Unpaid Appointment – Overview
This KB guides SMPH departments and supervisors in making unpaid appointment requests. It outlines general information on appointments, how to make an appointment request to SMPH HR, and unpaid appointment titles. Contact your SMPH HR Operations Coordinator with any questions.
General Information
SMPH (School of Medicine and Public Health) allows the use of unpaid appointments to enhance our mission of advancing health and health equity through remarkable service to patients and communities, outstanding education, and innovative research. Unpaid appointments are not anticipated to lead to paid employment and are not an appropriate substitute for an evaluation period. More detailed information can be found in the Unpaid Appointment Guidelines and Procedures.
Requesting an Unpaid Appointment
All SMPH unpaid appointment requests should be submitted to SMPH HR Operations.
SMPH Unpaid Appointment Request Form
Information Required to Submit Request
Appointee Information:
- First and Last Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- CV or Resume
Position Information:
- Detailed position description
- Supervisor Name, title, and email address
- Appointee Work Location(s) and address(s)
- Position start and end date
Additional Information:
- Will this position require access to UW Health computer systems
- Will this request require immigration sponsorship
- Is the appointee under the age of 18 years
- Will the appointee be enrolled at UW Madison or any other higher education institution?
- Will the appointee have contact with medical patients and/or human research subjects in this position?
Unpaid Appointment Titles
| Title | Definition | Appointment Length |
|---|---|---|
| Honorary Associate/Fellow | Temporary appointment used to provide individuals with official University affiliation and identification without benefit of pay. The primary purpose of the honorary appointment title is to assist the University and School of Medicine and Public Health in advancing or enhancing its core mission and vision. | 12 months |
| Unpaid Graduate Intern | Temporary appointment used for graduate students enrolled at UW-Madison or another university. The position is designed to familiarize the unpaid intern with research and the university. Learners will be under the direct or indirect supervision of a faculty mentor matched to the student's academic interest. No pay or academic credit will be associated with these appointments. | Short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year |
| Unpaid Undergraduate Intern | Temporary appointment used for undergraduate students enrolled at UW-Madison or another university and designed to familiarize the unpaid intern with research and the University. The student will be under the direct or indirect supervision of a faculty mentor matched to the student's academic interest. No pay or academic credit will be associated with this appointment. | Short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year |
| Pre-College Intern | Title used for current high school students (17 years old or under) participating in a program designed to familiarize them with research and the University in general. The students are under the direct or indirect supervision of a faculty mentor who is matched to the student's academic interest. | Short-term, semester-by-semester, or academic-year |
| Unpaid Administrative Specialist (Limited Use) | Title used primarily for UW Health or UWMF employees (or other exceptional circumstances determined by SMPH HR) associated with SMPH who require an unpaid appointment to access UW-Madison systems, such as WISDM and e-Reimbursement, to perform duties specific to their current role (i.e., department financial specialists). Annual compliance trainings are required for this appointment title. Appointments may not be written for more than a 2-year term. | 12-24 months |
Additional Information: