L&S Procedures for Student Assistant Fellowships & Traineeships

Advanced Opportunity Fellow (AOF) SA001

Fellow SA002

Trainee SA013

According to Graduate School policy, students must be enrolled full-time at a UW System institution to be eligible for a student assistant (SA) appointment. It is the responsibility of the hiring department/unit to verify full-time enrollment.

Fellows

• Fall & Spring:
• Non-Dissertators: 8 credits.
• Dissertators: 3 credits.
• Summer (General 8-Week Session):
• Non-Dissertators with 12-month/Annual appointments: 2 credits.
• Dissertators with 12-month/Annual appointments: 3 credits.
• Not pay-rolled over summer: No enrollment required.
• Pay-rolled during any part of summer.
• Graded credits must be at the 300 level or above.
• Courses must be taken for a grade; pass/fail and audit do not count toward minimum enrollment.

Trainees

• Fall & Spring:
  • Non-Dissertators: 8–15 credits (including research or thesis credits).
  • Dissertators: 3 credits.
• Summer (General 8-Week Session):
  • Non-Dissertators: 2 credits.
  • Dissertators: 3 credits.
• Graded credits must be at the 300 level or above.
• Courses must be taken for a grade; pass/fail and audit do not count toward minimum enrollment.

Maximum Enrollment

• Non-Dissertators:
• Fall & Spring: Maximum of 15 graded credits at the 300 level or above.
• Summer: Maximum of 12 credits.
• Credit Overload: Enrollment beyond these limits requires submission of the Credit Overload Request form.

Note: Students who are not enrolled full-time must be aware of potential obligations requiring full-time status, such as visa requirements, fellowships, assistantships, financial aid, external funding, and program progress standards.

Satisfactory Progress

Must maintain satisfactory progress toward their graduate degrees. This is determined by:

• The student’s graduate program
• The Graduate School
• The student’s faculty advisor

Minimum Graduate School Standards

• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all graduate-level coursework (300 and above), excluding:
  • Research courses
  • Audit
  • Credit/No Credit
  • Pass/Fail
• Incomplete (I) grades are considered unsatisfactory if not resolved by the following semester of enrollment, unless the instructor sets an earlier deadline.

References & Resources:

For further information on Fellows & Trainees, visit the Graduate School’s webpage.

• Concurrent Appointments for Fellows/Trainees Graduate School webpage
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) UW-5082
• Graduate School Enrollment Requirements Policy UW-1208
• Graduate School Fellowships webpage
• International Student Services Dates
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Policy for Supplementation and Concurrent Appointments for Graduate Students Holding Predoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships

It’s important to understand the distinction between a stipend amount and a compensation rate (comp rate), as these two figures are not always the same for a given appointment.

• The stipend amount is the total amount of money a fellow or trainee will receive over the course of their appointment.
• The compensation rate is the academic year or annual salary rate assigned to the appointment in Workday. This rate is used to calculate the stipend amount based on the appointment’s duration and FTE (full-time equivalent).

When Are They the Same?

• If a 9-month (C-basis) appointment spans the full academic year, or a 12-month (A-basis) appointment spans the full calendar year, the stipend amount and compensation rate will be the same.

When Are They Different?

• If a 9-month (C-basis) appointment covers less than a full academic year, or a 12-month (A-basis) appointment covers less than a full calendar year, the stipend amount will differ from the compensation rate. In these cases, the stipend is prorated based on the actual length of the appointment.

The University supports graduate students in gaining teaching and research experience. As such, students holding Fellowships or Traineeships may hold concurrent appointments, provided these do not significantly delay progress toward their fellowship or degree goals.

• Approval Required: All concurrent appointments must be approved by the student’s major professor or academic advisor (sponsor) and the payroll-responsible department(s).
• Federal Compliance: Written policies are required to maintain eligibility for federal funding. Federal and other funding sources may limit allowable work (FTE) and supplemental earnings.

Compensation Limits

• Total compensation (fellowship/traineeship + assistantship) must not exceed the department’s full-time RA rate reported to the Graduate School for the current year.
• Student hourly appointments are allowed and must be included in the total compensation calculation.

Academic and University Staff Appointments

• These appointments are not closely associated with enrolled students and require Graduate School review.
• Terms and conditions of fellowships/traineeships may limit additional employment.
• Prior approval is required for all concurrent academic or university staff appointments.

1. Concurrent Appointments and Compensation Limits

A. Student Assistant Appointments

• Total UW compensation (fellowship/traineeship + assistantship) must not exceed the full-time Research Assistant (RA) rate of the student’s academic home department.
• The academic home department may differ from the employing department (e.g., a Mathematics student employed in Chemistry).
• Approved program rates are listed on the Graduate Assistantships – Graduate School webpage.
• Refer to L&S Procedures on Fellowships and Traineeships under “Limitations on Supplementation.”

