GASP Policies

GASP: Explanation of Policy and Procedures

For doctoral students holding a teaching or research assistantship, an additional benefit is eligibility for tuition support via GASP, depending on funding availability. These Central Funds, administered by the Graduate School, pay tuition and health insurance for eligible research doctoral students for up to five years. GASP policies are as follows:

1. Length of time student is provided tuition support:

GASP eligibility is based on the time elapsed since a student first enrolled in their graduate program. The clock starts running the first semester of GASP-eligible graduate enrollment at UNC Charlotte, regardless of whether a student qualified for or accepted GASP during that semester. Any semesters that a student did not accept GASP are not added to the 10 semesters allowed; GASP eligibility is based on time, and not on the number of semesters supported.
Doctoral students are eligible for support for a maximum of 10 semesters if the student does not have a master’s degree in the same or closely related field.
Doctoral students in their fifth year of their Ph.D. will be supported for 3 hours of GRAD 9800, rather than 9 hours. Additional tuition support may be requested and provided if needed for the Ph.D. and if funding is available.
Doctoral students in an accelerated/advanced standing Ph.D. program are funded for a maximum of eight semesters.
Doctoral students with a master’s degree in the same or closely related field are eligible for 6 semesters of funding; additional semesters (not to exceed four) are allowed if warranted.
Students pursuing a master’s in a second discipline are not given additional semesters of tuition eligibility.
Students pursuing a co-major are not given additional semesters of tuition eligibility.

2. Health Insurance Benefit (for doctoral students):

Once a doctoral student is enrolled in GASP, s/he is eligible for the student health insurance plan offered by the University Health Center. The Graduate School will pay the premium for each term that a doctoral student is supported on GASP. Each student will receive information from the insurance company on benefits and filing claims. This policy covers only the student, NOT dependents. Students must obtain and pay the cost of a separate health insurance policy for his/her dependents.

If a doctoral student is supported with a stipend on a research grant (usually on an RA), the health insurance premium must be paid by the source of the stipend. Research Administration Policy 50.5, found here, provides details: http://research.charlotte.edu/departments/grants-contracts-administration/research-administration-policies-and-procedures.

Doctoral students may decline enrollment in the student insurance plan, this must be done through the Student Health Services Office, and in that case the premium payment from GASP will be removed from the student's account. More information on the health insurance plan and how to waive the plan may be found here: https://studenthealth.charlotte.edu/insurance/insurance.

3. Eligibility requirements: (NOTE: GASP support is dependent on funding availability.)

Full time enrollment (9 hours or enrollment in GRAD 9999, GRAD 9800), unless the student has applied to graduate and is in the last semester of enrollment.
A 20-hour/week assistantship paying $20,000 or more (a minimum of $10,000 per semester) per academic year for doctoral students paid through the UNC Charlotte Payroll Office, or qualifying fellowship. A graduate student specific position with a government research agency may be considered a qualifying fellowship, subject to Graduate School approval.
Students holding any hourly job or assistantship exceeding 20 hours per week during the academic year are not eligible for GASP.
In rare cases that require pre-approval by the Graduate School, A 10-hour/week assistantship paying $10,000 or more for doctoral students meets requirements for 50% GASP and not full GASP. Two 10-hour/week assistantships in one semester qualifies for full GASP.
Assistantships other than 20-hours/week do not qualify for GASP, except for students in pre-approved programs as mentioned above.
Each student must hold an assistantship for the entire academic year, both fall and spring semesters, for 15 weeks each semester or more.
Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.
Off-campus internships, paid or unpaid, do not satisfy the requirement that a student hold an eligible graduate assistantship to qualify for GASP.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) do not satisfy the requirement that a student hold an eligible graduate assistantship to qualify for GASP.

4. Tuition benefit

Doctoral Students: GASP pays full tuition for eligible in-state and out-of-state residents at the graduate student rate for 9+ credit hours. These funds will be credited to the student’s account once they have registered and bills have been produced.
GASP pays for credit hours applied to a student's degree, and not for credit hours toward any second or third degree a student may be seeking. This also applies to GRAD 9800, and GRAD 9999; GASP will pay for those hours alone.
GASP pays for tuition only; if a student has another source of tuition support (scholarship, grant, etc.), GASP will be removed from the student's account.
Students who can obtain North Carolina residency for tuition purposes must attempt to do so. After the first two semesters of full tuition support, GASP pays tuition at the in-state rate for domestic doctoral students who reside in North Carolina.
If a student is supported with a stipend on a research grant (usually on an RA), that grant must pay tuition for the student in the amount approved in the grant budget. GASP will pay the additional amount for eligible out-of-state doctoral residents.
- If the grant pays tuition AFTER GASP has paid the tuition, the Graduate School will withdraw any over-payment of tuition funds from the student’s account. This is necessary to avoid a tuition double-payment and subsequent cash deposit into the student’s bank account.
- If a student has a grant-funded RA that is less than 20-hours, and the grant pro-rates tuition, GASP will pay up to 1/2 of the tuition. Example: student has a 10-hour TA and 10-hour RA; the grant pays 1/2 tuition, and GASP pays 1/2 tuition. Other combinations of hours may happen, but GASP will pay either 50% or 100%, not other amounts.

