Graduate Student Research Assistants (GRSA) Cost Estimates and NRSA Stipend Levels
Graduate student research assistants (GRSAs) are appointments that may be provided to students who perform personal research or assist others in performing research that is relevant to his or her academic goals. Find information related to GSRA compensation, tuition rates, and stipend levels for use when creating budget and proposal information for sponsored research projects.
Graduate student research assistants (GRSAs) are students who perform personal research or assist others in performing research. Find information related to GSRA compensation, tuition rates, and stipend levels for use when creating budget and proposal information for sponsored research projects.
Note, a GSRA appointment may be held from May through August, even though the GSRA is not enrolled in the University during that time. If the appointment is for the winter and fall terms, the fringe benefit charges should be budgeted for the full year, since the student is eligible for coverage during the intervening summer even though they are not on a GSRA appointment at that time.
GSRA salary/stipend/compensation
The following are minimum recommended levels and can be set higher, based on the policies of individual schools and colleges. U-M departments and principal investigators have the flexibility to set GSRA salaries at rates above this minimum. Verify with your unit. Additionally, certain sponsors have limits and requirements. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) updates its NRSA Training Grant stipend levels each year. (More information below.)
| GSRA Salary/Stipend/Compensation Academic Year 2025-2026 |
|
|---|---|
| U-M Campus | GSRA Salary/Stipend Rate for Four Calendar Months |
| U-M Ann Arbor | $29,192 (2025 -2026) |
| U-M-Dearborn | $26,671 (2025 -2026) |
| U-M-Flint | $26,671 (2025 -2026) |
References and Sources: |
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NIH requirements for GSRA compensation levels
NIH has specific requirements related to compensation levels for GSRAs working on NIH research grants. NIH caps the allowable compensation level for GSRAs so that it does not exceed that of a first-year post doc. NIH defines GSRA compensation as salary or wages, fringe benefits, and tuition remission. See NIH’s notice on Graduate Student Compensation from Dec 10, 2001 (NOT-OD-02-017). Also see below for more information on NRSA Training Grant stipend levels.
GSRA average tuition rates
To facilitate budget preparation, charge average tuition rates to sponsored projects, regardless of the number of credit hours for which the GSRAs are enrolled.
| GSRA Average Tuition Rates Academic Year Academic Year 2025-2026 |
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|---|---|---|
| Term(s) | Campus | 2025-2026 Rate |
| Fall, Winter Terms | General Campus | $16,025 |
| Fall, Winter Terms | Engineering | $15,490 |
| Spring, Summer Half Terms and Full Spring-Summer Term | General Campus and Engineering | $8,268 |
| Source: Office of Budget and Planning Memo (Received and updated July 25, 2025) |
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In-state and out-of-state tuition
The non-resident tuition differential is provided by the University for out-of-state students appointed as GSRAs. In-state tuition should be charged to sponsored accounts for GSRAs with appointments of 25% or greater. However, schools and colleges may provide tuition fellowships to cover a portion of the in-state tuition for GSRAs (see below). The portion of the in-state tuition that remains after the fellowship is applied must be included on the grant as a charge to the sponsor.
In-state tuition charges should not be included as part of the GSRA stipend. The modified total direct cost (MTDC) base on which the University’s indirect cost rate is calculated must exclude tuition charges. Therefore, indirect costs are not recoverable on tuition charges included in proposals for which the indirect cost rate is based on MTDC. Contact the appropriate ORSP officer with questions.
Tuition charges for GSRAs with candidacy status
Tuition charges for GSRAs with candidacy status are not averaged but are charged at the established rates, which vary by school and college. Please see the U-M Office of the Registrar’s Tuition Tables for the candidacy cost for each of the schools and colleges.
Tuition fellowship
Project teams should check with their dean’s office to determine if their unit is participating in the tuition fellowship program. Each school or college will determine the level of the tuition fellowship to be provided and the conditions under which such tuition fellowships will be awarded (e.g., appointment level of the GSRA). The resident (in-state) tuition that remains after the fellowship is applied must be included as a charge to the sponsor. Since schools and colleges must provide the funds for the tuition fellowships from their annual budget allocations, the dean’s office should verify/approve if the tuition fellowship is to be cost-shared and thus, the level of charges to be included in the sponsor’s budget.
Tuition waiver
As in the past, a GSRA with an appointment of 25% or more will pay no tuition (i.e. 100% tuition waiver).
Health benefits GradCare Plan
When considering GSRA GradCare benefits, note these U-M resources:
- Defer first to the relevant school/college/institute for best practices in budgeting for GSRAs.
- Visit U-M Human Resources (HR) U-M health benefit eligibility by role (GradCare or other) and, as applicable, how that is impacted for each term.
- Visit the U-M HR Benefits office’s GradCare Coverage Levels and Rates page to find current University cost per month.
What is taxed and not taxed?
When considering GSRA GradCare benefits, note these U-M resources:
- Salaries/stipends/compensation payments to GSRAs are subject to federal and state income taxes because they are deemed “reasonable compensation” for University work in connection with research or teaching assignments.
- Tuition waivers are granted as fringe benefits in the form of a non-taxable qualified tuition.
- Visit HR’s Graduate Student Assistants webpage for detailed information on appointments and other considerations.
Maximum allowable charges
At U-M, the maximum GSRA compensation rate is determined at the school/college level. Reference all maximum charges allowable from other schools and colleges here (U-M only access)*. Please verify with your unit. This is useful to those who reconcile statements and sign off on Final Financial Reports.
*Information is gathered annually from schools/colleges. If information changes midyear, contact ORSP staff.
NRSA stipend levels
National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) are NIH grants for undergraduate, predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and fellows. The majority of NIH-funded training awards are through the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA program. Training-related expenses and institutional allowances for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and fellows are set by NIH each year and announced via a notice.
Check the latest stipend levels for budgeting purposes:
NRSA childcare costs
In addition, NIH also provides the option for fellows and trainees to request funds per budget period, currently $3,000, for childcare costs provided by a licensed childcare provider. To aid in this process at the University of Michigan, there is a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Childcare Supplement Request form.
To request payment, submit a completed form and supporting documentation to [email protected], according to the instructions below.
Pre-docs
- Submit the completed form and supporting documentation to [email protected].
- The payment will be made in the form of a stipend through Student Financials.
Post-docs
- Submit the completed form as an attachment to the Personnel Action Request (PAR) for payment.
- The payment will be made through payroll as a “FEL” (fellow) additional pay, similar to the monthly stipend.
Receipts must be provided by the end of the fellowship/training grant appointment. Any part of the supplement that is not supported will be returned to NIH.
More information:
- Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows and Institutional Research Training Awards
- Updated Procedures for Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Awards
- NIH Frequently Asked Questions – Childcare Costs