A Postdoctoral Fellow or Postdoctoral Trainee is an individual awarded extramural funding for continued training after earning a doctorate. The appointing department/unit must verify that all doctoral requirements have been fully completed before the appointment begins, including the final filing of the thesis. Successful completion of an oral defense alone is not sufficient.

• Degree Requirement:
  • Must have received a Ph.D. within the last five years of the appointment start date.
  • Departments/units are responsible for ensuring all degree requirements are completed before the appointment begins.
• Appointment Duration:
  • Typically two years, with a maximum of five years.
• Funding & Compensation:
  • Usually funded extramurally or from outside the college (e.g., from grants or fellowships).
  • Paid via stipend (not wages).
  • Since stipends are not considered wages, the university does not withhold taxes from payments. Fellows/trainees may need to pay estimated taxes quarterly.
• Appointment Type:
  • Non-Service appointment: The individual’s activities must primarily benefit their own learning and research, rather than serving the university’s needs.
  • Work should be independent or self-directed, with supervision similar to that of a student-teacher relationship.
  • If the individual’s work is primarily for the university’s benefit, an employment title such as Research Associate or Scientist should be used instead.
• Distinction Between Fellow & Trainee:
  • Postdoctoral Trainees are typically part of a structured training program with a group of peers.
  • Postdoctoral Fellows are usually not part of a group training program.
• Additional Requirements:
  • This appointment type requires completion of the Non-Service Job Aid.

Zero-Dollar Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities. Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.

Appointment Letter Templates

• Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee Offer Letter Template rev4.25
• Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee Extension Letter Template rev4.25
• Zero-Dollar Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee Offer Letter Template rev.25
• Zero-Dollar Postdoctoral Fellow/Trainee Extension Letter Template rev2.25

A Research Associate is an individual continuing training after earning a doctorate (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., or J.D.). The appointing unit must verify that all doctoral requirements have been fully completed before the appointment begins, including the final filing of the thesis. Successful completion of an oral defense alone is not sufficient.

• Degree Requirement: Must have received a Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., or J.D.
  • The doctorate must have been earned within the last five years of the appointment start date.
  • Departments/units are responsible for ensuring all degree requirements are completed before the appointment begins.
• Appointment Duration:
  • Typically 2–3 years but can be extended up to a maximum of five years.
  • Approval requirements:
    • Up to 3 years: Requires department/unit-level approval.
    • Beyond 3 years (up to 5 years): Requires annual approval from the Dean’s Office, including a statement confirming continued training.
• Appointment Type:
  • Service appointment: Usually under a Principal Investigator (PI).
  • Funded by PI grant funds or other sources (not typically from individual fellowship awards).
  • Paid position: Wages are provided, and taxes are deducted from paychecks.
• FLSA Status: Exempt or Non-Exempt, depending on salary.
• Zero-Dollar Appointments:
  • If unpaid, the appointment is considered non-service, meaning there are no wages or work expectations.
  • The individual is participating for their own professional benefit rather than providing services to the university.

Zero-Dollar Research Associate appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities. Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.

Appointment Letter Templates

• Research Associate Offer Letter Template rev4.25
• Research Associate Extension Letter Template rev4.25
• Zero-Dollar Research Associate Offer Letter Template rev4.25
• Zero-Dollar Research Associate Extension Letter Template rev4.25

At UW–Madison, all full-time Postdoctoral Fellows, Postdoctoral Trainees, and Research Associates must have a minimum base salary or stipend of $47,476. This requirement may be met through multiple appointments, as permitted by university policy UW-6101: Supplementation and Concurrent Appointments for Postdoctoral Fellowships or Traineeships.

For example, an individual may receive a $40,000 fellowship stipend as a Postdoctoral Fellow, supplemented by a $7,476 salary as a Research Associate, ensuring a total base salary/stipend of $47,476.

While the minimum base salary/stipend is $47,476, the estimated total pay range for a Postdoctoral Research Associate at UW–Madison is $56,000–$65,000 per year, with an average base salary of $60,000.

College of Letters & Science has a minimum for Research Interns of $20 an hour or $41,600 annually effective August 24, 2025.

Salary Supplementation for Fellowships

UW–Madison offers salary supplementation for postdoctoral fellowships. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) and the partnering college may provide a supplement based on the approved salary for the year. However, the total award cannot exceed the nine-month salary approved by the UW Board of Regents. Current salary adjustment policies apply only to FA, AS, LI, and US employees.

Performance-Based Increases

• There is a 10% cap on performance-based salary increases (this is not an option for Research Associates).
• Best practice is to provide increases on the employee’s anniversary date, departments/units should provide a justification for the increase and run it by the division for approval.

Research Associates Salary Adjustments & Limitations

Research Associates:

• Not eligible for lump sum performance payments or lump sum awards.
• Not eligible for compensation/base rate increases.
• Receive pay adjustments through Pay Plan to keep their salaries up to date.