5. Deadline and registration details for eligibility for GASP in a given semester:

Each student must be registered full time and have a qualifying assistantship or fellowship appointment no later than 12 noon on the census date (the tenth day of classes) for the semester.
Credit hours attributed to audited classes do not count toward the minimum semester credit hour requirements for GASP. Tuition charges related to audited courses are not reimbursed by GASP.
Credit hours outside a student’s major do not count toward the minimum semester credit hour requirements, unless the course is a prerequisite for a course in the major.
Summer registration is not required for GASP. Further, tuition for courses taken during the summer is not covered by GASP.
Distance education students are ineligible for GASP support.
The benefit applies only to tuition charges and not student fees or tuition increments. Each student must pay the required fees (and any tuition increments) unless the source of his/her stipend provides funds specifically earmarked to pay these costs.
Each student must submit payment of fees by the deadline indicated on your tuition bill or registration may be cancelled. If registration is cancelled and not reinstated by the census date, the student will be ineligible for tuition benefits under GASP.
Because North Carolina residents are entitled to substantially lower tuition rates than out-of-state residents, doctoral GASP scholars who are non-residents of North Carolina for tuition purposes should make every effort possible to establish North Carolina residency. Students with permanent resident alien status are eligible to apply. However, some students are not eligible to establish NC residency (e.g., international students on J-1 visa). You may find information on eligibility and the requirements to establish N.C. residency on the Residency Determination Office web site: www.resdetermination.charlotte.edu .
Doctoral GASP scholars who are eligible to become North Carolina residents for tuition purposes but fail to become reclassified 12 months after first enrolling in GASP may lose their non-resident tuition benefit.

6. Students who are eligible for the Plan on census day and become ineligible later in the semester:

If a student becomes ineligible for the plan during the term, s/he is responsible for the pro rata portion of the tuition applicable to the days after the date you became ineligible.
The above statement on tuition does not apply to students who maintain their eligibility until they complete all requirements for the degree. In such cases, the student is not responsible for any portion of tuition for the semester.
If the qualifying assistantship or fellowship appointment should extend for at least 15 weeks of the semester or no tuition benefits will be paid.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long can a student be on GASP?

Doctoral students without a master’s degree in the discipline are eligible for a continuous span of 10 semesters from their program start date. GASP eligibility is based on time elapsed, not a count of semesters.
Doctoral students in an advanced standing degree program are eligible for a continuous span of 8 semesters from their program start date. GASP eligibility is based on time elapsed, not a count of semesters.
Doctoral students with a master’s degree in the same or closely related discipline are eligible for 6 semesters of funding; additional semesters are allowed if warranted. GASP eligibility is based on time elapsed, not a count of semesters.
Eligible master's students (M. Arch only) are eligible for 4 semesters of funding, or 6 semesters if enrolled in the 3-year M.Arch program.

2. What is the health benefit for doctoral students offered through GASP?

For more details, please visit http://studenthealth.charlotte.edu/content/insurance
Beginning in 2024-2025, GASP will pay the cost for students to enroll in the Premium plan

3. What are the requirements for GASP?

Doctoral students must hold an assistantship or qualifying fellowship of at least $20,000 per academic year, a minimum of $10,000 per semester
Students must maintain a GPA ≥ 3.0
Students must be enrolled full time each semester to receive the award, or in GRAD 9800 or GRAD 9999
Summer registration is not required for GASP. Further, tuition for courses taken during the summer is not covered by GASP.

4. What charges are not covered by GASP?

The majority of student fees
Tuition increments charged by the academic colleges
Charges for credit hours attributed to audited courses or courses that are not part of the academic program
Tuition for summer courses
Tuition for any classes not paid by the 10th day of the semester
Any tuition and fees associated with distance education courses
Additional semesters of assistance for students pursuing a master’s in a second discipline
Additional semesters of assistance for students pursuing a co-major
Tuition for courses not required by the program of student and listed on the degree audit (plan of study)

5. Whom can a student contact if s/he has questions about residency?

Please visit www.resdetermination.charlotte.edu for more information

6. When will students receive their GASP award?

GASP funds will be added to each student’s account before the deadline for tuition payment. Class schedules will not be held for non-payment; any student with an outstanding balance on cancellation for non-payment dates will have his/her course schedule dropped.

7. I want to fund a student on a grant-funded RA, but the fund isn't set up yet. What should I do to secure GASP?

Set up an RA using a departmental fund, so the student receives their stipend. Once the grant is set up, Supersede the RA to change the fund number. Payroll will change all the payments so that the grant pays and not the department.