The new compensation requirements for graduate student researchers (GSRs) have increased the gap between existing GSR stipend rates and NIH T-series training grant salary caps. These grants provide critical funding support to our GSRs as well as our research enterprise. They also bring significant prestige to our talented students and to our institution.
We are pleased to announce that Chancellor Khosla has committed up to $4.3 million in funding for fiscal year 2024-2025 to provide relief for PIs who are successful in securing training grants for their students. Funding will be provided to cover stipend gaps, with PIs continuing to fund tuition and fees.
We appreciate our faculty PI colleagues who brought this need to our attention and whose leadership on these institutional training grants is essential to their success.
Detailed implementation guidelines are below and available online at https://ucsdcollab.atlassian.net/wiki/x/qQGyTw
Overview of the Program
The program aims to facilitate the continued submission of training grant proposals while assisting principal investigators and mentors in managing the financial demands of compensating predoctoral trainees. The initiative specifically targets NIH T-series grants, such as the T15 and T32 awards, which provide essential institutional research training opportunities.
Funding Details
For the fiscal year 2024-25, the Chancellor has allocated up to $4.3 million to help cover the predoctoral stipend supplement, commonly referred to as the "cap gap." This funding will allow for support up to the equivalent of the 50% GSR Step 4 salary point. For 2024-25, eligible predoctoral trainees can expect a maximum funding amount from this program of approximately $15,016 for a 12-month appointment.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility for funding is strictly limited to predoctoral trainees enrolled in NIH T15 and T32 awards. Please note that tuition and fees are not covered under this program.
Application and Funding Distribution
No internal application process is necessary to access pilot funding. Instead, the funds will be disbursed through a reimbursement mechanism, details of which are linked below.
The pilot funding will be retroactively effective July 1, 2024. The GEPA Financial Support Unit (FSU) will run the report quarterly and cover eligible expenses with a journal. If there is more need than the allocated budget, it means that we have more training grants than before, which would be positive.
Program Duration and Oversight
This pilot initiative will support T15 and T32 awards over a period of 2 to 5 years, with regular assessments to gauge the program's effectiveness. The management of these funds will be a collaborative effort involving GEPA FSU, the Campus Budget Office, and the Academic Vice Chancellor teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please find detailed information, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), about the financial monitoring process here: https://ucsdcollab.atlassian.net/wiki/x/iqQGyTw
For additional questions, please email gradfinance@ucsd.edu.
