PhD Student Resources

Important Documents

General Documents

Comprehensive Exam

Advancement to Candidacy

Dissertation Defense

  • PhD Dissertation Handbook
  • PhD Dissertation Defense Form
  • PhD Form 2 – please contact the Doctoral Programs Manager to initiate the Graduate Division PhD Form 2 for final degree paperwork on Docusign
  • Filing Fee – please contact the Doctoral Programs Manager to initiate the Graduate Division Filing Fee on Docusign, if necessary (see FAQ’s for information on Filing Fee)

Curriculum Charts

PhD Funding

UCPath will be used for all payroll transactions such as Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments. Students receiving fellowship will still receive those payments via the Graduate Division fellowship system. If you have a question about your funding, please contact Megan Enciso (menciso1@hs.uci.edu).

General Funding Information

UC Policy states students can only hold up to 50% appointments during the academic year. The academic year is Fall, Winter, and Spring (see Registrar’s Office calendar for dates). It is the student’s responsibility to report any variation in payment (other than slight adjustments in pay day or net income due to withholding). While we make every effort to process pay accurately, mistakes do happen. Please always confirm receipt of funds before spending and bring any inconsistencies to the attention of SON staff immediately. Students will be held responsible in cases of payment overages.

For current 100% time GSR salary rates and TA salary rates, please visit the site below (under “Student Titles Pay Rates Table”):

https://ap.uci.edu/compensation/salary-scales/

Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and Teaching Assistant appointments (TA) Pay Day

The SON tries to set up all TA and GSR paychecks to pay in arrears. For example, if you work the month of October you will be paid November 1st. As a graduate student, you may be switched between the fellowship and payroll systems without notification. It is important to never plan to receive your paycheck before the 1st of the month. If you do not receive your paycheck on the 1st please contact Megan Enciso.

Students are paid via payroll for Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and Teaching Assistant appointments (TA). Teaching Assistant salaries are determined by union contract.

  • UCI Payroll Direct Deposit (UCInetID sign-in required) – It is important that you sign up for direct deposit with your employee (not student) ID number. Please contact payroll@uci.edu for assistance with direct deposit.
  • UC Path – Paystubs, employment verification and update your W-4 and address
Fellowships and Training Grants

Students on Fellowships and Training grants are typically paid via the fellowship system. These payments are set up to pay at the beginning of each month.

Students on external fellowships and training grants often have different payment schedules based on agency requirements.

Students are encouraged to seek extramural funding. Students will receive either the amount of their extramural funding or the department standard rate, whichever is greater. Unless the funding specifically states otherwise, students are not entitled to receive both awards.

In order to receive a fellowship payment students must complete an annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or tax form (Glacier) depending on their citizenship status. FAFSAs must be completed once each calendar year.

Taxes and Withholding

Funding received via payroll is subject to withholding but what is deducted depends on how one fills out their W-4 (withholding form) or your country’s tax treaty.

Funding received via the fellowship system may be considered taxable, but is not subject to tax withholding by the University. An exception may be international students whose fellowship stipends are, by federal law, subject to tax withholding depending on the tax treaty status of their home country. For more detailed information, consult IRS Tax Information for Students.

Mandatory contribution: DCP (Defined Contribution Plan) is not a tax but a mandatory contribution to a self-directed investment account. This is administered by Fidelity Investments. DCP is refundable when you leave UCI employment for more than 30 days. You can roll the funds into an IRA or a retirement account, or you can request payment of funds to you. DCP should only be deducted if the student is enrolled in 6 units or less (during the summer). Students are encouraged to check their paychecks stubs monthly and report any discrepancies to Megan Enciso.

Fee Information

SON paid fees

The SON processes fee payments quarterly for all students in good academic standing, in accordance with each student’s funding package. As funding information comes from many sources, fee payments often occur just before the fee payment deadline. Students must be enrolled in 12 units in order for fee payments to credit. The SON may request late fees be waived in situations that are not the fault of the student, however if the student fails to enroll on time or has charges on their account that cause fees not to be paid, the late fee is the responsibility of the student.

