We are very pleased to welcome you as new graduate students to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. We hope your time here will be stimulating, challenging, and rewarding. This page gives general info, helpful web links, and information on what to do when you arrive.
Watch a welcome from Louis M. Sardella Professor and Department Head Michael Kessler here.
New Grad Student “To Do” Lists:
Confirm admission acceptance and email final transcripts:
If you have not already done so, please follow the instructions that were sent in the “official” admission notification sent by the Graduate Admissions office.
Official transcripts must be sent by your undergraduate institution to [email protected]. Remember, the University requires official copies sent directly from your undergraduate institution (not a copy from the student) showing the degree conferral.
Also, visit the Whiting School Graduate Admissions “Newly Admitted” Students page for information on how to send your final transcripts (also called “final documents”), which are required as part of your admission package. You don’t have to send your final transcripts until your final semester is complete and final grades are added to the transcript.
Lauren Rodgers, Academic Program Administrator: [email protected]
Patty McGuiggan, Master’s Program Advisor: [email protected]
Todd Hufnagel, PhD Program Advisor: [email protected]
JHED: This is your login ID to most Hopkins Web sites, including the “myJH” portal, home of the Johns Hopkins Enterprise Directory. It typically includes the first letter of your first name, your last name or part of your last name, and one or more digits. Your JHED ID is a maximum of 8 characters. JHED IDs are typically issued in mid-March for students arriving in the Fall semester and mid-October for students arriving in the Spring semester, and if admission is accepted after those times, within two business days after admission is accepted in the Slate graduate application system. Look up your name in the “myJH” portal and your JHED ID should appear. If it does not appear by May 1 (for Summer arrival), June 5 (for Fall arrival) or January 10 (for Spring arrival), please contact the Registrar on the Registrar’s Getting Started page.
Hopkins IDs: This is the six-digit-and-letter ID that the Student Information System (SIS) uses to identify students. Sign in to SIS using your JHED ID and password that you establish, per the Registrar’s Getting Started page. Hopkins IDs are typically issued in mid-March for students arriving in the Fall semester and mid-October for students arriving in the Spring semester, and if admission is accepted after those times, within two business days after admission is accepted in the Slate graduate application system.
Government ID: For American students, this is the Social Security Number. For international students, this is a temporary Hopkins-assigned (988-xx-xxxx) number to use at JHU in place of a social security number, which will be sent to you by the University. For those receiving a stipend, this number is used in the process to set up your pay. International students receiving a stipend will apply for a Social Security Number after arrival.
Johns Hopkins ID Card (J-Card): This is the 16-digit number located above the barcode on one’s J-Card, which you will receive upon arrival. This number is read automatically when you swipe your J-Card at a reader. The 14-digit number below the J-Card barcode is your library number and can be used on the library page.
I-20 Process
Upon receipt of a student’s Admission Decision form, the department submits the admissions package to the Graduate Admissions office, who after processing sends them to the JHU Office of International Services (OIS).
You will receive an e-mail with instructions on completing an electronic form that will also ask for a copy of your passport identification page, documentation on how you are funding your study (if needed) and, if appropriate, information on any dependents that will accompany you.
Please allow up to 2 weeks for the record transfer and e-mail notification process. This e-mail will also provide instructions on how to arrange for shipment of your I-20. Estimated costs of graduate school attendance can be found on the OIS website. Questions on immigration or visa issues should be addressed to OIS at [email protected] or +1-667-208-7001.
The completion time of the I-20 process may be from 3 to 6 weeks.
Family Members
If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents coming with you, be sure to apply for the appropriate dependent visas. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services “Dependent F-2 Information” page will help you with the process.
Travel
We recommend that you fly into Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), about 30 minutes from campus.
You can travel from the airport to the Johns Hopkins University’s “Homewood” campus by using a taxi or airport shuttle to the hotel or the Light Rail or MARC train to Pennsylvania Station, about one mile from campus. Taxis, Uber, Lyft, and free Johns Hopkins shuttles at Penn Station can bring you to the University.
Note that if you travel to one of the Washington, DC area airports, either Dulles International (IAD) or Reagan National (DCA), you will be about 65-115 km / 40-70 miles from Baltimore. Transportation from those airports to Baltimore will be more costly and time consuming compared to travel from BWI, which is only 22 km / 14 miles from campus.
