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[bread_pirate_naan]

Dear better informed people,
I reviewed my financial aid awards online this morning.  In the documentation there was a new line labeled "grant-in-aid."  I did not apply for any grant of this sort, and according to my fancy google research, most people or organizations documenting such monies relate them to a particular research project.

I have not been to my office mail to see if there is a mysterious award letter, but I did apply for a university award earlier in the year (fat check for general awesomeness), which I did not win.  As I cannot call anyone to confirm this weekend, and Must Know Now!, please tell me, knowers of all things, WTF.

Is this money for real, or is the computer playing with my head? 

It's a lot of money.

Thanks in advance!

[polly_mer]

I've been at some places where grant-in-aid was the term used for anything that wasn't a TA or RA.  When I was a graduate student, I received more than one fellowship (for which I did not apply because the entities in question relied purely on nominations from faculty) that came listed on the financial aid letter as grant-in-aid.

I don't know if that's the case for you, but I hope it is.

[kedves]

I think it could be as Polly suggests.  Possibly the administrative records recorded it before you received a letter.  I really hope so.

[systeme_d_]

Naan, check with your graduate school on this.

At my state university, "grants-in-aid" is the term used to indicate to graduate students that their out-of-state tuition surcharge and other instructional fees are waived; it is not money in the pocket.

[bread_pirate_naan]

Thanks, all. 

Naan, check with your graduate school on this.

At my state university, "grants-in-aid" is the term used to indicate to graduate students that their out-of-state tuition surcharge and other instructional fees are waived; it is not money in the pocket.

It seems so.

I've been at some places where grant-in-aid was the term used for anything that wasn't a TA or RA.  When I was a graduate student, I received more than one fellowship (for which I did not apply because the entities in question relied purely on nominations from faculty) that came listed on the financial aid letter as grant-in-aid.

I don't know if that's the case for you, but I hope it is.

It looks like the grant will be revised when my appointment is settled, but my funding is changing.  I am written into a big extra-institutional grant that involves some weird tap dancing* to administrate like an RAship. 

I am going to get in touch with my PI, as I think there is an advantage, albeit smaller, in here somewhere. 

Thanks again. 

*the expert help of an experienced administrative coordinator