Note: Fellow, Trainee, and Scholar appointments are non-service and do not count toward FTE appointment limits.

B. Student Hourly Appointments

• Permitted, but must be included in the total compensation limit.

C. Academic and University Staff Appointments

• Require prior approval from the Graduate School.
• These appointments are not closely tied to student status and must be reviewed for compliance with fellowship/traineeship terms.
• Approval is required for any concurrent Academic Staff (AS), University Staff (US), or Limited (LI) appointments.

2. Waivers and Exceptions

A. Waiver Policy

• If a donor’s policy allows higher supplementation than University policy, the University policy still applies unless a waiver is granted by the Graduate School Dean or designee.

B. Required Documentation

• Submit a Concurrent Appointment Waiver Request Form and the donor’s policy/terms.
• For concurrent academic or university staff appointments, use the Concurrent Appointment Waiver Request Form for Predoctoral Fellows and Trainees.
• Waivers must be requested annually.

3. Additional Conditions and Restrictions

These policies apply only to funds payrolled/administered through UW–Madison.

• Federal Restrictions:
  • Fellows/trainees funded by federal sources cannot hold concurrent teaching/project/research appointments also funded by federal sources.
  • Exceptions: Federal Work Study funds.
• NIH-Funded RAs:
  • Total cost (stipend + tuition remission + fringe) must not exceed the NIH NRSA postdoctoral fellow/trainee stipend + 21.7% fringe.
  • Find the current stipend scale on the NIH webpage
• International Students (F-1/J-1 Visas):
  • Limited to 20 hours/week (50% FTE) during the academic year for service SA roles.
• Departmental Restrictions:
  • Schools, colleges, and departments/units may impose stricter limits – consult for additional requirements.
• For externally funded Fellowships:
  • Concurrent appointment policies vary by agency or donor.
  • Always review the terms and conditions of your specific fellowship.
    • Example: Students with NSF Fellowships may not hold concurrent appointments funded by federal dollars.
• For questions or clarification about concurrent appointments:
• • Contact the Graduate School at funding@grad.wisc.edu.

4. Again

If the graduate student has a Fellowship/Traineeship, graduate school policies limit total earnings in all combined appointments during the Fellowship/Traineeship to no more than the full-time RA rate of the graduate student’s academic home department.  

Contact the graduate school Fellowship Office (funding@grad.wisc.edu) or the Student+ Team (studentplus@ls.wisc.edu) for assistance verifying supplementation limits to determine if the student will exceed the appointment limits.

See University of Wisconsin–Madison Policy for Supplementation and Concurrent Appointments for Graduate Students Holding Predoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships for more information.

Please note the registration requirements may be different for International Students, contact the International Student Services office for additional guidance. 

Compensation Limits Calculations: Example 1

Compensation Limits Calculations: Example 2

Compensation Limits Calculations: Example 3

Benefits & Payroll Table

Benefits & Payroll	Advanced Opportunity Fellow SA001	Fellow SA002	Trainee SA013
Remission of nonresident portion of tuition (if at least 33%-time appointment or an equivalent*)	Yes	Yes	No
Resident portion of tuition (if at least 33%-time appointment or an equivalent*)	No	No	No
Health Insurance (if at least 33%-time appointment or an equivalent*)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sick Leave	No	No	No
Vacation	No	No	No
Paid Legal Holiday	No	No	No
Paid Parental Leave	No	No	No
Subject to State and Federal Income Tax	Yes	Yes	Yes
Subject to FICA Tax	No	No	No
W2	No	No	No

This information is intended as a guideline and specific benefits eligibility should be reviewed at: University of Wisconsin Benefit Eligibility Decision Table

Tuition Remission Policy

Health Benefits

Payroll

Advanced Opportunity Fellows, Fellowships, and Traineeships each have a designated template, along with a separate template for reappointments. Every new appointment and reappointment requires an individualized employment agreement, which must be reviewed and approved by the L&S Student+ Team.

Draft employment agreements should adhere as closely as possible to the template. While departments and ART HR staff may include additional information specific to the appointment or their department, any modifications must not imply guarantees, such as potential extensions.

Offer and reappointment employment agreements must confirm whether the supervisor/mentor has secured funding for the full duration of the appointment. If full funding is not available, the agreement should specify the duration of assured funding. Additionally, if the appointment is contingent on external funding (e.g., research grants, contracts, or training grants), the agreement must explicitly state this, along with the funding end date, even if renewal is anticipated.

The date at the top of the employment agreement should reflect the date on which the unit administrator or chair signs the final version before submission.

