Policies & Support

Additional Resources

 Policies are under Administrative & Hiring Resources. 

Postdoctoral Categories

All Postdoctoral Fellows hold a PhD or equivalent degree. They develop skills by engaging in a mentored training relationship with a member of the university faculty, and they have a limited term of up to 5 years at GW. The primary difference between the postdoctoral associate and postdoctoral scholar is the nature of financial support for the position and their employee designation.

Associates:

• receive financial support in the form of a salary that is typically funded by grants, contracts or departmental funds secured by a faculty mentor;
  • Associates are considered GW employees by IRS guidelines

Scholars:

• receive financial support in the form of a fellowship or stipend, paid by GW on behalf of an external sponsor, and where the external sponsor does not allow for employment by GW;
  • Scholars are not considered GW employees by IRS guidelines

If you are uncertain of your current or prospective postdoc classification, i.e. postdoctoral associate versus postdoctoral scholar, you may email postdocsupportgwu [dot] edu (postdocsupport[at]gwu[dot]edu) to confirm.

Conflict Resolution and Grievances

OPA and Human Resources (HR) work together to support GW’s postdoctoral community, with distinct areas of responsibility. OPA oversees postdoc appointments, benefits, policies, salary minimums, and professional development, and serves as a central point of contact for guidance or questions. HR manages employee relations and addresses workplace or employment-related concerns.

The complaint process is intended to provide an internal mechanism for considering postdoctoral fellow grievances. All postdoctoral fellows may file a complaint, regardless of their status with the university. 

If postdoctoral fellows believe they have been treated unfairly in relation to performance, discipline, or any other terms and conditions of their appointment, they may follow the complaint process outlined on the  Internal Complaint Processes page. The first step in this process is contacting their school's HR Business Partners. HR Business Partners and the Equal Employment Opportunity and Access office (EEOA) investigators work to ensure compliance with GW’s Equal Opportunity, Non-Discrimination, and Anti-Harassment Policy. Conversations with HR Business Partners and EEOA Staff are confidential.

The university encourages all individuals to report a potential violation of the university’s policy to the EEOA Office in person, by telephone, or by email.

Resources for International Postdocs

• International Services Office assists with eliminating administrative challenges when working in the US. They can answer questions about the visa process, your current visa status, etc.
• Health Care Requirements for Visa Holders
  • International postdocs holding a J-1 visa (and their J-2 dependents) DO NOT need to purchase supplemental medical evacuation and repatriation coverage to meet J-1 and J-2 visa requirements. The GW medical plan meets all health insurance requirements for J1/J2 visa holders.  Life/AD&D plan satisfies these requirements, even if the postdoc waives the medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• National Postdoc Association International Central Hub
  • The National Postdoc Association provides numerous resources for international postdocs, including an International Postdoc Survival Guide, VISA resources, and a guide to income tax, among others.
• The Columbian College’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program
  • empowers GW international affiliates with tools to improve academic writing, research and oral communication.
• The GW Writing Center
  • offers free, peer-based support to members of the GW community.

Funding Opportunities

OVPR Funding Page