Student Life

FAQs about student life

• How do I get paid?
• Do I have to pay taxes?
• Is my health care covered?
• What other financial resources are available to students?
• Does the University offer Graduate Student Housing?

How do I get paid?
The current 2006 – 2007 stipend is $25,500. Incoming students also receive $500 in moving expenses. This stipend increases annually, usually by $500, to keep up with the increasing cost of living. During the first year, students are paid their stipend four times a year, at the start of each quarter. Checks are distributed through the Office of Graduate Affairs. Funding sources for students include Federal Training Grants and the Division of Biological Sciences. In later years of training most students are funded by grants awarded to faculty mentors. When receiving stipends from mentor grants students are paid on the last business day of the each month.

Do I have to pay taxes?
Graduate student stipends are taxable by Illinois and the Federal government. Students on fellowships and NIH training grant support must calculate and pay estimated taxes several times a year, you should use Form 1040ES for this purpose. For more information, please refer to the Internal Revenue website, and consult Federal Publication 970.

Is my health care covered?
Health insurance coverage is mandatory, and during the time you are registered at the University, you are required to enroll in either the Basic or Advantage plan or waive enrollment by providing evidence that you have coverage in a health insurance plan that is comparable to the University's plan. If you are enrolled in the University’s plan, the cost of your health care is covered by the BSD.

What other financial resources are available to students?
In general, the cost of research supplies and equipment is covered by the students’ lab. Travel expenses are paid either through a training grant or are provided by the faculty mentor’s grants. Students can also apply to the BSD for travel awards. The Committee will cover the costs of first year students attending the annual Society for Developmental Biology meeting.

Does the University offer Graduate Student Housing?
The University offers a variety of housing options within the Hyde Park neighborhood, including furnished and unfurnished studio apartments, one and two bedroom apartments and buildings that are designated as family and/or pet-friendly. For more information, refer to the Graduate Student Housing website, or contact the Assignment Office at:

5316 S. Dorchester Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 753-2218; FAX (773) 753-8054.

You can also find affordable Hyde Park apartments in the private sector, or for some students owning their own Condo or Co-op unit might be a viable option; see the classifieds section of our local newspaper, The Hyde Park Herald. A map of Hyde Park and the University is available on the University of Chicago maps page. If you prefer
to live outside Hyde Park refer to the Chicago Reader, to Craig’s List or to Marketplace for classified ads for apartments throughout the greater Chicago land area.

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