Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will taxes be withheld from my stipend payments?

A: If you are a U.S. Citizen, taxes will not be withheld from your stipend checks. If you are teaching, are an Assistant in Research or working a job, federal and state taxes will be withheld. If you are a non-U.S. citizen, you may have stipend taxes withheld depending upon your country’s tax treaty with the U.S.

Q: I am not a U.S. citizen. Is there anything I must do to ensure that I receive my stipend checks?

A: Yes, you must have a U.S. mailing address in the student system. You may update this yourself by logging on to the Yale Hub website. The start or ’From’ date of your U.S. Mailing address must be on or before August 16th.

Q: I am not a U.S. Citizen. Will I receive a W-2 at the end of the year that reflects my stipend earnings?

A: No, you will not receive a W-2; however, you may receive a 1042-S depending on your country’s tax treaty. You will, however, receive a W-2 if you taught, were paid as an Assistant in Research or worked a job on campus.

Q: I am a U.S. Citizen. Will I receive a W-2 at the end of the year that reflects my stipend earnings?

A: No, stipend earnings will not be reported on a W-2. For tax filing purposes, you will need your December 31st pay slip which will show your year-to-date stipend earnings. You will, however, receive a W-2 if you taught, were paid as an Assistant in Research or worked a job on campus.

Q: There is a health charge on my student bill from Yale Health, which reads YHP:Hospital/Special. What is this charge and does the Graduate School provide a fellowship for this?

A: This charge is for Hospitalization/Specialty Care Coverage offered through Yale Health. This charge is automatically billed each term to all students’ accounts. The Graduate School provides a fellowship for Ph.D. students. If you already have health coverage from another provider and wish to waive this coverage, read more about how to waive coverage(link is external) on the Yale Health website.

Q: Who can I contact if I have questions regarding my Tuition and/or Health fellowships?

A: Tuition and health fellowship questions can be directed to the Graduate School Financial Aid Office by phone (203) 432-2739, or by email at: gradfinaid@yale.edu.

Q: Whom may I contact if I have questions about my stipend?

A: If you have questions about your stipend you should first review your Payslip to see the details of your payment and any deductions (such as tax withholding or bursar deductions) that may have occurred. Your payslips may also be necessary when it’s time to file your tax return at the end of the year. You can view your Payslip via Workday at: https://workday.yale.edu(link is external). Sign in with your net ID and passcode. Select Workday at the top of the screen and then select the Pay worklet. Then select Payslips which can be found under the category View. Questions can be directed to the Graduate School Financial Aid Office by phone (203) 432-2739, or by e-mail at: gradfinaid@yale.edu.

Q: What should I do if I receive a fellowship or award from an external agency?

A: Please email a copy of your award notification to the Graduate School Financial Aid Office at gradfinaid@yale.edu. PhD students should also review the External Fellowships & Combined Award Policy(link is external) section of the Programs & Policies bulletin.

Q: I am a PhD student living in University housing. Is there a way to spread out the payments for rent or room and board over a period of time?

A: Yes. You can arrange to have deductions from your semi-monthly stipend checks to pay your rent or room and board charges. Information and instructions will be sent with your first student bill. If you have questions or need another payroll deduction form, you must contact Student Financial Services by phone (203) 432-2700, by e-mail sfs@yale.edu or by visiting their office located at 246 Church Street, 1st floor.

Q: When will I receive my student bill?

A: Student Account statements (bills) are prepared monthly, the first of each month. The statements are made available online through the University’s electronic billing and payment system(link is external). Yale does not mail paper bills. Each month when the statements are generated, email notifications indicating that the new account statement is available are sent to all students at their official Yale email addresses and to all student-designated Yale Pay proxies. For more information, please visit Student Account(link is external) website.

Q: How do I pay my student bill?

A: Please visit the Student Accounts website for more information on Payment Options(link is external).