As a reminder, stipend payments for pre-doctoral students supported by fellowships and training grants—such as NIH T32 and F31 mechanisms—must be administered in accordance with sponsor guidelines.
Specifically, stipends should be disbursed monthly rather than as a single lump sum at the beginning of the semester. This approach ensures compliance with federal requirements and aligns payments with the student’s actual appointment period.
If a lump sum payment has already been issued for the fall 2025 semester to a student:
- Only the portion of the full amount that would have been paid to date if paid monthly may be applied to the grant account.
- Any portion in excess of the monthly amount earned to date should be removed from the grant to a departmental account.
- The portion moved off the grant may be reallocated back to the grant in monthly increments as the amount has been earned in accordance with NIH requirements. Departments should initiate a monthly General Accounting Adjustment (GEC) to transfer the appropriate stipend amount to the grant account.
It’s also important to ensure that stipend charges correspond with the student’s actual appointment dates. If a student who received an upfront payment terminates early, any stipend amount beyond the termination date (prorated) must not be charged to the grant.
It’s also important to ensure that stipend charges correspond with the student’s actual appointment dates. If a student who received an upfront payment terminates early, any stipend amount beyond the termination date (prorated) must not be charged to the grant.
Additional information regarding NIH guidance for National Research Service Award Stipends is available at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-25-105.html
For questions, please email ora@iu.edu.