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Home > Departments & Majors > Graduate Programs > CLA Graduate Research Partnership Program : Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

Students

Question: I had a GRPP in the past, am I eligible to apply again?
Answer: No, students may receive only one CLA GRPP award (either for pre-dissertation or dissertation research, but not both).

Question: Are international student eligible for GRPP?
Answer: Yes.

Question: Must I be in residence to receive an award?
Answer: Research may be conducted elsewhere only if resources integral to the research are only available off-campus.

Question: I am a graduate student in another college, but the faculty member with whom I want to work is a CLA faculty member. Am I eligible for a GRPP under these conditions?
Answer: No, the GRPP is for CLA graduate students only.

Question: I want to work on a project with another CLA graduate student and one faculty adviser. Is that possible and would each student receive 50% of the award?
Answer: Yes, two students may submit a joint application. Both students would be responsible for writing and submitting the application and each student would receive 50% of the stipend.

Faculty

Question: Can I have more than one student apply for a GRPP with me?
Answer: A CLA faculty member can sponsor the application of more than one student. However, the faculty member may advise only one pre-dissertation level GRPP fellow and one dissertation level GRPP fellow, or two dissertation level GRPP fellows.

Partnership

Question: Can I have a research adviser from a different department?
Answer: Departments may choose whether or not to allow this. In the event that interdepartmental partnerships are allowed, it is the student's department that is responsible for the departmental contribution and the financial administration of the grant.

Additional Summer Activity

Question: The guidelines say I can't take any courses during the summer of the partnership, but there is a one credit course that I really need and can only take this summer. Do you make exceptions?
Answer: In the past we have been fairly strict about not making exceptions, but we recognize that departments will be in a better position to know what situations might merit exceptions. Also, we have been allowing no credit language courses that need to be completed. But in general, the idea is that all of the student's scholarly effort during the summer should be going toward the GRPP.

Question: Can I teach a May term course?
Answer: Yes.

Question: Can I hold other employment during the GRPP project?
Answer: The students' primary effort during this period of the fellowship should be focused on conducting the research outlined in the proposal. Therefore, students receiving GRPP Fellowships may not be engaged in more than 25% employment.

Question: Can I hold an external fellowship during the GRPP Fellowships?
Answer: If in the judgment of your department selection committee the project supported by the external fellowship is closely related to the GRPP, then an external fellowship may be held concurrently with a GRPP. However, departments have the prerogative to set their own policy which would not allow students to hold a GRPP and external Fellowship at the same time.

Question: Can I hold other U of M fellowships during the GRPP (e.g., Graduate School Dissertation Fellowship; department fellowship)?
Answer: No.

Financial/Budget

Question: How will I get paid?
Answer: The fellowship will be paid via the payroll system over five pay periods during the summer (job code 9561).

Question: If I need health insurance or travel insurance are there funds available?
Answer: Most graduate students with a 50% graduate student appointment in the preceding spring semester will already have health insurance coverage for the summer. If this is not true for you, submit requests for summer health insurance coverage to the Office of Research and Graduate Programs, 113 Johnston Hall (clagrad@umn.edu) using the Summer GRPP Fringe Benefit application form. The deadline for submitting this application is May 2, 2012.

Question: Can I budget for travel to work on my research or to present the results of my project?
Answer: This will be a departmental decision; travel requests can be made to the department on the Program Budget Form.

Question: Can I budget for a digital camera or other equipment?
Answer: Yes, if it is a necessary part of your project. The camera, and any other equipment, belong to the department and will need to be returned to the department at the end of the grant.

Question: I need a computer; can I use the grant for it?
Answer: CLA-OIT may have computers available for short-term use. We would expect that all campus computer resources be exhausted before purchase of a new one. If a computer is purchased, it will belong to the department and will need to be returned to the department at the end of the grant period.

Human Subjects/Institutional Review Board

Question: My project involves sending a questionnaire to people; do I need to request human subjects' approval? Do I need IRB approval if am using archival data?
Answer: Yes. GRPP projects must adhere to the same standards of human subjects and animal subjects as other sponsored projects. Furthermore, if human subjects or animal subjects' protocol is approved, the student will be responsible for filing a REPA for the year of the research.

Question: What is REPA?
Answer: A REPA is the Report of External Professional Activities. REPA is meant to report external professional activities and business and financial.

Taxes

Question: What are the tax implications of receiving a fellowship?
Answer: Fellowships are taxable and for foreign students there may be additional implications related to tax treaties between their home country and the United States. Students should consult the University's Office of Human Resources' web page about Graduate Taxable Fellowships.

Question: Where can I find information about pay and taxes?
Answer: General information about graduate student pay and taxes is available at the Office of Human Resources’ Graduate Assistant Employment web page.