Scholarships

Scholarships are credit vouchers redeemable in center-supported core facilities. They are center and core-specific and are awarded by centers to member investigators at the beginning of each center’s grant year and expire at the end of that year. The Office of Research has developed a scholarship module for the iLab system, which provides complete tracking of scholarship awards, including real-time usage data and billing functionality.

Resources:
SOP - Center Administrator Instructions to allocating and managing scholarships

Scholarship Activation Process:  

Scholarships are activated in iLab by the Office of Research in coordination with the center administrator.

  • Scholarships are credit vouchers redeemable in center-supported core facilities. They are center and core-specific and are awarded by centers to member investigators at the beginning of each center's grant year and expire at the end of that year. Once expired, a scholarship voucher cannot be reactivated, and the unused funds do not roll forward.

To view scholarship information:
PIs and Lab Managers can view the following information for each awarded scholarship in the PI's fund grid. 

  • Scholarship Fund Number
  • Expiration Date
  • Core Name
  • Awarded Amount
  • Remaining Balance

How to purchase VUMC core services using scholarship funds?

Scholarships are core specific. Investigators can only use the scholarship to purchase services from the assigned VUMC Core Facility. The scholarship credits are not transferrable.

  • Once activated, the PI or Lab Manager will need to assign access to the scholarship fund for the PI, lab manager, and any lab members within the PI's fund grid.  Start by clicking "My Groups" in the left-hand navigation panel to open the fund grid. 
  • Select the PI's VUMC Lab Group when requesting core services or reservations.
  • In the payment information section, change the Billing Number option to Scholarships.

Scholarships Frequently Asked Questions

  • You can use your scholarship in place of a cost center to pay for core services. If you are awarded a scholarship, you will receive an email notification. Please visit your iLab Lab Group Module to view the unique scholarship number and details.
     

    PI Name                               [your name]
    Scholarship Number           S000000xxx
    Scholarship Begin Date      08/01/2023
    Scholarship End Date         7/31/2022
    Scholarship Amount           $500

  • All scholarship amounts are updated in real-time, with each transaction in iLab. To view your credit balances:

    1. Log into the iLab system.
    2. Open the PI's Lab Group Module.
    3. Navigate to the fund grid.
    4. Hover over the scholarship number to view the remaining balance.

    The scholarship's remaining balance also displays next to the scholarship number in the payment drop-down menu on all new reservation requests or service requests.

  • Each Research Center determines who will receive scholarships, and manages the awards to center members. Your voucher will list the name of the Research Center that awarded the scholarship, and contact information for the center administrator.

  • Scholarship vouchers are valid only during the supporting center grant year, and will expire by the end of that year. However, most research centers will award new vouchers each year. Contact your center administrator for details of the center-specific process for receiving new scholarships.