Research Associates on the NIH Pay Scale:

• Not eligible for lump sum performance payments or lump sum awards.
• Not eligible for compensation/base rate increases
• The only way to increase compensation is through adjustments based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) pay scale, provided there is a schedule change.
• Receive compensation/base rate increases only according to NIH pay scale adjustments on their anniversary date.

Taxes:

The distinction between the different types of postdocs is very important in terms of taxes and compensation. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers Research Associates to be employees and thus payments made to Research Associates are fully taxable as wages and the University must withhold taxes from monthly paychecks in most cases.

The IRS, however, does not consider Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Trainees to be employees. As a result, the University will not withhold taxes from monthly stipend checks. Stipends, however, may be taxable as income: Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Trainees may be required to pay taxes quarterly on an estimated basis.

The Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays Policy at UW–Madison provides eligible Postdoctoral Scholars (postdocs) with paid leave for personal, medical, parental reasons, and legal holidays. The policy outlines different types of paid absences, eligibility criteria, accrual rules, usage limitations, and procedures for transitioning between appointments or leaving the institution.

Absence with Pay

University policy UW-5088 Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays provides two types of absence with pay:

• Absence with pay (personal): Hours when a postdoc may be absent from their training for personal purposes and still receive their stipend or salary.
• Absence with pay (medical): Hours when a postdoc may be absent from their training due to personal and immediate family medical reasons, or for the birth or adoption of their child, and still receive their stipend or salary.

For absence with pay (personal), annual-basis postdocs are eligible, but academic-basis postdocs are not eligible. For absence with pay (medical), all postdocs are eligible. The amount of leave granted for full-time postdocs is below. Postdocs in appointments less than full-time are granted amounts based on their percentage of appointment.

• Absence with pay (personal): 176 hours per fiscal year (July 1–June 30)
• Absence with pay (medical): 96 hours per fiscal year (July 1–June 30)

Any absence with pay remaining at the end of the fiscal year will be lost and not carry over into the next fiscal year. Postdocs are ineligible to receive cash payouts for any unused absence with pay.

Summary of the Policy

1. Absence with Pay (Personal)

• Eligibility: Only postdocs on annual-basis appointments are eligible for paid personal leave. Those on academic-basis appointments are not.
• Accrual & Usage:
• Eligible full-time postdocs receive 176 hours per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), granted upon hire and on July 1 each year.
• If a postdoc starts or ends their appointment mid-year, their leave is prorated accordingly.
• Postdocs may begin using leave immediately upon hire; there is no waiting period.
• Unused personal leave does not carry over into the next fiscal year and is forfeited if unused.
• Personal leave cannot be donated or cashed out.
• Impact of Changes in Employment:
• Increased or reduced FTE affects the amount of leave granted. Overused leave must be repaid if a postdoc’s FTE decreases or if they leave UW–Madison before the fiscal year ends.
• If a postdoc moves within UW–Madison, their current leave balance transfers. If they move to a different type of appointment (e.g., faculty or staff), they lose their postdoc leave.
• Transfers between UW System institutions depend on the new employer's discretion, and overused leave is not assumed by UW–Madison.

2. Absence with Pay (Medical)

• Eligibility: All postdocs (both annual-basis and academic-basis) are eligible.
• Accrual & Usage:
• Full-time postdocs receive 96 hours per year (based on fiscal or academic year).
• Medical leave is available immediately upon hire and is prorated for new hires, mid-year departures, or FTE changes.
• Acceptable use includes personal illness, medical appointments, family care (up to five consecutive days), bereavement (up to seven days for immediate family), and any leave covered under FMLA/WFMLA.
• A medical certification is required for absences longer than five days or in cases of suspected misuse.
• Unused medical leave does not carry over and is forfeited at the end of the fiscal/academic year.
• Impact of Changes in Employment:
• If a postdoc moves within UW–Madison, their medical leave balance transfers.
• Moving to a different type of appointment results in loss of postdoc medical leave.
• If leaving UW–Madison, any remaining medical leave is forfeited.
• Postdocs cannot convert unused medical leave into a payout for health insurance or reinstatement upon return.

3. Absence with Pay (Parental)

• Eligibility: Postdocs qualify if they:
• Experience a birth or adoption event after the policy's effective date.
• Hold a postdoc appointment at UW–Madison at the time of the event.
• Have been continuously employed for at least six months in a postdoc or equivalent paid parental leave-eligible appointment within the UW System.
• Accrual & Usage:
• Eligible full-time postdocs receive up to six weeks (240 hours) of paid parental leave.
• Those working less than 100% FTE receive a prorated amount.
• Parental leave must be used within 12 months of the qualifying event.
• It can be taken in one continuous block or intermittently, as approved by the mentor and departments/units.

Key Takeaways

• Only annual-basis postdocs are eligible for personal leave, while all postdocs receive medical and parental leave.
• Leave is granted upfront each year but is prorated based on appointment start/end dates.
• Unused leave does not carry over and is forfeited at the end of the year.
• Changes in employment status (FTE adjustments, transfers, or termination) impact leave eligibility and may require repayment if leave was overused.
• Medical certification is required for extended absences, and parental leave must be used within a year of the event.

