Funding opportunities
Frequently asked questions
Units should review all information provided on this website as we have provided information for the commonly asked questions. If you are unable to find the answers you are looking for or have additional questions, contact grad-financial@asu.edu.
Offer letter
Are there resources available to help us create an offer letter?
Yes, please view the "templates" tab in the left column for different offer letter templates.
What is the difference between a recruitment letter and an appointment letter?
A recruitment letter is intended to be used to recruit a new, incoming student and highlights information such as the total value of the assistantship being offered. If the student accepts the appointment, the student is then given a follow-up appointment letter which contains important information about the terms of the appointment. For continuing TAs and RAs, only the appointment letter is required.
Where do I find current tuition and health insurance rates to update the offer letters?
The links below provide information about current rates. It is not unusal for the following academic year rates to be posted after recruitment letters have been issued to students. The language in the template letters indicates that the rates are based on the current year and that awards will only be provided for actual charges. It is recommended that you review the links below and update the templates accordingly should the new rates be posted when issuing an offer letter.
- https://catalog.asu.edu/tuitionandfees - choose the applicable semester(s)
- https://students.asu.edu/tuition - ASU tuition estimator, select the applicable criteria
- https://eoss.asu.edu/health/billing-insurance/coverage-options#aetna - click on Enrollment Information for premium rates
Can a department make changes to the templates?
Yellow highlighted text in the templates can be used or discarded as needed. Avoid removing any items not highlighted in yellow as this information has been vetted by the Graduate College, the Provost’s Office and the Office of General Counsel. Any changes to appointment letters or requirements that deviate from the provided templates must receive prior approval from the Graduate College. This includes requirements specific to the appointing unit. Approval from your college-level financial administrator is required prior to Graduate College review.
Do I need to renew appointments each semester?
No. In fact, if appointments are intended to last the academic year it is recommended that one appointment letter for the academic year be used. It is also highly recommended that students who have continued funding beyond one academic year receive an updated appointment letter annually prior to the start of each academic year.
When should appointment letters be given to the students?
As early as is practical, but no later than two weeks before classes begin.
Are only 25% and 50% appointments allowed?
While 25% and 50% appointments are by far the most common, appointments up to .40 FTE (16 hours per week) are allowed. A student with up to a .40 FTE appointment receives a partial tuition award (entered as a 25% tuition award), but there is no additional tuition benefit. Appointments of .41 - .49 FTE are not allowed.
How is a TA/RA appointment for a digital immersion student different?
Digital immersion students are not eligible for ASU Student Health Insurance. Also, tuition awards must be entered manually, so contact the Graduate College at grad-financial@asu.edu to arrange for tuition awards for these students.
Where can I find more information about graduate appointments and their associated job descriptions?
This information can be found on our student facing website.
Tuition awards
Why is a student's tuition award not posting to their account?
1. Check that the student is enrolled in minimum of 6 credit hours.
2. Check to see if there is a disbursment hold on the students account. If the student has a hold on their account in MyASU, they should click on it for information on how to resolve the hold.
Why am I unable to post awards in GPortal Financial?
1. Please check to make sure it is not past the deadline posted under the "entering tuition awards" tab found in the menu in the left column. If it is past the posted deadline, please contact grad-financial@asu.edu.
2. You must have the correct PeopleSoft access and as well as the correct plancodes in order make entries or updates.
How do I request access to GPortal Financial?
New users, will need to enroll in a training course and request the appropriate PeopleSoft role. For instructions on how to do this, please email gcfellowships@asu.edu. Please review further information here.
UGF Awards
Why is a students UGF award not posting to their account?
1. Check that the student is enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours.
2. Check to see if there is a disbursment hold on the students account. If the student has a hold on their account in MyASU, they should click on it for information on how to resolve the hold.
Why am I unable to get into GPortal Financial?
1. Please check to make sure it is not past the deadline posted under the "entering tution awards" tab found in the menu in the left column. If it is past the posted deadline, please contact grad-financial@asu.edu.
2. You must have the correct PeopleSoft access and as well as the correct plancodes in order make entries or updates.
How do I request access to GPortal Financial?
New users, will need to enroll in a training course and request the appropriate PeopleSoft role. For instructions on how to do this, please email gcfellowships@asu.edu. Please review further information here.