Master’s Stipends

Graduate School master’s stipends are merit-based stipends provided without a service obligation.

Students receive a Graduate School master’s stipend for a full academic year (August through May) or for a single semester. Students receiving a Graduate School master’s stipend in one semester of an academic year may not receive a Graduate School master’s stipend in another semester.

Please review the detailed Financial Support Policies and Procedures webpage, especially the Recipient Obligations Statement posted to that page.

Topics Covered:

• Details & Restrictions
• Requirements
• Payment Schedule
• Taxes and IDs
• International Tax Documentation Check List

Stipend Details

Master’s Stipend Rate: Departmental Discretion

• Fall Semester (August – December): Departmental discretion
• Spring Semester (January – May): Departmental discretion
• Summer Semester: Departmental discretion

Academic programs award master’s stipends based on merit and not financial need and can vary in the amount provided each semester.

Requirements

• Students must make satisfactory progress toward a Graduate School degree, as determined by their academic program and the Graduate School.
• Master’s students should verify with their program the number of credit hours required as a condition of their master’s stipend award and maintain that level of enrollment.

Unsatisfactory degree progress or violations of academic integrity may result in termination of your master’s stipend and retroactive revocation of any scholarship for the current semester. In other words, you may become responsible for the full tuition and fees for that semester.

Payment Schedule

Master’s stipends are distributed at the beginning of each semester.

Taxes and IDs

For information on taxes and stipends, visit the Tax Department website.

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Master’s stipends for U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents will not be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the university.

No W-2 or other document will be distributed for the non-service awards. The only record you will have of the award are your bank statements.

International Students

Georgetown University is required to report master’s stipends for international students to the Internal Revenue Service. International students are required to meet with the Tax Department to complete all necessary tax paperwork. Reference this Tax Department webpage on the Office of the Chief Financial Officer’s website in preparation.

International students may also be required to obtain either a U.S. Social Security Number or IRS Individual Taxpayer ID number. Check with the Office of Global Services and the Tax Department.

International Master’s Stipend Tax

Visit the International Tax webpage.

Please remember to do the following:

• Visit the Tax Department website to review required documentation
• Scan the following documentation:​
  • ​Copy of the signed Graduate School award letter
  • Clear photocopy of Passport (picture page)
  • Completed, signed and dated Foreign National Information Form
  • Clear copy of either I-20 or DS-2019 form (required for F or J Visa holders)
  • Signed and dated Form W-8BEN​
• Save signed award letter and all required tax documentation as a PDF file and send to Lawrence Smith labeled exactly as follows:
  “[Legal Last Name], [Legal First Name] Graduate Non-Service Stipend” and email to: upload.tax_dep.9m074yyah1@u.box.com