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Department of Chemistry 
Chemistry Graduate Student Handbook

Arrival Survival

Social Security Card

To legally work, you will need to have a Social Security Card. For international students, OIS will schedule representatives from the Social Security Administration to visit campus sometime in August, but as long as OIS has cleared your arrival and you’ve completed the necessary new-hire documents and made the necessary appointments you’ll be able to work prior to receipt of your new Social Security Card. You may visit the Raleigh Social Security Administration Office located at:

4701 Old Wake Forest Road

Raleigh, NC 27609

Phone: 1-877-803-6311

Address

NC State Registration and Records must keep up-to-date records on student addresses. The easiest way to change your address is through the MyPack Portal  Contact the Chemistry Graduate Office if you do not have a Unity ID, Student ID, etc. and need help finding these items in your application portal.

  1. Go to the MyPack Portal.
  2. Select Student Homepage.
  3. Select Personal Information.
  4. Select Contact Details.
  5. Update your Other email address, along with your postal mail and phone contact information.

Banking

If you are on a Fellowship or are a TA/RA you’ll be paid through direct deposit, therefore you’ll need a checking account. There are several banks within walking distance of campus, as well as various ATMs on campus and on Hillsborough Street. The State Employees Credit Union now offers banking services for graduate students. However, they only allow membership to graduate students who are on University payroll (i.e. TA/RA contract). If your bank has no branches in NC, then you should consider opening a new account for NC State payroll purposes, which is only available through direct deposit (see the section on Payroll below).

Payroll & Direct Deposit

RAs and TAs

To access any of your employee-related information through MyPack Portal you’ll need to access Employee Self Service on your Homepage pull-down menu. Make sure you always keep your personal information updated. All graduate students on departmental assistantships (teaching or research) are classified as a type of employee of the Chemistry Department at North Carolina State University. Each must carry out the duties assigned by the advisor and/or lab coordinators. An assistantship is a position held by a student who provides teaching and/or research assistance at NC State University and receives GSSP (Graduate Student Support Plan). Performance of service is required to receive payment. Students on assistantships are on a biweekly pay schedule and when first hired, will be paid on a two-week lag and typically receive a smaller check due to the way the biweekly cycle falls. DO NOT BE ALARMED IF YOUR FIRST CHECK IS SMALLER THAN ANTICIPATED.

Enrollment in NC State’s Direct Deposit program is mandatory for all employees. To enroll in the Direct Deposit Program or to make changes to your current banking information, log into the MyPack Portal, and go into Employee Self Service>Payroll and Compensation>Direct Deposit Enroll/Update. Enroll as soon as your TA/RA gets fully approved in the HR system and you see the Employee Self Service module appear in MyPack Portal. The University Payroll Office is located at 1220 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27695 (919-515-4350). See here for how to make a change. Questions on updating bank account information can be sent to hrpayroll@ncsu.edu.

Fellowships

If you have received a Fellowship, you still need to enroll in for Direct Deposit. Since you are not considered an employee of NC State, you will not be using Employee Self Service on your Homepage pull-down menu. Instead please go to MyPack Portal > Student Homepage > Student Accounts tile > View Direct Deposit > Enroll in Direct Deposit. Enroll in Direct Deposit PDF or Student Services webpage. You will receive funds once a month.

Tax Matters

Visit the NC State Human Resources Payroll site for information on taxes. As a new employee you will need to complete the online W-4 and NC-4 tax withholding certificates. You can review and change your Federal and State tax withholding by accessing MyPack Portal> Employee Self Service> Payroll and Compensation> NC4/W4 Tax application.

International students will have to meet with the NC State Foreign National Tax Specialist to complete the paperwork necessary to set up tax withholding correctly. See the OIS site on Taxes and Other Legal Matters for additional information. You may schedule an appointment online for a tax assessment.

Health Insurance and Immunization Records

Students on active TA/RA Appointments will be automatically enrolled in the GSSP Student Blue RA/TA plan. The effective date of insurance is based on the effective date of your qualifying assistantship, which is August 1 or whatever date is on your TA/RA contract. See the Grad School’s GSSP webpage for more information about the health insurance.

North Carolina Public Health Law requires proof of immunizations to protect students while at NC State. Students need to submit both their Health History and Immunization forms within 30 days of acceptance or at least as soon as possible. Both forms are online and can be submitted through HealthyPack Portal with a valid Unity ID. If you cannot provide proof of immunizations, you can schedule to have your immunizations at the Student Health Services once you obtain your Wolfpack One Card and register for classes.

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