Financial Matters
When do I get paid?
NDSEG Fellows typically receive their stipend between the 5th and 10th business day of each month during his/her tenure starting in September.
I changed my banking information. How do I let Systems Plus know?
Fill out, sign, and send in the Direct Deposit Form along with a copy of a voided check for your new account.
Send it to NDSEG.PMO@sysplus.com and we will email you and confirm that we received and updated your banking information.
Does NDSEG pay for indirect costs, computers, books, or anything not specified in the Terms and Conditions?
No, NDSEG pays for your full tuition and all mandatory fees, up to $1,600 in medical insurance per year (excluding dental and vision insurance), and your stipend.
I need proof of income. How do I get it?
Fellows must use their Terms & Conditions as proof of income as it provides information regarding Fellowship stipend and allowances.
Does NDSEG take taxes out of my fellowship?
No, we do not deduct any taxes from your stipend. You are responsible for filing estimated quarterly taxes. For more information on estimated tax payments, please visit the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/) for more information. Systems Plus, Inc. is not legally allowed to give tax advice.
The IRS is asking me to prove I was not self-employed. How do I do this?
Occasionally, the IRS asks for more information on a Fellow’s tax return. Fellows must use their Terms & Conditions as supporting documentation as it provides information regarding your Fellowship status that states “While serving under the NDSEG Fellowship Program, fellowship recipients are NOT considered independent contractors and are NOT employees of either the United States DOD or Systems Plus, the administrators of the program.” Systems Plus, Inc. is not legally allowed to give tax advice and will not respond to questions regarding tax issues.
When is the date of my last paycheck as an NDSEG Fellow?
Your last pay will be on the first business day of August, for the month of August, in your final year as an NDSEG Fellow. However, please note that fellows who graduate with their Ph.D. or drop out of the program prior to the end of their original fellowship tenure are no longer eligible for NDSEG stipend payments. The NDSEG Terms and Conditions state that fellows are required to enroll in full-time programs leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent. Therefore, if a fellow is no longer in pursuit of a Ph.D., he/she will cease to receive NDSEG funds.
Tuition
Do I need to give Systems Plus any information to make sure NDSEG pays my tuition?
No, we contact the schools directly and make sure that they know we are paying for you. There are some schools that require you to fill out a form, but they will contact you individually.
How do you pay my tuition?
Your school sends us an invoice for your tuition, and we pay the school directly.
I received a bill that says my tuition is due soon. What should I do?
Generally speaking, you do not need to worry about any tuition bills you receive from your institution. The due dates listed on invoices that are sent to you are not applicable to third-party payments.
If you have late fees or a hold on your account, you should email us to resolve the situation. Otherwise, you do not need to take any action to make sure your tuition is paid.
I have a late fee or a hold on my student account. What should I do?
Email us at NDSEG.PMO@sysplus.com and we will contact your school to resolve the issue.
Student Health Insurance
How do I get reimbursed for student health insurance that I paid out of pocket?
You need to submit a reimbursement request through the Fellowship Management portal. Complete the reimbursement form (available on the FM portal), send completed form along with proof of payment, invoice from insurance provider and letter from university explaining they are not able to bill us directly for student health insurance.
Can Systems Plus pay my university directly?
Yes. Systems Plus prefers that we get billed directly by the University for student health insurance.
Summer Internships
Can I take a summer internship?
Yes, NDSEG Fellows are free to pursue internships during the summer months if they so desire.
However, unless the internship is at a DoD lab and you have received prior approval from the DoD Program Manager, you will lose the months of funding while you are on your internship.
What if I want to do an internship at a DoD lab?
If you are invited to do a summer internship at a DoD lab, then you should email NDSEG.PMO@sysplus.com.
How do I let Systems Plus know that I am taking a summer internship?
We send out our annual report in the spring every year. This report will ask you if you are planning for a summer internship. Once we receive your data from the report, we will make sure to suspend your pay for the months of your internship, and will re-start it when you return.
However, if you are starting your internship in May, we ask that you email us to make sure that we take you off that payroll.
How do I make sure that you don’t pay me while I’m on my internship and start paying me when I come back?
We look at your annual report to see when your internship will start and stop. We then make the appropriate changes to the payroll for those months.
Do you prorate stipends?
No, we do not prorate your monthly stipend; when you give us starting and ending dates for your internship, we will make a determination as to whether we are paying you for those months.
Please email us at NDSEG.PMO@sysplus.com if you have specific questions about when you will be paid.
Do I need to register during the summer if I am not taking an internship?
Yes, NDSEG requires that you register for at least one unit of classwork or research during the summer if possible. We recognize that some schools do not have summer registration as such; if this is the case, you do not need to register, but you do need to inform us in writing.
OTHER COMPENSATION AND SCHOLARSHIP
Can I accept other compensation offer for a graduate research assistantship as NDSEG fellows?
You may be allowed to engage in a reasonable amount of teaching or similar activities if approved by the DoD. If your institution requires teaching or similar activity, you may receive compensation to include tuition payment, monthly stipend, and health insurance - if authorized by the Government Program Manager (GPM). You must submit an Other Compensation request via the Fellowship Management portal before accepting any offer.
Will my stipend be affected if I receive other compensation?
If approved, your NDSEG stipend may be modified. As a rule, if you make more that the NDSEG stipend, you will not be eligible to receive your fellowship stipend on the months you are receiving other compensation. If you make less than your NDSEG stipend, your adjusted stipend will be calculated as NDSEG stipend – Other compensation amount.
I was offered a merit scholarship by my school which is a one-time payment that does not include stipend. Can I accept this offer?
You must submit a request via the Fellowship Management portal prior to accepting the scholarship. If approved, we will determine if your NDSEG stipend needs to be adjusted.
I have an upcoming Travel, how can I request funding
Please look at the Stipends & Travel page for guidance.