Follow these steps to help principal investigators (PIs) and faculty members in your DLC arrange payroll compensation for graduate research and teaching assistants.
Access the Graduate Appointment Portal

If you are authorized to set up graduate RA and TA appointments, use the Graduate Appointment Portal. This tool will guide you through the process of creating the appointment. Contact your DLC’s human resources officer if you have questions or need assistance setting up an appointment.

Review payroll and tax procedures

All graduate students with an MIT research or teaching assistant appointment are paid semimonthly on the 15th of the month and on the last day of the month. If either falls on a weekend or holiday, the pay date will be the business day that precedes that weekend or holiday. Research or teaching assistant payments are subject to federal and state income taxes, and MIT is required to withhold federal and state income tax from these payments.

RAs and TAs must submit the appropriate withholding forms using the “Tax Withholding” page of the “My Money” section of Atlas. Use the Payroll Information for Graduate Students sheet to advise your graduate student(s) about MIT’s payroll and tax procedures for fellowship appointments.

See the HR/Payroll Cutoff Schedule in the related links below for deadlines.

 

The Details

Access the Graduate Appointment Portal

If you are authorized to set up graduate RA and TA appointments, use the Graduate Appointment Portal. This tool will guide you through the process of creating the appointment. Contact your DLC’s human resources officer if you have questions or need assistance setting up an appointment.

Review payroll and tax procedures

All graduate students with an MIT research or teaching assistant appointment are paid semimonthly on the 15th of the month and on the last day of the month. If either falls on a weekend or holiday, the pay date will be the business day that precedes that weekend or holiday. Research or teaching assistant payments are subject to federal and state income taxes, and MIT is required to withhold federal and state income tax from these payments.

RAs and TAs must submit the appropriate withholding forms using the “Tax Withholding” page of the “My Money” section of Atlas. Use the Payroll Information for Graduate Students sheet to advise your graduate student(s) about MIT’s payroll and tax procedures for fellowship appointments.

See the HR/Payroll Cutoff Schedule in the related links below for deadlines.