Dear Graduate Assistants,
The Graduate School has sent out a very important reminder for all GAs regarding their Summer Residency status. Please go through below details for a better understanding.
Summer Residency Clarification
- The Graduate School will begin working on GA Residency Exception review for the summer semester in the next couple of weeks.
- Our goal is to identify students who were GA's and had residency exceptions in the past term but are no longer GA's for the current term.
- GA's who do not have a contract for the summer semester will be changed back to out-of-state or billing purposes unless their official status is "in-state" resident.
- If a GA will be returning in the fall semester, once their fall appointment letter and tuition remission forms are received, the Graduate School will change their residency status back to "in-state" for billing purposes.
Summer Registration Requirements and Options for Graduate Students: FICA-Exemption
- All graduate students employed and not enrolled in at least 3 credits in the summer while on a Graduate Assistantship are subject to FICA taxes on their earnings.
- If domestic Graduate Assistants are not registered for at least three (3) credits at all times during the summer, the Graduate Assistant and the supporting department will each pay approximately 7.65% of the student's gross pay each pay period as FICA.
- International Graduate Assistants with F-1, J-1, M-1, or Q-1 immigration statuses MAY be FICA-exempt but should consult the information in the following links, to determine eligibility for exemption:
If there is anything specific you want GAAC to discuss / explain in our Wednesday Wisdom series, please reach out to us at gaac@umbc.edu.