Hey all. I'm in phase 2 with one more year of my service commitment left. I'm planning to go back for a master's when my commitment ends but i'm not sure if I want to use SMART because I may want to make other career moves after finishing my master's.
I think the best of both worlds would be to use SMART but also take a grad research assistantship that covers my tuition. So if I decide to break my service commitment and pay it back, I owe significantly less than if SMART paid my tuition too. But does it work like that? If I break my commitment, do they tally up the exact $$$ amount they paid during my degree (in which case, GRA covering my tuition would decrease my payback), or do they just use a standard dollar amount that doesn't change?
Can a graduate research assistantship decrease my monetary payback obligation?
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chowder138
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Phase 2 Scholar
Re: Can a graduate research assistantship decrease my monetary payback obligation?
It might.
If you break your commitment, they do tally up the exact $$$ amount they paid during your degree. So, if they never paid your tuition, they shouldn't bill you for it if you break your commitment.
You should keep in mind your university may not like you relying on a graduate research assistantship when you have access to the SMART fellowship. I suppose the university doesn't need to know, but keep in mind that you will need an advisor to sign off on your academic plan and progress.
I don't know what SMART will do when they never receive a bill from your university. Seems like it would be a problem on someone's spreadsheet, but I don't recall any provision in the SMART agreement requiring the participant to deliver SMART's letter to the university so that the university can bill them.
Your plan probably isn't something SMART or your university wants you doing, but it just might work.
If you break your commitment, they do tally up the exact $$$ amount they paid during your degree. So, if they never paid your tuition, they shouldn't bill you for it if you break your commitment.
You should keep in mind your university may not like you relying on a graduate research assistantship when you have access to the SMART fellowship. I suppose the university doesn't need to know, but keep in mind that you will need an advisor to sign off on your academic plan and progress.
I don't know what SMART will do when they never receive a bill from your university. Seems like it would be a problem on someone's spreadsheet, but I don't recall any provision in the SMART agreement requiring the participant to deliver SMART's letter to the university so that the university can bill them.
Your plan probably isn't something SMART or your university wants you doing, but it just might work.