Arrive on Time
Regulations from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) influence deadlines that must be met. It is strongly suggested that newly enrolling Fall graduate students arrive at Johns Hopkins University no later than these dates:
Fall semester – August 17
Spring semester – January 15
For those unable to arrive on time, please contact us at [email protected]. We can create a letter to present to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection official. This letter will confirm your enrollment at Johns Hopkins University and will ask the official to allow your entry.
Clubs and Groups for Graduate Students at Hopkins.
Check out FLOURISH – a resource guide by and for the Homewood underrepresented minority graduate community. There are plenty of resources available for students of minority and female communities in this guide.
In July, the Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office will post a bill for amounts due on your SIS record with payment instructions and due dates. Expect a discrepancy of what is posted on the SIS record and what is due in your case when receiving financial aid. This is because of system process deadline dates being slightly off.
If you see a discrepancy, don’t panic. By late-July to early-August (for new Fall students) or mid-January (for new Spring students), our department will post the expected financial aid for each student and the parts of the University systems involved in financial and billing will eventually catch up with each other – but sometimes not until late-August or late-January. The balance will be correctly adjusted before classes begin.
- If you are being prevented from registering for courses due to incomplete payment, please contact Lauren Rodgers at [email protected].
For PhD Students
PhD students do not have to pay for tuition, health insurance, and matriculation fees, as these are covered by the admission and financial aid offers.
*SPECIAL NOTE FOR PH.D. STUDENTS WHO WORK AT THE JHU APL
PhD students who work for the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory will have full tuition paid in the first year, and 80% tuition coverage from years 2-6. Salary and health insurance, in most cases, will be provided by the APL. We understand that the APL offers tuition coverage to pay some or all the 20% tuition. Please contact your benefits office for details.
For MSE – Hopkins Alumni
Hopkins alumni returning for their master’s degree have partial financial aid with a Whiting School of Engineering Dean’s Tuition Fellowship, which waives 50% of tuition for each full-time semester. This includes alumni returning after earning a BS degree or combined BS/MSE students continuing their master’s degree.
Matriculation fees are not charged. The Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office can help with questions about billing and payment information.
These are the estimated expenses for Hopkins alumni master’s students in the 2024-25 academic year:
Tuition – $16,182 per semester.
Health Insurance – $3,119 per year
Visit the Student Accounts FAQs page for info on how to pay your bill.
The Johns Hopkins Student Financial Services office can help with questions about student loans and financial assistance.
Hopkins alumni who were undergraduate transfer students still would receive the Dean’s Tuition Fellowship, as the eight semesters from both the previous institution and Hopkins are counted to determine eligibility.
For MSE – New to Hopkins
These are the estimated expenses for master’s students in the 2024-25 academic year:
Tuition – $32,364 per semester.
Health Insurance – $3,119 per year
One-time matriculation fee – $500
The Johns Hopkins Student Accounts office can help with questions about billing and payment information.
Visit the Student Accounts FAQs page for info on how to pay your bill.
The Johns Hopkins Student Financial Services office can help with questions about student loans and financial assistance.
A select few master’s students have been offered an alternate form of financial aid unique to their applications. If you are one of them and have questions on your financial aid, please contact Lauren Rodgers at [email protected].
PRE-ENTRANCE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
All new graduate students must meet the University’s pre-entrance health requirements by providing proof of immunity to certain communicable diseases prior to registration.
Johns Hopkins Alumni
Hopkins Alumni returning for graduate school are exempt from this requirement as Student Health and Wellness will use your undergraduate pre-entrance records.
All Other New Graduate Students
Before arriving at Johns Hopkins you must meet the Pre-Entrance health requirements. Various actions are needed so please read the instructions carefully.
If you require any vaccines or screening tests to determine immune status, they can be administered at the Student Health and Wellness Center, at a cost of a US $100 Health Form Completion Fee plus the cost of each vaccine or screening test.
Those who have the University insurance plan can receive the vaccines at reduced rates, but antibody testing is not covered by the plan. Please direct your questions regarding these requirements to the Student Health and Wellness Center on their staff page.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Health insurance is offered by the University to all graduate students.
Visit the University’s Student and Learner Health Benefits website for a summary of your benefits.
Visit the Wellfleet’s “Student Health Plan” website to sign-in to your “health insurance portal.” The Registrar will provide access instructions later this summer.
Visit the Medical Plans page for a summary of medical benefits.
Premium Costs
Student Premium
Ph.D. student health insurance premiums are fully covered by their financial aid.
