Postdoctoral Fellow Benefits

Postdoctoral fellows, working 50 percent effort or more, receiving a stipend from an approved grant are offered the option to enroll in health, dental, and/or vision insurance only. Departments are asked to notify Dr. Hal May, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs (mayh@musc.edu), upon appointment of a postdoctoral fellow. 

Postdoctoral fellows paid on stipend are eligible to pay the same premiums that employees pay. The department must pay the required employer premium for the level of coverage the fellow selects. The department will provide an unrestricted UDAK where premiums will be charged and then request reimbursement for the charge, through a cost transfer, from the grant accountant in Grants & Contract Accounting. The fellow will be responsible for their premiums and will provide a bank account that will be drafted monthly for the costs. This is to ensure that the cost of the coverage selected by the fellow do not exceed the amount allowed by the grant. Review the Policy in its entirety for more information.

The department should submit a request for postdoctoral fellow benefits by completing the Department Checklist for Unpaid Individuals Form. Once submitted, the University Benefits Team will contact the fellow to schedule an appointment to complete the necessary paperwork. If a postdoc is moving from payroll-paid to stipend supported, we ask that you still complete the request to ensure that the postdoc is enrolled in the appropriate benefit plans. There will be no break in coverage during this transition as long as the benefits office is promptly notified.

More information on the Postdoctoral Fellow Benefits can be found in the Postdoctoral Fellow Benefits FAQs (PDF).

Contact Us

If you have additional questions, please contact the University Benefits Office at 843-792-2071, option 4, or at benefits@musc.edu.