Student paid fees
  • Student Services Fee: Per TA union contract, students must pay a small portion of fees when they are appointed as a TA.
  • Document Fee: This is a one-time document fee of $80 that is the student’s responsibility to pay. The Document Fee provides lifetime access to official transcripts and academic verifications without a fee for in-person pickup or delivery by USPS. In addition, there is no fee for mailing the initial diploma.
  • eTech Fees:  These fees are assessed when you enroll in undergraduate classes. The eTech fees are the student’s responsibility to pay. Detailed information can be found on the University Registrar’s Tuition and Fees webpage listed under Undergraduate Student Fees.

FAQs

Upon completion of all required coursework. This typically occurs during year 2 or 3 of the program. Information will be sent to you via email with details.

Your comprehensive exam committee will consist of your supervisor and two other Nursing faculty members.

A 298 course is a directed study which should be enrolled in when you are completing a course with your professor that is not normally taught. An example may be taking a 1-1 course with a professor in an area that we currently don’t offer. A 299 independent study is a course for students intending to further a project, research, or topic with a professor that goes beyond what is already studied.

If you are assigned a TA position, you may enroll in the 399 course under the faculty whose class you will be assisting. Please note, this is not required in order to TA.

After you complete all of your required coursework and advance to candidacy, you should enroll in 296 units with your chair and/or committee members as you work on your dissertation. You will need to be enrolled in 12 units per quarter to retain full-time status.

You cannot change your grade option to S/U in WebReg, so you will need to request this option from the faculty teaching the class. In order to pass with an ‘S’ grade, you must earn a ‘B’ or better. A ‘B-’ grade and below is considered unsatisfactory progress and not passing for graduate students. The faculty member has the right to decide whether or not to assign a letter grade or S/U grade. S/U grades to not get calculated into your GPA.

Unfortunately, no. Priority housing takes place only when you are newly admitted to the program.

You will receive an email sometime in July with your work assignment. If you are chosen as a TA, you will receive details each quarter (around week 7) regarding your TA assignment including the class, hours, and responsibilities.

Please refer to your original offer letter which details your individual funding package. Each year that you are funded, you will receive your work assignment (if applicable) sometime in July. For funding questions, please email the Director of Student Affairs.

The Candidacy Committee must consist of 3 University of California voting academic senate faculty, 2 of which must have a primary or joint appointment in the school. The committee must have a minimum of 3 members and a maximum of 5. It is strongly recommended, but not required, to have 1 outside member, whom must NOT have any affiliation with the school (but be a UCI voting senate faculty). The majority of the committee must have a primary or joint appointment in the school.

Your doctoral committee needs a minimum of 3 members. The chair must be from the School of Nursing as well as the majority of the committee. When you are ready to defend your dissertation, fill out the Nursing PhD Dissertation Defense form and submit it to gnsao@uci.edu at least two weeks prior to your defense date. Once approved, you will need to bring the Graduate Division PhD Form 2 to your defense to obtain appropriate signatures. After passing your dissertation defense, submit signed and completed PhD Form 2 to the Graduate Division. Make sure to review the PhD Form 2 prior to your defense to learn how to file your dissertation with the library.

  • From UCI senate regulations 905-935
    • DOCTORAL COMMITTEE
      • Chair
        • Hold primary of joint academic appointment in academic unit supervising the doctoral program
        • No exceptions
      • Members
        • 3 voting members of UC academic Senate (not necessarily Irvine)
        • Equivalent standing members by exception only
        • Majority should be affiliated with the program/unit
        • At least one member must hold primary appointment in the student’s department/academic unit
      • Appointment Procedures
        • Members approved by academic unit chair or designee
        • Exceptions are approved by Dean of Graduate Division

Graduate students are eligible for one filing fee quarter during their graduate career. During the filing fee quarter, students pay one-half the registration fee and do not enroll in any classes. The filing fee option only applies to students who have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. degree except for official submission of a dissertation to the University Archives. This means that prior to the beginning of the filing fee quarter, all other requirements for the degree must have been met by the student, including advancement to candidacy and the resolution of any NR or I grades. Students should note that there is a separate form when submitting a summer filing fee petition. Please contact the Doctoral Programs Manager to initiate any filing fee process.

International via restrictions may preclude filing fee status for students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. International students should verify their eligibility for filing fee status via the International Center well in advance of need.