Doctoral Fellowships
Orientation for First Time Graduate Assistants and Doctoral Fellows
Fall 2020 Orientation
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
5–5:30 p.m.
Please click this URL to join: https://emich.zoom.us/j/99065492392?pwd=NEYxN1pwamg5K1JVcTBrbmZ3ZDRMUT09
Meeting ID: 990 6549 2392
Passcode: 775257
HR Overview for students who have been granted a position as a Graduate Assistant or Doctoral Fellow for Fall 2019 Semester.
Eligibility
The doctoral fellowship (DF) applicant must be fully or conditionally (conditions 1, 2 or
3) admitted to a doctoral program or a terminal master’s program of study. Applicants
with condition 4 status because of low grade-point average are not eligible for doctoral
fellowships.
Once admitted and awarded a DF, a 3.0 doctoral grade-point average must be
maintained to continue satisfactory progress toward completing the program of study.
International students must have an F-1 or J-1 visa or official work permit to be a
doctoral fellow.
A DF award will impact other financial aid; communicate with the Financial Aid office.
To keep a DF position, the student must:
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours if appointed Fall and Winter semesters, and one credit for the Summer semester
- Make progress toward completing a doctoral program of study filed with the Office of Records and Registration, without an excessive number of incompletes or course withdrawals.
Benefits
For a full-time, academic-year DF appointment, the University provides a tuition scholarship for up to 23 credit hours in each academic year (September 1 to August 31) of the fellowship. For doctoral fellows who are appointed to part-time positions and for doctoral fellows who begin employment after the start of the semester, the number of credit hours covered by the award will be prorated.
The DF program also covers any tuition differential associated with certain courses. This award does not pay mandatory fees (general fee, student center fee and technology fee), new student record initiation fee, registration fee, late registration fee, drop fees or late fees applied when bills are not paid.
Doctoral Fellows receive library privileges and a 10% discount on items purchased at
the bookstore in the Student Center.
Doctoral Fellows receive priority registration, provided they register online by the date
specified by the Office of Records and Registration as noted in the class schedule book
or website (same date as undergraduate Honors students).
Intangible benefits of appointment as a Doctoral Fellow include close contact with faculty and other doctoral students, valuable employment experience within an academic setting and the opportunity to devote one's energies to academic work.
Compensation
Compensation rates are determined by the hiring office.
Application Process
Applicants must either seek a fellowship through their academic department/school or
find one online. When a job opening appears, you may complete an application and
upload a resume, letters of recommendation or other hiring materials requested by the
department. Once the first application has been submitted and you are applying to
additional positions, your previously entered information will carry over into the new
application form, where it can be edited.
Most departments/schools seek applications in February/March for fall appointments.
Offices will review the submitted materials, interview candidates and select a doctoral
fellow. Once an appointment decision has been made, the department sends a letter of offer to the applicant and hiring paperwork (a Personnel Action Form or PAF) to EMU Human Resources. Once it is confirmed that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements, EMU Human Resources enters the stipend information into the payroll database system, and Student Business Services and the Office of Financial Aid are notified to process the tuition/fee scholarship.
Communication regarding this award will be sent to the "local" address. Domestic students should update this address through their my.emich account. Within 10 days of a move, international students (F- and J-visa holders) must update their address through the Office of International Students, who then will convey the change to the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS).