student contributing unpaid effort

[Kathleen Krum]

Hi all,

I have a PI who would like to direct charge a student's tuition to a sponsored project but the student won't have a RA appointment and instead will be contributing unpaid effort to the project.  The PI says this student will have funding from their home government but offered to pay their tuition expenses.  I am being asked to document their unpaid effort on the project but use funding to cover their tuition expenses.

Can this be done??  Grad RA is not on the budget but I can re-budget funds without prior approval as long there is no change is scope and I'm not re-budgeting from participants.   Budget narrative does detail a post doc doing this work but I don't believe he's been able to fill that role.  

[Kathleen Krum]

Actually, I think I found my answer on a different message board allowable direct costs addressed by David Hagen and Mary Olson.  Tuition wouldn't be allowable if the student isn't a trainee or an employee.  And I found something in uniform guidance that states the same thing.

[Matt Kerttula]

One potential way to support the student would be a scholarship if allowed by the sponsor.  I support an HRSA award that is to support student scholarships.