Masters students pay the full health insurance premium.
Spouses and Family – you can purchase health insurance for spouses and family members at your cost. The premiums cover the policy year beginning August 15 of each year.
The JHU Human Resources Costs and Coverage page has information on premium costs for individual students and their families
Enrollment
JOINING US IN FALL OR SPRING: AUTOMATIC HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS
The University will automatically enroll you for health insurance.
International students are required to enroll in the University’s health insurance plan.
American students are encouraged to enroll, but have the option of waiving the plan by August 15 (Fall) or January 15 (Spring) if they have equivalent insurance elsewhere.
PhD students who receive health insurance as part of their financial aid from the department will also be enrolled in dental and vision coverage at no extra charge.
JOINING US IN SUMMER: STUDENTS MUST ENROLL FOR HEALTH INSURANCE WITH THE REGISTRAR – IT IS NOT AUTOMATIC
If you begin your studies early, either in the summer months before the Fall semester or in January before the Spring semester, students must visit the Registrar to enroll in health insurance. Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to request enrollment.
For Ph.D. students, either the student’s advisor or the department will cover the cost of health insurance for the summer months to August 14, before the fall plan period begins on August 15.
Waiving Health Insurance
Information on waiving the University’s insurance and enrolling your family is on the Wellfleet Student Health website. To waive the insurance, you will be asked for your six-digit Hopkins ID number, which will be issued to you in early-July (Fall) and early-January (Spring).
Please visit the University’s Student and Learner Health Benefits website for information.
DENTAL and VISION
Visit these pages for information and enrollment…
Premium Costs
Student Premium
PhD: the University covers the dental and vision plan premiums for Ph.D. students whose health insurance premiums are covered by financial aid.
Master’s: students can purchase dental and vision coverage but must pay the premium.
NEED HELP?
Health insurance – contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry.
Dental and Vision – contact the JHU Student Benefits office at [email protected].
There is no on-campus housing for graduate students. Only undergraduate freshmen and some sophomores will live on Homewood campus.
The University’s Off-Campus Housing office can help you find a home, give advice on securing a lease, and connect with potential roommates. Note that while there is no housing on campus for graduate students, there are many homes and apartments available within 3 km / 2 miles of Homewood campus.
Check out all Charm City has to offer!
This Off-Campus Housing Resources page will be helpful in seeking a home. Until you receive your JHED ID, you can use the guest registration password 18BlueJay20.
View these documents from the Off-Campus Housing Office for useful information
- Homes and Apartments to rent around the Homewood Campus
- Renter’s Checklist
- Information for International Students
- Financial Aid for Housing
Our department does not endorse any specific living space, but we encourage you to explore all options within your price range.
Ph.D. Students
All Ph.D. students have been matched with a faculty advisor. Your faculty advisor can help with course selections.
Master’s Students – new to Johns Hopkins
All master’s students will be assigned an advisor by mid-July (Fall) or early-January (Spring) based on academic and research interests. New students will be given a chance to request specific faculty advisors assuming he or she is available and willing to advise master’s students.
Students will be notified when advisors are assigned, at which time you can contact them to discuss your coursework and, if applicable, research aspirations.
If you already know which faculty member(s) whom you would like to serve as your advisor, contact Lauren Rodgers and she will see if he or she is available.
Master’s Students – Hopkins Alumni
You may ask your bachelor’s advisor to advise for your masters degree or request a new advisor. The default option is that you will remain with your bachelors advisor. All advisor assignments will be confirmed by mid-July as course registration begins in late-July.
Contact Information
If you are interested in a faculty member’s research, contact them via the info on the Faculty page.
Advising Manuals
Visit the MatSci “Current Students” page and select the “Graduate Student Advising Manual.” The Advising manuals will provide all information on school and department policies and deadlines, forms, lab safety, and more.
Master’s – All Course or Essay?
While all master’s students were admitted with the assumption that each student would pursue an “all-course” option, the “essay” option can be pursued. Visit our master’s degree page for information.
For the essay option, an advisor would have to agree to advise a student for an essay. Students can seek an advisor now or after they arrive at Johns Hopkins. You are encouraged to also explore the co-op essay option.
To find a research project and advisor, view our Faculty page to see what research our faculty are doing. You may want to find a couple of their published papers and read them to have a basic understanding of their research. Google Scholar is an excellent tool to search for faculty publications.
