Predoctoral Scholars (Predocs)
What is a Predoc?
Predocs are selected for high achievement and promise as scholars. They serve in a very similar capacity to GSRs, however, they hold no payroll title and stipends are paid through Graduate Division. Prospective Predocs should review the Clinical and research fellowships in Psychiatry and the Neurosciences at UCLA.
Appointment Criteria
- Selected for high achievement and promise as creative scholars
- Assist faculty members with scholarly research
- May or may not collaborate in the publication of research results as determined by supervising faculty members
- Must be an active registered UCLA graduate student
- 3.0 GPA
- Enrolled in at least 12 units
Titles and Classifications
- Predoctoral Scholars
Predoctoral Scholar Salary Scale
Stipends are based on awards. The Graduate Division allocates funding directly to graduate programs, which in turn select fellowship recipients through their faculty fellowship selection committees based on academic merit. For more information regarding Fellowships, Scholarships & Grants, please go to the Graduate Division website at https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/financial-aid/funding-for-entering-students/fellowships-grants/.
Health & Welfare
UCSHIP is a systemwide plan providing enhanced health benefits to all enrolled students. All registered students are automatically enrolled in UCSHIP, but if you have comparable insurance and you do not want to keep UCSHIP as dual coverage, you must submit a request to waive enrollment by the specified deadline. We have simplified the waiver process.
Please note, UCSHIP costs will be covered by hiring department for GSRs that hold appointments at 25% or above.
For more information, please visit the UCLA Ashe Center website.
Benefits
Tuition Award: Graduate Students who are appointed as a Predoctoral Scholar appointment may qualify for tuition award benefits.
Tuition awards cover the following assessment categories:
- Health Insurance (100%).
- Tuition (100%).
- Student Services Fee (100%).
For information on the current 2020-2021 Tuition Cost, please click here.
If you are an expectant Mother who work as a predoc or currently on an extramural support that does not fund maternity leave. You may be eligible to apply for Childbirth Accommodation Funding.
Please see link for further information.
https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/working-at-ucla/childbirth-accommodation-funding/
In addition, please make sure to notify your current supervisor and our office to assist you through the process.
A predoc who meets the standard eligibility requirements will be offered a reimbursement of up to $900 per quarter or $1,350 per semester for childcare costs during the academic year. Additionally, a predoc who meets the standard eligibility criteria for a summer session appointment can be reimbursed up to $900 for eligible expenses incurred during the summer.
Please click below for further information.
https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/working-at-ucla/childcare-reimbursement-program/
Students must petition in person at the Registrar’s Office for a change of classification from nonresident to resident status. All changes of status must be initiated prior to the first day of class for the term for which the student intends to be reclassified. California law requires that financial independence be included among the factors considered when students seek reclassification. Students who are financially dependent in the current and preceding calendar years will be considered California residents for reclassification purposes only if no factors exist which give evidence of their continuing residence in another state. Financial independence will not be considered for graduate students who are teaching assistants, research assistants, or teaching associates employed at 49 percent time or more.
There are no paid holidays for academic apprentice personnel.
Academic Student Employees are eligible to receive pay while serving on jury duty. Predocs are not eligible for pay while serving, which is often a reason to request postponement of service. It is the Predocs’ responsibility to seek an excuse from service. The University can do no more than assist in those cases by supply.
Academic student employees are appointed on a 9 month basis and are not eligible to accrue vacation or sick leave credit.
In most cases, Predocs are appointed on an 11-month basis. Such appointments, when less than 50 percent time, are not eligible to accrue vacation or sick leave credit. Predocs at 50 percent time or more appointed for twelve consecutive months accrue vacation but not sick leave. Accrued leave may be taken after six consecutive months of service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stipends disburse on the 24th of every month.
Sign up is available on the BruinBill via MyUCLA. It’s the fastest, most secure way to receive refunds at UCLA.
Stipends pay out in advance and thus the system was catching you up to the current pay cycle.
Graduate financial support based solely on financial need is provided, in the form of loans, grants, and—on a limited basis—work-study employment, from the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. For more information, contact the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office at A-129J Murphy Hall, (310) 206-0400.
Graduate financial support based on merit is available in the form of fellowships, traineeships, teaching assistantships, and graduate student researcher positions. These awards are open to all graduate students—U.S. citizens, permanent residents, students granted deferred action under the government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and international students—who have demonstrated high academic achievement. For more information, refer to the Financial Support for Entering Graduate Students or Graduate Student Financial Support on the Graduate Division website and contact your departmental graduate affairs coordinator.
