Grant-Funded Student Hiring and Payments

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is fiscally responsible for ensuring grant Project Directors stay within their budget and are in compliance with grant rules and regulations. Therefore, it is important that Principal Investigators and Project Directors understand Kean’s student payment types.

Understanding Kean’s Student Payment Types

Definitions

Many departments offer an additional source of funding to students in the form of stipends. Stipends may be awarded to students after the completion of some service (e.g., participation in a mentorship program), or they may be based on other criteria established by the department (e.g., academic merit). The funds for many of these stipend payments come from grants.

Financial Aid and Student Accounting Responsibilities

All stipend requests are reviewed by Financial Aid and Student Accounting to ensure they contain the necessary and appropriate information for payment. If approved, Student Accounting processes the payment accordingly.

Inquiries:
ALL inquiries related to student stipend payments should be directed to the Office of Student Accounting, located on the 3rd Floor of the Administration Building on the Kean University Union campus.
For General Inquiries: stuactg@kean.edu

The Grant Principal Investigator (PI) must use the electronic stipend request form to request all student participant stipend payments. ORSP will not accept stipend payment requests submitted via email.

Click HERE to Request Student Participant Stipends

Payment Dates are estimated and subject to change without notice.

Student Eligibility

• Undergraduate students must be enrolled in classes to be employed. If employed for the summer, the student must be registered for the fall term.
• Graduate Administrative Assistant (GAA) must be enrolled full-time in at least 9 credits to be employed. Graduate assistantships begin in the Fall semester of the new academic year and continue through the end of the Spring semester (Additional requirements may apply)
• Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) must be enrolled in classes to be employed. Graduate assistantships begin in the Fall semester of the new academic year and continue through the end of the Spring semester. (Additional requirements may apply)
• Academic Specialist position (Graduate student): Enrollment as a graduate student is not a requirement for employment, but candidates must hold a bachelor's degree. This position is often used to hire graduate students during the summer.

Graduate Administrative Assistant (GAA) and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

• Appointment Types: Students are appointed for a full academic year (not including winter and summer sessions). Assistantship workload and tuition waiver depend on the type and level of the position allocated.
  • Full-time GAA and GRA positions: Students are required to work a minimum of 15 hours per week and no more than 20 hours per week when classes are in session, receive payment for hours worked, and receive a full tuition waiver.
  • Half-time GAA and GRA positions: Students are required to work 7.5–10 hours per week when classes are in session and receive payment for hours worked and a one-half tuition waiver.

  • Quarter-time GAA and GRA positions: Students are required to work 3.75–5 hours per week when classes are in session, receive payment for hours worked, and receive a one quarter tuition waiver.

  • Additional requirements apply See HERE

Academic Specialist 

• Appointment Type: Part-time, Temporary 
  • Under the supervision of a full-time professional employee, Academic Specialists provide part-time, temporary, and professional services to the university. Such functions are performed on an intermittent basis or for fixed periods of a short duration, such as a semester-by-semester basis. Academic Specialists may be compensated on an hourly basis or by contract. Academic Specialists may not work more than 15 hours per week and 42 weeks per year.

​Student Research Assistants

• Appointment Type: Part-time, semesterly. 
  • Compensation for performance of assigned work. Employer-employee relationship. Can be paid from sponsored project funds, and other internal funding sources. Pay is based on hours worked performing assigned job-specific duties. Salary/ wages disbursed by HR/Payroll. Applicable fringe benefits apply.

Departmental Hiring Responsibilities

• The Principal Investigator/Project Director (PI/PD) is responsible for completing the appropriate hiring forms and obtaining the corresponding approvals. Please ensure all information is accurate and corresponds with the funding and University payment schedules. Additional steps may be required for some positions. 
• Processing time: Estimated 2 weeks or more

Grant-Funded Student Hiring Form Click HERE

Under no circumstances shall a student commence work without official clearance from HR. Failure to follow these instructions may result in delays in processing.

Grant-Funded Student Hiring Questions?

• Concerning grant funding for student hiring contact postaward@kean.edu
• Concerning HR student hiring required documentation contact Makenzie Carty Email: studenthiring@kean.edu
• Concerning Graduate Assistantship hiring contact ga@kean.edu