Select one, two, or three professors whose research interests you and contact them by e-mail or telephone to introduce yourself and ask if they would consider working with you to create an essay. Be prepared to discuss your research interests and have your resume available.
Don’t “spam” the entire faculty with an e-mail with the hope that one might reply. A selective approach will work best.
Courses
View and select courses from these resources:
The University Course Schedule and Catalog
Course Registration
For Graduate Students new to Johns Hopkins
You must contact your advisor to select courses before registering. You must submit your Pre-Admission Health Form, register for health insurance, and pay any financial obligations. If you are receiving financial aid, the department will have already notified the appropriate administrative offices.
Visit the Course Registration instructions page for information on course registration, including the dates that registration begins for new students.
For Concurrent BS/MSE students returning to Johns Hopkins for the Master’s Degree
“Fifth-Year” master’s students may register early while they are seniors! You must contact your advisor to select courses before registering, which can be done during Advising Week in late-March or early-April each year. Download and complete this Graduate Course Registration Form, have your advisor sign it and deliver it to the Registrar beginning in April.
Otherwise, visit the Course Registration instructions page for information on course registration.
Engineering for Professionals: Registering for courses
To register for courses offered by the Engineering for Professionals program, courses numbered EN.xx5.xxx, you must register using the Interdivisional Course Registration form. Please visit the Registrar’s Interdivisional Registration page for info and the form.
Required Courses
Ph.D. students must register in EN.510.803 MatSci Graduate Seminar every semester until their last year. Master’s students are welcome, but not required, to register for the Graduate Seminar. Exceptions can be made if needed, contact Lauren Rodgers at [email protected].
PhD students must register for Graduate Research, EN 510.807.xx using their advisor’s section, every semester and it must be at least 9 credits to be considered “full-time”.
You must complete required introductory online courses:
Opioid Epidemic Awareness – this will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Opioid Epidemic Awareness.” You can take this course at anytime. Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
Title IX – Harassment Prevention – you will receive notification from the Office of Institutional Equity to complete this course online, usually right after you accept admission. You are asked to complete the course within 30 days. This will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Preventing Harassment and Discrimination for Higher Education Required Training.” Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
Intermediate Laboratory Safety Assessment (formerly called “Research Laboratory Safety”) – 8 online modules –These required eight online modules should be completed by the first two weeks of your first semester. This will be available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning.” (Note that these required 8 online modules – grouped together as “Intermediate Laboratory Safety” – are separate from the optional six-week online course EN.500.601 Research Laboratory Safety, though the modules are a pre-requisite to the six-week online course should you want to take it.)
Responsible Conduct of Research – most master’s students will have to take the online course by the end of the first semester, but some master’s students and all Ph.D. students will have to attend the in-person offering. PhD students should attend the in-person offering before their fourth semester and master’s students should take it by the end of the first semester.
EN.500.603 Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics – you will be enrolled automatically early in your first semester and be expected to complete this 20-minute online course before the end of your first semester. The Whiting School will notify you when this course is available. It will not be available until the Whiting School notifies you and sends instructions on how to access the course.
Effort Reporting – Certifier – for those receiving a stipend or who will be paid for Teaching Assistant work, the University is required by US Federal Law to account for all work effort performed by every employee – whether staff, faculty, postdoc, or student. This is completed quarterly by certifying an Effort Report. The academic staff pre-reviews Effort Reports for all student salaries to confirm they are allocated to the correct accounts, then the employee or student is asked to certify the Effort Report. Each employee and student is required to take a brief training of 30-40 minutes. These courses are available in your My.JHU.edu page under “My Learning” and search the catalog for “Effort Reporting System – Certifiers.” Sign in to “My.JHU.edu” with your JHED ID and password.
You will also be asked to view and complete other online Orientations from the Graduate Admissions office and the Office of International Services. You will receive separate notification of these later.
Get connected at Hopkins!
In early June (Fall students) or early January (Spring students), the Registrar will send all enrolled new graduate students an e-mail that includes your JHED ID. The “Johns Hopkins Enterprise Directory” (JHED) is an online directory of all students, faculty, staff, and other associates with Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and all related entities.
This e-mail will also provide you a JHU e-mail address and set-up instructions. Note that until your JHED ID is activated, you will not have access to these services.
Visit the “Getting Started/New Students” page.
To activate your JHU e-mail address and JHED account, go to the my.jhu.edu and find the “First Time JHED User” link for instructions.
To connect to Hopkins WiFi, visit the Johns Hopkins Information Technology Student Wireless Services page.