The deadline for graduate loans and work-study funding available through the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office is March 2. The deadline for entering graduate students to apply for other forms of support is December 15. Departments should be consulted for exceptions. The campus deadlines for enrolled graduate students to apply for fellowships vary by program. View the Graduate Student Financial Support booklet for specific dates. Consult your department for exceptions.
The Graduate Division allocates funding directly to graduate programs, which in turn select fellowship recipients through their faculty fellowship selection committees based on academic merit. Departments inform the Graduate Division of those students who have been chosen to receive awards for the next academic year, and the Graduate Division sends offers of support to those recipients. Graduate tuition, fee and nonresident tuition fellowships are credited directly to students’ BAR accounts, and graduate fellowship living allowances (stipends) are issued as direct deposits if the student is enrolled in Bruin Direct. If not, the stipend is issued as a check and mailed to the address on file with the Registrar’s Office.
Extramural graduate funding originates from non-UCLA sources, such as federal agencies and private organizations. Most extramural graduate fellowships require an application submitted directly to the sponsoring organization. Applications for some extramural graduate fellowships are available in Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services in 1228 Murphy Hall.
The Graduate Division publishes an online database called Graduate and Postdoctoral Educational Support (GRAPES), which lists the more commonly sought graduate fellowships that are available from non-UCLA sources. In addition, Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services maintains a small library of reference materials on extramural graduate funding.
Graduate students may not hold two major awards at the same time. When a student receives extramural funding, the amount of supplementary UCLA support is usually subject to limits. Contact Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services in 1228 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1025, for details.
Each new and continuing doctoral student will be provided up to $1,000 total reimbursement that can be used, in whole or in part, at any time through the student’s seventh year in the doctoral program, as long as the student and the activities meet the eligibility requirements.
Graduate student fee and tuition awards will automatically apply toward registration and tuition fees. Graduate student fellowship payments are sent to students’ local mailing addresses, held for pickup, or direct-deposited one to two weeks before the start of the fall or spring term. Winter funds are disbursed on January 1, and may take about one week to be reimbursed. Monthly payments should arrive by the first day of the month. Questions regarding graduate fellowship check disbursement may be directed to Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services, 1228 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1025.
Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services at 1228 Murphy Hall will answer questions relating to BAR and disbursement of graduate award payments. BruinBill questions regarding Financial Aid awards (e.g., need-based grants) should be directed to the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office at A129J Murphy Hall, and questions regarding loans should be directed to the Student Loan Office at A227 Murphy Hall.
Yes. Using MyUCLA, you can review your BruinBill; your scheduled graduate financial aid, fellowships, remissions, and other awards; and the actual dates and amounts of your checks and direct deposits. In addition, you can check to see if you have holds on your account that are preventing the disbursement of your graduate support funds, and you can ensure that all required financial documents have been completed for the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office and the Graduate Fellowships & Financial Services Office.
Graduate fellowship stipend income is taxed differently than most other types of income you may have encountered in the past. Amounts spent on fees, tuition, or required course expenses are not taxable. However, the portion of graduate fellowship stipend income you spend on items other than fees, tuition, and required course expenses will likely be considered taxable by the IRS. Graduate students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents and who are also California residents (for tax purposes) do not have taxes withheld from their fellowship stipend checks. Nonetheless, these individuals may be required to make estimated quarterly tax payments and to report the income on their tax returns.
Foreign graduate students and those who live outside of California and file tax returns as California nonresidents will have state and/or federal taxes withheld directly from their checks.
Information about fellowship taxation is available in IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education,” available for download from the IRS website. Another IRS publication available from the same website offers information on paying estimated tax when your residency status does not permit the tax to be withheld directly from your check: Publication 505, “Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.”
Students are advised to retain “Offer of Graduate Student Support” agreements, fellowship and traineeship offer letters, BruinBill monthly statements, payroll wage stubs, and other documents and receipts related to graduate fellowship stipends and course expenses.
View Tax Information and Forms for UCLA Award Recipients information about UCLA fellowship tax withholding and reporting.
Resources
- UCLA Graduate Division – Responsible for the overall quality and progress of graduate education and serves as the administrative core for graduate recruitment and admissions (link to Graduate Students portal).
- MyUCLA. It’s the fastest, most secure way to receive refunds at UCLA!
View detailed dates and deadlines for each term of the current academic year.
Finding A Mentor
Appointments for postdoctoral training is made to a specific faculty member or members in an academic department or research unit. In order to help identify an appropriate faculty member, you may wish to access the specific center websites and review the staff and faculty directory.
Please visit and review the current research at Psychiatry and the Neurosciences at UCLA