Information for Current Graduate Students

Information for current Graduate students

For those of you on TA/GRAships:

  • Stipends for TAships/GRAships are entered into the WorkDay system with a start date of August 21, and you’ll get your first paycheck on the last day of August.
  • Paychecks are semi-monthly – that is, after that first one at the end of August, a check will be issued every 15th and every last day of the month (unless that day falls on a weekend or a holiday – in those cases, you’ll get the check the closest workday before).
  • An assistantship is taxable, and you’ll be able to see each payslip’s details by logging in to WorkDay (which you can find at http://workday.cornell.edu and access using your netID and password combination). If you need assistance in navigating this web application, schedule a short meeting with me and I’m happy to help you learn to navigate it.
  • The Fall period runs from August 21 – January 5, and the Spring period runs from January 6 – May 20. If you have an assistantship that runs only for the Fall, then your last paycheck will be on December 31. If you have a Spring assistantship, your last paycheck will be on May 15.
  • Direct deposit is highly advised, and can now be coordinated in WorkDay. If you have not been a TA/GRA before, you will need to set up direct deposit for Payroll via WorkDay. This is not the same as direct deposit for Bursar transactions, or direct deposit for reimbursements. Direct deposited checks will be available at the latest on the pay date; it can take up to a week after for the paper check to be delivered via US mail.

For those of you on Fellowships (this applies to Cornell University & PLSF, to SUNY, to NSF or other outside fellowships that cover stipend, tuition, and health insurance):

The stipend for a fellowship is paid out in two equal installments – one at the beginning of the Fall semester, and one at the beginning of the Spring semester. Summer support for Fellowships works similarly; you’ll get more information toward the end of the school year about this.

Some caveats:

  • Disbursement of the Fall installment will occur on/around August 17th. After the stipend is disbursed, it will likely take 2-3 days to get to you via direct deposit, and about a week for a paper check to be delivered to Day Hall (where you’d have to pick it up).
  • You can set up direct deposit for Bursar transactions by going here: https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/bursar/students-parents/deposit-refunds. FYI: Direct deposit for Bursar transactions is a different system than the direct deposit system for payroll or the direct deposit system for reimbursements.
  • If you are a domestic student, your Fellowship stipend will not be taxed at disbursement; nevertheless, you are likely responsible for paying taxes on the full amount, so you’ll want to keep this in mind. We highly recommend that you talk with a tax professional familiar with graduate student situations earlier, rather than later. 
  • If you are an international student, you will be subject to 14% withholding of taxes. We have noticed that, at least in the past, this isn’t set up for the first Fall semester, so it’s possible that you’ll notice a higher stipend payout in the fall, and that you’re getting 86% thereof in the Spring. You may be able to recoup these taxes – talking with a tax professional who understands international student circumstances will be able to provide the most useful course of action.
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