To learn more about computer and software availability, visit the Johns Hopkins Technology Store.
To connect to Teams, visit the JHU Microsoft Teams page. This is an excellent tool to contact staff, faculty, and fellow students for a chat, call, or video. It’s a great way to contact the academic staff with a quick question, especially when there are a lot of e-mails in their queues.
After setting up your JHED account, you can set up access to your JHU e-mail on your mobile phone. In your phone’s web browser, go to mobile.johnshopkins.edu. Sign in with your JHED ID and password and you will be taken to your JHU Outlook account where your e-mail can be accessed.
Visit these sites to obtain free or deeply discounted software:
Students may receive access to offices and keys if necessary. If you need an office key, please contact Pam Jackson, Senior Administrative Coordinator, at [email protected]
Most offices will be in Maryland Hall. Please contact your PI for your assigned space.
International Students
Contact the Office of International Services
The very first thing to do upon arrival is to check in electronically with the Office of International Services. They must know that you have arrived on campus.
Get your J-Card, Confirm Health Insurance and Student Accounts
Visit Levering Hall, Office of Student Enrollment and Account Management on the first floor by the Glass Pavilion, the home of several administrative offices who will help you.
Registrar – Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to confirm your health insurance enrollment or waiver.
Student Accounts – visit their contact page to arrange contact to confirm payment receipt of tuition and fees.
J-Card Office – [email protected] – Levering Hall, Suite 04-B on the south side to the left of the small white pillars – to get your J-card.
Obtain a Social Security Number (SSN)
Visit the OIS website on obtaining a Social Security Number for steps on how to obtain one.
SSNs are important to have not only for salaries, but also for obtaining utility services like telephone service, internet access, and electricity and gas for your home.
Some international students may not need to obtain an SSN, particularly those who will not be obtaining a job, either on campus or elsewhere. The Office of International Services can help you determine if you will need one.
Take this action only if you are arriving in a Summer semester…
Any new grad student who is receiving a stipend who starts early in Summer 2023 must register for a EN.530.897 Graduate Research – Summer “course” will recognize your status during the summer as a full-time PhD student or a master’s student on University payroll. No tuition will be charged to you. There are no assignments and no work. All it does is tells the University not to assess FICA (or Social Security) tax on your pay.
Typically, registration occurs in the Spring, but since you started in the summer, you still must register even for the August 7-27 period. The registration process is a little different now that Summer 2024 registration deadlines have long passed. Here’s what to do:
Use the Course Registration Form when unable to register or drop courses on SIS.
The course instructor will have to sign it if the course requires instructor approval or if an undergraduate student is registering for a graduate course.
The faculty advisor or Academic Program Administrator Lauren Rodgers must sign the form as well.
If registration is being requested after the Add period of the semester, after the first two weeks, the Department Head and the Whiting School Graduate Affairs office must also sign the form. Please submit the form and Lauren will sign for you and send the form to Whiting School Graduate Affairs Associate Dean Christine Kavanagh at [email protected] to request her approval.
Once the form or e-mails is completed, Lauren will ask you to submit these items to the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Browse All Topics > Records and Registration > Add/drop inquiry > Sign-In to Request Support (or “Request Support” if already signed in). Complete the info on the request and upload your form or e-mails to the request and submit. You will get a confirmation e-mail with your case number. The Registrar will then register you.
American Students
Get your J-Card, Confirm Health Insurance and Student Accounts
Visit Levering Hall, Office of Student Enrollment and Account Management on the first floor by the Glass Pavilion, the home of several administrative offices who will help you.
Registrar – Contact the Registrar’s health insurance staff using the SEAM (Student Enrollment and Account Management) system > Records and Registration > Health Insurance Inquiry to confirm your health insurance enrollment or waiver.
Student Accounts – visit their contact page to arrange contact to confirm payment receipt of tuition and fees.
J-Card Office – [email protected] – Levering Hall, Suite 04-B on the south side to the left of the small white pillars – to get your J-card.
Take this action only if you are arriving in a Summer semester…
Any new grad student who is receiving a stipend who starts early in Summer 2024 must register for a EN.530.897 Graduate Research – Summer “course” will recognize your status during the summer as a full-time PhD student or a master’s student on University payroll. No tuition will be charged to you. There are no assignments and no work. All it does is tells the University not to assess FICA (or Social Security) tax on your pay.
