New Students
MCD Information
For all students:
- During the first academic year, you can focus on meeting faculty and joining research without responsibilities to serve as a teaching or research assistant. During the second and third academic years, the fellowship provides you support as a teaching or research assistant.
- It is important when you arrive to go to the University's home page (www.utexas.edu). On the navigation bar on the left side of the page, you will see a longhorn with the words imprinted "UT Direct." Click on it, and then enter your UT EID and password. Once you are logged in, go to "Finances," then to "My Bank Info." Complete the required information in the "Electronic Funds Transfer" section to set up direct deposit so that your fellowship stipend checks will automatically go into your account.
- When you register: Even if you have a zero balance on your fee bill, you must still confirm your attendance to finalize your registration. You must do so by 5pm August 31 (the payment deadline), or your registration will be cancelled. If your registration is cancelled, you will have to late register, pay a late fee that is not covered by the fellowship, and possibly not get the classes you originally wanted, so be sure to pay or to confirm your registration by the payment deadline!
Additional information for International Students:
When you check-in with our office, we will need you to answer the following questions:
- Name
- UT EID
- Country of origin
- What type of visa do you have?
- Have you ever lived or worked in the U.S.?
- Will you be employed this semester?
- Do you have a social security number?
(DO NOT PROVIDE THE NUMBER – JUST ANSWER 'Yes' or 'No'.)
- Does your country have a tax treaty? If yes, do you have a tax number? **
** Whether or not you have a social security number, when you go to the International Office in Woolridge Hall (WOH) on 24th Street for check-in, ask if you are eligible for tax treaty benefits. Per the UT Office of Accounting, there is a mandatory 14% tax withheld from all scholarship/fellowship payments made to non-residents. If you are from a country that has a tax treaty with the U.S., you may be eligible for a refund.
Social Security Number:
- If you do not already have a social security number, you are not eligible to apply for one as a fellowship recipient because you are not employed. When you are at the International Office, tell them you have been awarded a fellowship and ask if you are eligible for a tax ID number. If yes, you should self-report the number at: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/acct/tax/taxreport/index.WBX
- If you do have a social security number and you initially entered it on your Apply Texas application, you should be fine.
- If you have received a social security number since you the time you initially applied to UT Austin and you did not enter it on your Apply Texas application, you need to self-report it at the URL listed above. If you arrive on campus before registration, you should take your social security card to the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) which is located at 2608 Whitis Ave. Otherwise, you will need to wait until you have registered and paid, then take your social security card to the Registration Supervision Office which is located in the Main Building (MAI), room 16. You should self-report your tax number or social security number as soon as possible to avoid delay of receiving your fellowship stipend check September 1st.
