MARC GatorSTAR Program

All MARC GatorSTAR fellows are eligible to receive the following support, beginning in the summer prior to their junior year:

• Research stipend of approximately $1,200 per month for up to two years
• Partial tuition scholarship for tuition (up to 60% of tuition, not to exceed $16,000 per year)
• Registration, travel, housing, and meals to attend a scientific conference in the fellow’s first program year
• Registration, travel, housing, and meals to attend a regional or national scientific meeting in the fellow’s second program year
• Participation in an extramural research program in the fellow’s second summer in the program, including travel support (up to $500) and subsistence (up to $3,000)

The financial support is intended to allow MARC fellows to devote full attention to their studies and research, and therefore fellows must agree to not be employed in any manner during their participation in the program.

Yes, it typically does. The MARC GatorSTAR scholarship and fellowship will not reduce a Pell Grant, Bright Futures Scholarship,  or other UF-awarded scholarship from an academic department or most outside scholarships (although there are some exceptions), but it may impact other state/federal grants. Additionally, it is important to recognize that the scholarship and fellowship will be counted as financial aid and therefore may increase in your expected family contribution (EFC).

Questions about specific aid offers can be answered by the Student Financial Affairs office via sfa-help@mail.ufl.edu.

The MARC GatorSTAR program is designed to remain small, with no more than four new fellows each year.

MARC GatorSTAR fellows must meet the eligibility criteria.

MARC GatorSTAR fellows typically begin their appointments on the first day of the summer term. The summer research skills course typically also begins at the same time.

Contact the Admissions Office for information regarding admission requirements.

Follow the application instructions.

Prior experience in research is recommended but is not required.

Contact the MARC program directors if you find yourself having difficulty keeping up with any courses. We want all of our fellows to succeed, and we can help by arranging peer-tutoring or tutoring from a graduate student, and participation in activities and programs to improve time management and stress management skills. Don’t wait until late in the semester; the sooner you let us know there is a problem, the more we can do to help.

Every MARC GatorSTAR fellow’s cumulative GPA must stay above 3.5 to be considered eligible. A term GPA below 3.5 will not impact the fellow’s standing unless that term lowers the cumulative GPA below 3.5. Fellows who fail to meet the GPA requirement must raise their GPA above a 3.5 in the following term by taking credits at UF but may be ineligible to receive funding for that term.

Fellows who are off-track in their major should seek assistance from the MARC program. Fellows who are off-track in their major for two successive semesters are not eligible to remain in the MARC GatorSTAR program.

Yes.

MARC GatorSTAR fellows are supported for up to two years.

MARC GatorSTAR fellows must complete 24 credit hours in each academic year. The number of credits you take may vary by semester, but 24 credits must be earned each year. fellows who do not earn 24 credits are placed on probation and must make up the credits in the summer to remain eligible for the following fall term. Fellows must also be considered full-time students and therefore are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 UF credits each semester. Fellows who elect to use a university-granted drop may fall below full-time status, which is permitted. The general rule of thumb is that students must begin each semester as a full-time student with 12 or more credits.

Fellows registered with the Disability Resource Center are required to earn 18 credit hours per academic year and they may petition for additional semesters to complete their degree. Under special circumstances, a fellow may earn fewer per their approved accommodations.

Yes. In a fellow’s final semester, the MARC GatorSTAR program will fund the remaining credits needed to graduate provided the fellow is enrolled in at least 6 credits. Graduating fellows are considered a full-time student with fewer than 12 credits for purposes of continuing to receive UF student services such as involvement in student organizations, use of the Counseling and Wellness Center and Disability Resource Center, and recreation facility use.

In summers, MARC GatorSTAR fellows may register for Research Skills course, the Research Scholarship Seminar, and research credits, but typically may not enroll in any other summer courses. This is to make sure fellows are able to devote sufficient time to working with their research mentor. Exceptions may be made for fellows who need to complete a specific course in the summer in order to graduate on-time.

Since MARC GatorSTAR fellows are required to earn 24 credits each year, dropping a class may put you behind in earning these credits. This drop may affect the number of credits you register for the following semester. We encourage students to meet with program director prior to making the decision to drop a class. Each semester, the university sets a date by which all students much drop classes if they choose. Be sure to pay attention to this date each semester as dropping a class after the university deadline will result in needing to complete a petition.  All UF students receiving Bright Futures scholarship are required to repay the cost for classes they drop, unless it is a documented medical reason. Learn more at http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/hubstudents.html

No, there is no requirement to live on campus.

Fellows who fail to meet the credit hour renewal requirement can make up the deficit in the following summer at UF or another Florida community college or state university (per approval of transient form) but cannot receive MARC GatorSTAR stipend and tuition scholarship for that term.

MARC GatorSTAR fellows who are not enrolled in a fall or spring semester are reviewed for renewal based on having earned at least 12 credits in the one semester (fall or spring) that they were enrolled. MARC GatorSTAR fellows who believe they should take a semester off must meet with the program director to determine the feasibility of a successful return to the program.

No, MARC GatorSTAR fellows may not be employed in any manner during their participation in the program.

Yes, you may register for research credit. What course number you choose and how many credits you register for in any semester must be discussed in advance with your faculty research mentor and the undergraduate advisor for your major.

The MARC program cannot provide any specific recommendations on taxes, but the following information may be helpful:

1. For the purposes of federal taxes, an undergraduate fellowship is handled like a scholarship or graduate fellowship. The official IRS information on this is here: https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc421. Additional information specific to NIH appointments is provided by NIH here. Other potentially useful information is in this document from Harvard. Note that the trainee’s NIH fellowship appointment does not represent compensation for services. This is also stated explicitly on the UF MOU signed by the fellow each year. This is because the fellowship is technically a grant that enables the fellow to pursue activities for their own gain rather than for the University’s benefit.
2. If the fellow will be claimed as a dependent by anyone (for example, by parents), then the fellowship “income” will need to be incorporated into their combined income and the information above will apply to them. In that case, they will need to evaluate whether it is better financially for the fellow to remain as a dependent or to instead file their own taxes.