-mailed to Program Directors and Program Administrators in preparation for each

semester. Each class offered the previous academic year will be listed. Determine if the course will

continue being offered for the upcoming semester. If the course listed will be offered, complete the

remaining columns with the appropriate course information. If the class will not be offered, please

delete the information to the right of the course name and number. Do not delete the course name

and number.

2. Review the “Course and Instructor Info” portion of the Excel spreadsheet, including the course and

section number as well as the title of the course. Please not any changes in red font. Indicate the

type of course in column C (i.e. IND for independent, DRS for Directed Study, or LEC for Lecture,

etc.). List the credit hours for each course in column D. In column E, include the name, e-mail, Phone

number, and BUID for each instructor directing each course. If a course is directed by more than one

instructor, please list this information for each of them. The BUID is critical in helping us match each

course with the appropriate instructor. Please ensure you list each instructor’s BUID number.

3. Proceed to complete the “Course Date & Time Information” columns. In column F-L, indicate the

day(s) the G and H, type the start time(s) and end time(s) for each course. PLEASE NOTE that due to

university guidelines courses must be scheduled in two hour blocks in the mornings, starting at 8 or

10 am (the end time is flexible) whereas afternoon courses may be scheduled in one hour blocks (12

pm, 1 pm, 2pm, ). If the course does not follow a standard schedule, if it meets on different days and

times or if it is a directed study and meets on arranged times please list “ARR” in column F and you

may leave columns G and H blank. In column I, you may list any notes you want to make visible to

students enrolling in the course. Some examples include the location of the course if you are not

requesting a room but you are using proprietary space. Please note you are only allowed 5 lines with

15 characters each for notes. Specify whether the course is running on standard or non-standard

dates in column J. If the course is not running on standard dates please list the start date and end

date in columns K and L respectively.

4. Input Registration Information. "WebReg Restriction" in column M refers to student's ability to

instructor must enroll students manually. Column N indicates students from which college can

enroll, and column O "Enrollment Limit" sets the number of available seats. Please note that the

enrollment limit is critical in finding a room to teach the course, if you require a specific room to

teach a course please note the total capacity of the room. Column P "Program Degree" allows

restriction for only certain degree programs to enroll, and column Q Hegis Code & Enrollment

number further restricts exactly how many seats available for the hegis code restrictions.

5. Please note GMS will be responsible for academic room scheduling ONLY. However, Program

Directors are responsible to submit the information required in this workbook to ensure a classroom

is successfully booked. Room scheduling for non-academic purposes (for workshops, social events,

or any event other than classes should be booked via 25Live by each individual program).

6. Input campus location and classroom. Indicate the classroom location for BUMC (column R) or CRC

(column S) or Department room (Column T). Please enter “Y” if you require any room booking for

each course. If you have a specific room requests, please list the room number in column R. If you

plan on using a room within your department, please enter that room number in column T. Enter

any special instructions or requests in column U. Please be mindful that these features may limit

spaces in the Optimizer (perhaps even making a course “unassignable” in 25Live, if features were

selected as required that don’t actually exist in any one space)—the underlying message here being

to only input the features that are absolutely necessary.

7. After you have reviewed all the classes listed, and inserted the requested information, the workbook

is complete. If for some reason a class did not appear on the list and should be offered, you may

enter the course in a new row in red font. Please save the worksheet and email it back to the

Assistant Registrar at [email protected]u. THE WORKBOOK MUST BE RETURNED BY THE DEADLINE to

ensure successful course and room scheduling. If you cannot meet the deadline, please contact

Millie ASAP. The registrar will be in contact if you requested a room or if any further information is

needed.

Sample Course Scheduling

Graduate Medical Sciences Clinical Instructors

This memo outlines the procedures for degree-granting programs who utilize Graduate Medical

Sciences Clinical Instructors for teaching courses in their programs. Graduate Medical Sciences

Clinical Instructors include professionals or scholars whose primary place of employment is not

Boston University and who are compensated on a per credit hour basis for teaching credit

bearing courses in a Graduate Medical Sciences degree-granting program. As such, individuals

in the Graduate Medical Sciences Clinical Instructor position are covered by the collective

bargaining agreement between Boston University and Service Employees International Union

Local 509, CTW, CLC. Note that University employees in staff or faculty roles who teach a course

for a degree-granting program should not be classified as Graduate Medical Sciences Clinical

Instructors and are excluded from this process. Please visit Article 1 of the SEIU L509 collective

bargaining agreement for an exhaustive list of which individuals are covered by the agreement.

You may also contact GMS FAO for questions related to determining eligibility.

Article 3 of the SEIU L509 agreement requires all new Graduate Medical Science Clinical

Instructors employed by Graduate Medical Sciences degree-granting programs to choose one of

the following options within 30 days of their employment: become members of the Union, or

pay an agency fee without becoming a member. This requirement can be read in detail in

Article 3.2 of the agreement. Note that Article 3.3 of the agreement provides a third option for

individuals who fall into the category of federal, state, or District of Columbia judiciary

members. Article 3.3 also provides an additional option for individuals who affirm through a

written statement to the Office of Human Resources (Attention: Labor Relations) that payment

of the Union fee will have an adverse impact on their professional work or employment outside

of the University because of an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. Please visit

Article 3.3 of the agreement for more detail.

In order to meet the requirements of the SEIU agreement regarding Graduate Medical Sciences

Clinical Instructors, workbook-based requests for contracts must be submitted by Program

Directors or their designee by the dates listed below. Requests will be reviewed and approved

by GMS Finance and Administration. If approved, a contract is executed and provided to

Program Directors and their designee for distribution. Once signed, contracts should be

returned by the deadline noted below. Note that any missed deadlines may result in delayed

payments or inability to access University resources such as Blackboard. These deadlines are

based in part on University payroll deadlines to ensure timely processing.

Semester

Teaching

Contract

Request

Returned by:

Contract

Issued:

Signed Contracts

Returned:

Contract

Processed:

Adjustments

Needed:

Fall 2021

07/16/2021

07/20/2021

07/23/2021

07/30/2021

08/13/2021

Spring 2022

10/18/2021

10/25/2020

11/01/2021

11/08/2021

12/06/2021

Summer 2022

03/07/2022

03/14/2022

03/21/2022

03/28/2022

04/11/2022