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TGS Student Onboarding, Fall 2026

Incoming TGS PhD and MFA graduate students must complete the following items by the deadlines below  to be paid by Northwestern at the end of September:

  1. (All students - Strongly recommended) Mid-September (date TBA) through end of day on Thursday, 9/24
     
    Set up Direct Deposit 
    • In myHR, navigate to myHR > Pay > My Direct Deposit and enter your U.S. bank information to receive your payments electronically.
    • Students who do not provide complete and accurate information by this deadline will receive a paper check mailed via US Postal Service to the address listed in myHR. Paper checks may experience delays in arriving.
    •  Only U.S. bank accounts may be used for direct deposit. See further details at Direct Deposit: Human Resources - Northwestern University. 
  2. (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only - Optional) Submit W-4 tax forms
    • Federal taxes: Enter Federal W-4 online in myHR > Pay > W-4 Tax Information from mid-September (date TBA) through end of day on Thursday, 9/24
    •  State taxes: The myHR system automatically sets your state taxes allowances to single, no allowances, no additional amount withheld.  If those settings are accurate for you, you do not need to submit a state tax form.  If you wish to change those settings, submit a paper or electronic State W-4 to askHR until 5 pm Tuesday, 9/22.   Submission instructions at Tax Information. 
    • Scholarships: No taxes are automatically withheld on scholarships. For more information, see Scholarship/Fellowship tax withholding. 
  3. (Foreign nationals only - Required) Thursday, 9/11/2025 FNIS/ Foreign National Information System – Further details are below.
  4. Form I-9 Sections 1 and 2 – Further details are below.

FNIS/ Foreign National Information System

FNIS is required of all foreign national individuals paid through myHR. This includes teachers, researchers, temporary employees, and students receiving assistantship or scholarship income (stipends). It is NOT required for unpaid individuals. All steps in this process must be completed within 5 days of starting at Northwestern or pay may be delayed. 

 Foreign nationals that have been within the U.S. for 31 days or more in 2025 must complete FNIS by September 11. This process can be completed from outside the U.S.  

 Login details will be emailed to each foreign national student via their Northwestern email address prior to the start of Fall classes. See the step-by-step instructions for completing the FNIS online here. Email the Foreign National Tax Team directly with tax-related questions.

Form I-9

Any graduate student in a job that earns wages, including assistantships, additional pay, and temp work, must  complete the Form I-9 process by the end of the third day after their first day of work.  Wage earning jobs are paid through account codes starting with 6xxxx. 

See instructions for completing Form I-9

 PhD-seeking graduate students receiving only Fellowship have their I-9 deadline delayed until they start receiving wage payments instead of fellowship.  Fellowship jobs are paid through account codes starting with 7xxxx. 

Students’ department administrators should be able to clarify payment method if students have questions or concerns.