Typically, registration occurs in the Spring, but since you started in the summer, you still must register even for the August 7-27 period. The registration process is a little different now that Summer 2024 registration deadlines have long passed. Here’s what to do:
Use the Course Registration Form when unable to register or drop courses on SIS.
The course instructor will have to sign it if the course requires instructor approval or if an undergraduate student is registering for a graduate course.
The faculty advisor or Academic Program Administrator Lauren Rodgers must sign the form as well.
If registration is requested after the Add period of the semester, after the first two weeks, the Department Head and the Whiting School Graduate Affairs office must also sign the form. Please submit the form and Lauren will sign for you and send the form to Whiting School Graduate Affairs Associate Dean Christine Kavanagh at [email protected] to request her approval.
Once the form or e-mails is completed, Lauren will ask you to submit these items to the Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) system > Browse All Topics > Records and Registration > Add/drop inquiry > Sign-In to Request Support (or “Request Support” if already signed in). Complete the info on the request and upload your form or e-mails to the request and submit. You will get a confirmation e-mail with your case number. The Registrar will then register you.
Complete Hiring Documents
Complete a New Hire form. Leave the Administrative Actions section blank. On the New Hire Form where it asks for a Social Security Number, if you do not have one, enter your Hopkins Government ID, which begins with 988-. Please send the form to Lauren Rodgers at [email protected].
Complete the online I-9 Form.
For International Students:
If you do not have an SSN, apply for and obtain a social security card. Visit the OIS Social Security Information page for info.
Your admission letter will serve as the employment letter.
Once you have a Social Security card, visit the SSN Information Request Form to upload the card securely to the University.
Complete the online I-9 Form. During the I-9 process, international students will be asked to complete a Foreign National Information Form (FNIF). The “Payroll Administrator” on the FNIF is Lauren Rodgers, Academic Program Coordinator – [email protected].
The First Pay Check and Direct Deposit
Note that for new students, it may take extra time for the ESS access to be created. The first payday will be paid by a check and will be mailed to the residence address listed on the New Hire form. The HR Shared Services office will provide new students access to Direct Deposit on ESS after the first pay day. Please contact their office at [email protected] to ask when this can be expected and how to access it.
Sign up for Direct Deposit, where your stipend will be deposited right into your bank account on payday. Visit ESS, or “Employee Self-Service” to set up Direct Deposit or change accounts anytime.
Please have your bank account’s “routing number” and “account number” handy before signing in.
Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the option to set up or edit Direct Deposit. Follow the instructions to set up or update the account.
When setting up Direct Deposit for the first time, complete the Payee with your name as listed on your bank account. Enter the routing number which your bank or credit union can provide or will be on the bottom of your check. Leave “Bank Account Number” blank but add your account number in “New Bank Account Number” and “Re-enter Bank Account Number.”
Complete the Account Type, Payment Method, and Percentage or Amount. Most will have 100% of their pay entered in their account.
Select Review and follow the steps to enter your request.
Payday! When you will receive your stipend…
You will receive your pay on the 15th and the last day of the month, or the nearest business day before those dates if they fall on a weekend or holiday. You can receive a check or have your pay directly deposited.
Once you apply for Direct Deposit, your stipend will be directly deposited. Before then, a paycheck will be sent to you by postal mail to your home address that was provided on your New Hire Sheet.
On the first payday, which for most students starting in Fall will be September 15 and for student starting in Spring, February 15, please check your bank account to confirm the deposit.
If your stipend is not already directly deposited, then the paycheck will be mailed directly to the payee (you) at their home address, which you can then deposit in your bank or credit union.
You can expect that future paychecks will be directly deposited, unless you choose to receive a paycheck each pay day. Most people choose direct deposit as the stipend arrives quicker than a paycheck does.
Fall and Spring – Whiting School
Fall 2024 – New Student Orientation
Master’s Student Orientation – Thursday, August 15, 2024 – 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. – Wyman Quad and Shriver Hall – for master’s students – this will include talks, exercises and meals. Topics will include navigating academics, thriving at JHU, Life Design career services, public safety, and health and well-being.
For all Graduate Students – Friday, August 16, 2024 – 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Wyman Quad – for all graduate students – Community Welcome.
Ph.D. Orientation – Monday, August 19, 2024 – 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – location TBA
The Whiting School Office of Graduate Affairs will present a Welcome Day for New Homewood Graduate Students. You will also be asked to complete the Academic Ethics and Graduate Orientation online course and be reminded of the Responsible Conduct of Research course options.