This policy ensures that postdocs have access to paid time off while maintaining accountability for leave usage and employment transitions.

Legal Holidays

University policy UW-5088 Postdoc Absence with Pay & Legal Holidays provides the same nine legal holidays to all postdocs as are provided to employees.

Under the policy, full-time postdocs are granted eight hours of pay for each legal holiday. Part-time postdocs are granted a prorated amount based on their hours in pay status during the pay period that includes the legal holiday. Postdocs are not eligible for floating legal holidays.

UW–Madison grants postdocs nine paid legal holidays per calendar year for the following legal holidays:

• January 1 (New Year's Day)
• Third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
• Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
• July 4 (Independence Day)
• First Monday in September (Labor Day)
• Fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day)
• December 24 (Christmas Eve Day)
• December 25 (Christmas Day)
• December 31 (New Year's Eve Day)

Eligibility for Paid Legal Holidays
All postdocs are eligible for paid legal holidays if the postdoc holds an active appointment on the date of the legal holiday.

A Graduate Intern/Trainee is a graduate student (enrolled at UW-Madison or another university) who is completing a fieldwork or clinical internship as a required component of their Ph.D. or Master’s degree program. Except in rare cases, appointees will be required to pay taxes on the amount of stipend that exceeds the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment. Appointees may be required to pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis.

• Degree Requirement:
  • Must have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
  • Must be actively enrolled in a graduate program, but not necessarily at UW-Madison.
• Appointment Purpose:
  • The internship or fieldwork must fulfill a specific requirement for the student’s degree program.
• Appointment Type:
  • Non-Service appointment: The role is primarily for the benefit of the incumbent as part of their curriculum.
• Funding & Compensation:
  • Paid via stipend (not wages).
  • Taxes are not withheld from stipends.
  • Appointees may be required to pay estimated taxes quarterly, especially if the stipend exceeds costs for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment.
• FLSA Status: Exempt.
• Graduate Intern/Trainees are not formally under the Graduate Student Assistantship Policies or the Postdoctoral Policies. Schools/colleges/divisions may apply other post degree training policies to this title.

Graduate Intern/Trainee compensation is generally aligned with others in similar disciplines within their department/unit and across campus. However, there is no standardized pay structure for this group.

The current Grad Intern/Trainee salaries at UW-Madison range between $26,506 to $44,000 with a median of $38,000. Using the median, departments/units can go below or above depending on the direct experience of the individual.

Graduate Intern/Trainees are non-service appointments meaning they have an FLSA status of Exempt.

• These appointments are not subject to FLSA, if an appointment is not subject to FLSA they are given the status of Exempt, but this status has nothing to do with their compensation or their duties.

Zero-Dollar Graduate Intern/Trainee appointments allow individuals to maintain an affiliation with UW-Madison without receiving compensation from the university. These appointments are classified as non-service positions, meaning the individual is present for their own professional benefit, such as field work or clinical internship per the requirements of a Ph.D. or Master's degree, rather than performing work required by the university. 

Appointment Letter Templates

• Graduate Intern/Trainee Offer Letter Template rev2.25
• Zero-Dollar Graduate Intern/Trainee Offer Letter Template rev2.25

A research intern is an individual who is continuing training after receipt of a bachelors, master, or equivalent. A research intern appointment is normally for a two- or three-year term. These individuals have been engaged in an area of research, service, or the like, and are pursuing additional training in their areas of expertise or a related field. Their work should be independent or self-directed, with supervision similar to that of a mentor guiding a student. Payments made to research interns are fully taxable as wages, and taxes will be withheld for monthly paychecks.

• Degree Requirement: Must have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree (not a postdoctoral appointment).
  • Not currently a Graduate Student
  • Not registered for credits at an institution of higher education
• Appointment Duration: Typically 2–3 years.
• Purpose: Provides further training in a specific area of expertise or a related field.
• Appointment Type:
• Service appointment: Usually under a Principal Investigator (PI).
• Paid Position:
  • Wages are provided, and taxes are deducted from paychecks.
  • L&S College minimum of $20 an hour or $41,600 annually effective August 24, 2025.
• FLSA Status: Exempt or Non-Exempt
• Research Interns are not allocated paid sick leave or paid vacation time.

Zero-Dollar Research Intern appointments (non-salaried) are used when the individual is training to further support their studies, for their own benefit. The individual will have official University status and can use the libraries and other University facilities.  Appointments are for one year and may be renewed yearly - possibly two or three years.

Appointment Letter Templates

• Research Intern Offer Letter Template rev4.25
• Research Intern Extension Letter Template rev2.25
• Zero-Dollar Research Intern Offer Letter Template rev2.25
• Zero-Dollar Research Intern Extension Letter Template rev.25