Below is a list of required forms to complete and return before payment can be issued from Columbia University. You may not work at Columbia GSAPP until all required forms have been submitted to the Dean’s Office.

The forms should be completed in blue or black ink with your original signature and original hard copies submitted to Cee Major, Assistant Director, 405 Avery Hall. Questions about your appointment can be addressed to the Dean’s Office at assistantships@arch.columbia.edu or 212-854-3473.

Please note that we cannot submit your appointment to the Office of the Provost until we have all of the required and completed forms/documents listed below. Late submission will result in payment delays.

1. I-9 Form – To be completed in person in the I-9 Office, 210 Kent Hall, on or before your first day of work. You will not be allowed to work or be paid if this form is not completed. For instructions click here. The list of acceptable documents you will need to present can be found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

2. Assistantship Agreement Form

3. Employee Information Form

4. W-4 (Federal Tax Form)

5. Other tax forms as applicable
   a. IT-2104 (New York State Tax Form, for NY residents only)
   b. IT-2104.1 (NYS Non-resident Tax Form, for non-NY State residents only)
   c. New Jersey tax forms (if applicable)
   d. Tax treaty forms (Form 8233, for Nonresident Aliens [NRA], if applicable)

6. Visa Documents as applicable:
   Nonresident Aliens
   a. Copy of passport identification page
   b. Visa / Visa Stamp in passport
   c. I-20 / DS-2019 / I-797 (Visa Certificate)
   d. I-94 (US Customs Arrival record)
   Permanent Residents
   a. Permanent Resident Card

7. Race/Ethnicity Form – This form is required. If you choose not to identify your race, please select “I do not wish to disclose.”

1. Assistantship Agreement Form

2. Employee Information Form

Columbia issues semi-monthly checks (on the 15th and last day of every month). Please see below for payment schedule:

• Summer pay period is June 1 – August 31
  
• Fall pay period is September 1 – December 31
  
• Spring pay period is January 1 – May 31
  

The University pay calendar is found on the University’s Human Resources page.

It is strongly suggested that you sign up for direct deposit.

How to Set Up Direct Deposit

1. Log into the MyColumbia portal with your UNI and password
2. Click the “Faculty & Staff Tab”
3. Under Self Service, choose “View Your Direct Deposit Information” Resources:

Video: Setting Up Direct Deposit in PAC

Note: when you click on the video link, you will be asked to sign in with your UNI and password. Once on the page, simply click the blue “Enroll” button to begin.

If re-appointed, you may need to sign up again for direct deposit as the University periodically removes this information from the system.

Paper checks can be picked up mid-month and the last business day of the month in the Finance Office, 406 Avery Hall.

Checks that are unclaimed will be returned to Columbia University Human Resources, 615 West 131st Street, Studebaker Building, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10027, tel: 212-851-2888.

Students who are appointed to the role of Teaching Fellow, Research Fellow, or Preceptor receive support and compensation in two forms:

• Payroll on a semi-monthly basis totaling one-third of the support package. Please see the section “Paychecks” above for more information.
  
• Stipend for the remaining two-thirds of the support package
  

Beginning in Fall 2021, the calendar for stipend payments has been modified to more closely align with how other graduate students in other student officer roles receive their compensation and support. Students appointed to the three positions noted above will receive a lump-sum stipend distribution of $2,600 prior to Labor Day. This disbursement represents the amount for September. The remainder of the stipend will be paid on a semi-monthly basis beginning in mid-October through the fall term. These semi-monthly payments will be aligned with the semi-monthly payroll. Please note that this change in the disbursement process will not affect tax withholding on stipends.

Fellows holding student officer appointments described above who withdraw during a semester, who resign from their appointments, or who are terminated from their appointments will have their stipend disbursement suspended as of the next semi-monthly pay date following their withdrawal, resignation, or termination.

GSAPP follows GSAS policies for Ph.D. disbursements; please also see the related GSAS page for additional details.