Fall and Spring – International Students
Sunday, August 20 – 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – International Student Graduate Student Welcome Mixer, both in-person and virtual. View the links for information.
TA Orientation
ATTENDANCE REQUIRED – all PhD students
ATTENDANCE REQUIRED – MSE students who want to be a Teaching Assistant
ATTENDANCE OPTIONAL – everyone else
Spring: Online, with optional in-person training on Thursday, January 18, 2024
This annual orientation session consists of online activities for all new graduate students along with a optional workshops to prepare graduate students for Teaching Assistant assignments.
Visit the Teaching Assistant Orientation page to enroll in CANVAS. Use your JHED ID and password to enroll. Visit the Teaching Academy site on the Orientation for more information. Contact Dr. Richard Shingles, Director, TA Training Institute in the Center for Educational Resources at [email protected] for further information.
Dates for the Fall 2024 training sessions will be announced later.
Upcoming MatSci Orientations*:
Master’s Program Orientation: Aug 22, 1-3PM
PhD Program Orientation: Aug 23rd
Welcome Back BBQ Event: Aug 28th
*More details to come. Last updated 7/3`1/24.
Fall 2024 Semester
Thursday, August 15 – 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. – Whiting School of Engineering master’s student orientation – Shriver Hall and Wyman Quad
Friday, August 16 – 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. – Welcome for New Graduate Students – Wyman Quad
Aug 22, 1-3PM – Master’s Program Orientation
Aug 23rd – PhD Program Orientation
Monday, August 26 – First Day of Class – Fall semester
Wednesday, August 28th – Welcome Back BBQ Event
Spring 2025 Semester
(TBD in January) – Teaching Assistant Orientation
(Likely) Friday, January 17 – 9:00 a.m. – Whiting School Orientation – Mudd Hall auditorium – RSVP here.
Tuesday, January 21– First Day of Class – Spring semester
Students who start in the Spring semester will be welcome to attend the student welcome events next Fall.
MGS
The Materials Graduate Society (MGS) is a social and advocacy organization for the graduate students of Materials Science and Engineering. As a graduate student, you will be invited to various events throughout the year.
GRO
The Graduate Representative Organization is a wonderful social and support organization for graduate students. They will have a Bar-B-Q for grad students and their families this fall, as well as weekly happy hours and more.
Postal Address:
Johns Hopkins University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Attention: (you)
3400 N Charles St, Maryland Hall 205
Baltimore, Maryland 21218 USA
J-Cards
Every student receives a J-card, which is your university identification card. It gets you in to the Library, computer labs, certain buildings, events, and the Recreation Center. Graduate student J-cards have a red border around the student’s photo to identify them as graduate students.
Students new to Johns Hopkins will receive a new J-card upon arrival. Please visit Levering Hall to get a new J-Card.
Students returning to Johns Hopkins for graduate school may either trade their undergraduate cards in for new graduate-level J-card or keep their current J-card. It is not required to trade J-cards, but some students prefer an updated photograph and the graduate student “red border” to allow easy entry to events exclusive to grad students where a J-card is required.
Parking – if you need to park a car on campus, check out the Parking Office website, which has this section: parking for students.
Research Assistantships
Income taxes are automatically withheld each pay period for research assistant salaries. Students will have to file annual tax returns with the U.S. federal government’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the State of Maryland.
Fellowships
While taxes are due on Fellowship stipends, income taxes are not always withheld. For those whose income taxes are not withheld, you will have to file quarterly tax returns with the IRS. Otherwise, if income tax is withheld each pay, only an annual return is required with the IRS and the State of Maryland.
Other Income
If you are receiving stipend through other work, income taxes are usually withheld.
No Income Taxes on other Financial Aid
Tuition, health insurance, and matriculation fee support are not taxed as income.
More Info
Tax laws and rules vary depending on your citizenship. Some information on taxes is available at the Tax Office website.
Contact the JHU Tax Office for assistance.
Pay Statement
You will be able to view your pay statement online from your “My JHU” portal. Simply select the “HR” icon, then the “ESS” icon. Visit “ESS,” or “Employee Self-Service” to view your pay statement.
- Go to my.jhu.edu and sign in with your JHED ID and password.
- Select the “HR” tab and then the “ESS” tab.
- Sign in again with your JHED ID and password.
- Select the “Payroll Info” tab and you will see the pay statement.