POSTDOCTORAL AFFAIRS

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Categories and Benefits

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs has defined four types of postdoctoral appointments at Northwestern University. All postdoctoral trainee positions are full-time staff positions for a minimum of 12 months, unless otherwise noted. Information about each appointment category and associated benefits and codes is given below. Please direct further questions to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

Please note: Northwestern University does not allow part-time postdocs unless part-time status is part of a formal accommodation. 

Postdoctoral Scholar (Trainee)

Postdoctoral Scholars are individuals with recently granted degrees of PhD or MD, or the equivalent terminal degree, who are primarily involved in continuing postgraduate education or training in conducting research. Postdoctoral scholars are normally paid through the University payroll system and are considered employees of the University.

Postdoctoral Fellow-NRSA (Trainee)

NRSA postdoctoral fellows are individuals with recently granted degrees of PhD or MD, or the equivalent terminal degree, who have received National Research Service Award (NRSA) funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This category includes both those receiving individual F32 fellowships and those receiving support from T32 institutional training grants. Per NIH NOT-OD-23-111, the NIH does not "discourage or otherwise prevent recipient institutions from hiring NRSA trainees and fellows as employees or providing them with benefits consistent with what the institution provides others at similar career stages."

Please note that benefit eligibility and payroll tax deductions will change for postdocs funded by an NRSA fellowship. For more information, please contact the Benefits Office in Human Resources.

Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow

Visiting Postdoctoral Fellows are individuals with recently granted degrees of PhD, MD, or the equivalent professional degree who are coming to Northwestern for a short time to collaborate with a Northwestern lab, train on a new technique, etc. Visiting Fellows must hold a postdoctoral appointment at another institution or university where they will return following their visit at Northwestern as documented by the home institution. Visiting Postdoctoral Fellows are not employees of the University and are not paid by Northwestern, although they may receive supplemental funding as needed. They must receive their funding directly from their home institution.

Visiting status is only approved upon receipt of documentation of external (to Northwestern) appointment and support. A visiting postdoc classification is not appropriate for postdocs who will be at Northwestern for 12 months or longer.

Postdoctoral Fellow, Direct Fellowship (Trainee)

Direct Postdoctoral Fellows are individuals with recently granted degrees of PhD or MD, or the equivalent terminal degree, who are primarily involved in continuing postgraduate education or training in conducting research. Direct Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed solely at Northwestern but are paid primarily by an external grant or fellowship that is not directed through the University payroll system.

Direct Postdoctoral Fellows must still make a minimum salary of at least $61,008.

• Update June 2025: Consistent with the June 10 University community message that states there are no merit increases, the postdoc minimum salary remains at $61,008 at this time. Starting April 26, 2024, the minimum salary for new or reappointed postdoctoral scholars at Northwestern will rise to the minimum postdoctoral salary of $61,008 as set by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn more about the pay update here.

Fellowships that do not meet this minimum must be "topped up" by sponsoring Northwestern PIs via institutional and/or sponsored funds as allowed by the fellowship policies. NSF fellowships may only be "topped up" by non-sponsored funds as determined by the NSF.