Understanding HGSU-UAW Compensation

What is the compensation and benefits for Harvard PhD students?

Currently, PhD students receive compensation and benefits totaling at least $425,000 over a minimum of five years. This includes:

  • grants covering full tuition ($31,000 per year)
  • fully subsidized health insurance ($6,108 per year)
  • living expense support (approximately $50,000 per year)
  • other benefits  

For context, approximately 60% of HGSU-UAW members are PhD students. 

What is living expense support?

Living expense support, guaranteed to be approximately $50,000 a year, is provided to PhD students through stipends and guaranteed part-time employment as Teaching Fellows or Research Assistants.  

What is the current pay structure for Teaching Fellows? 

Teaching Fellows (TFs) teach part time under the supervision of course heads (who hold formal teaching appointments) as an integral part of their training for their PhD. They assist faculty with course instruction, running sections, holding office hours, and grading. 

Under the current contract, the Teaching Fellows salary rate is:

  • Junior Teaching Fellow: $5,860 per section (7 hours per week)
  • Senior Teaching Fellow: $6,575 (7 hours per week) 

Part-time, salaried work as a Teaching Fellow is a portion of the $50,000 Living Expense Support provided to PhD students, typically in years three and four of the PhD program. Student workers in these years ordinarily teach two sections per semester but can opt to teach more, in accordance with University policies.  

For PhD students in years three and four, for example, working as Teaching Fellows, the Living Expense Support is:

  • $23,440 - $26,300 (salary - 14 hours per week teaching 2 classes for 2 semesters)
  • $26,650 - $23,700 (stipend) 

What is the current pay structure for Research Assistants? 

Research Assistants are appointed on an annual basis to perform research work under the supervision of a faculty member/principal investigator. Under the current contract, research assistant rates range from $42,480 to $47,076 depending upon discipline (life sciences, physical sciences, other), with an average rate of $44,912. Research assistants work 20 hours per week. Like Teaching Fellows, Research Assistants are guaranteed $50,000 in Living Expense Support. 

What is Harvard’s current compensation proposal for salaried PhD students? 

On April 28, 2026, the University increased its compensation proposal to provide an 11% increase over four years for all salaried student worker appointments (Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants). This would include a 2.75% increase upon ratification of the contract, and then 3.25% on July 1 of this year, with another 2.5% at the start of each of the following academic years.  

In addition, for Research Assistants, the University’s current proposal would raise the minimum salaried research assistant rate to $48,996, with no distinction between disciplines.

For more information, see the University’s current proposal on compensation.