Employment Agreement Process

1. Graduate Student Assistant employment agreements are created outside of Workday – skip the employment agreement generation step in Workday
2. Department and/or ART HR staff download the Graduate Student Assistant employment agreements (offer letter templates) from a. KB 91396 for Fellows/Trainees b. GSSC-Funded Awards Offer Letter Template
3. Department and/or ART HR staff edit the template employment agreement with specific appointment details – nothing else.
4. Send the Draft Employment Agreement to the Student+ Team HR Coordinator for review and approval.
5. Once the Employment Agreement is reviewed and approved by the Student+ Team HR Coordinator → send the completed agreement to the student hire – request that the student review the employment agreement and return a signed copy.
6. Attach the final signed employment agreement to the Hire, Add Job, or Lateral Move/Transfer Business Process in Workday.
   
   

Templates

• Advanced Opportunity Fellow Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Advanced Opportunity Fellow Reappointment Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Fellowship Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Fellowship Reappointment Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Traineeship Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Traineeship Reappointment Employment Agreement Template rev 9.5.2025
• Community of Graduate Research Scholars Internal Fellowship Employment Agreement Template

For questions, contact the department/unit Administrative Regional Team (ART) HR staff or the Student+ Team  at studentplus@ls.wisc.edu 

Resources: 

Community of Graduate Research Scholars (CGRS)

Fellowships - Graduate School webpage

Funding and Financial Aid - Graduate School webpage

Graduate School - Fellowship Administration Guide revised January 2023

International Student Services - International Students webpage

Maximum Levels of Appointments - Graduate School webpage

Non-Service Job Aid Form: this form is fillable, updated 10/30/2025

Payroll Benefits for Graduate Assistants, Fellows, and Trainees

Tuition Remission - Graduate School webpage

L&S Documents / Resources:

Checking & Calculating Earning Limits: this document provides information on Fellow/Trainee earning limits and step-by-step directions of the process to check/calculate the earning limits. 

Contracts Basics - GAAP CoP Group: this document provides the information shared by the GAAP Community of Practice group (11/18/2025).

Fellow & Trainee Handbook: this handbook outlines policies and procedures for Graduate Student Assistant Fellows & Trainees at L&S.

Hiring Situations that Require Approval: this resource lists and explains hiring situations that require special approval from Lynne of Teaching & Learning and the L&S Student+ Team HR Manager/BP.

Period Activity Pay Resource: this document provides information about Period Activity Pay (PAP) for Fellows/Trainees including definitions, step-by-step processing guidance, and examples. 

Period Activity Pay Extension: this document provides information about Period Activity Pay (PAP) extension for Fellows/Trainees including step-by-step processing guidance and examples. 

Student Assistant Appointment Types & Details - Academic Year: this document provides details such as FLSA status, pay-basis, pay type, appointment limit, service/non-service, and more in a table for all of the appointments the Student+ Team processes. 

Student+ Population Workshop Slide Deck 7.30.25

Related Policy Resources:

Determination of Non-Service Appointments Policy: UW-Madison Policy on Non-Service Appointments, UW-5005.This policy applies to individuals in UW-Madison non-service appointments. Primary users of this policy are employees who are determining whether someone should be placed in a non-service appointment. 

Graduate School: Enrollment Requirements: UW-Madison policy UW-1208. Graduate students pursuing Master's or PhD degrees in academic programs under the purview of the Graduate School enrollment requirments. 

Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP): UW-Madison Policy on Graduate Assistantships, UW-5082.

Graduate School: Tuition Remission for Graduate Students with Individual Pre-Doctoral Fellowships: UW-Madison policy UW-1239. This policy establishes standards for tuition remission benefits for pre-doctoral fellowships administered through the university. 

Graduate Student Assistant Polices: this document provides a summary of the policies for the Graduate Student Assistant appointments in one place. 

Policy on Traineeships: UW-Madison Policy on Traineeships, UW-1237. Scope: Graduate students pursuing Master's or PhD degrees in academic programs under the purview of the Graduate School. 

Supplementation and Concurrent Appointments for Postdoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships: UW-Madison policy UW-6101.  Any teaching or research undertaken by a fellow or trainee at the postdoctoral level should not significantly prolong the time for the accomplishment of the training objective for which the fellowship or traineeship is made. These arrangements, while possible, must be approved by the postdoctoral appointee's mentor and the payrolling department(s). This allows faculty to ensure that the proposed arrangement will not prolong a postdoctoral appointee's training. The University is required by the federal government to have written policies and procedures for fellows and trainees, in order to receive federal fellow and trainee awards.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Policy for Supplementation and Concurrent Appointments for Graduate Students Holding Predoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships: The University recognizes the importance of opportunities for graduate students to engage in teaching and research activities and modified the policy to allow for concurrent appointments that have these components. Any teaching, project or research undertaken by a fellow or trainee at the predoctoral level should not significantly prolong the time for the accomplishment of the training objective for which the fellowship or traineeship is made.