Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Other Support
Determining Which Positions and Honors to Include
Reporting Foreign Travel

Other Support

1. I have a dual appointment with the University of Ontario. I am a PI on a grant for the Canadian Institutes of Health there. Do I need to include this on my Other Support page?

  • Yes, this financial resource directly supports your research endeavors. It is necessary to include this award on your Other Support page. Include sections labeled WashU and University of Ontario under both the awarded and pending portions of your Other Support page and list this grant in the appropriate spot.

2. I will be working at foreign institution over the summer for 2 months and will receive salary support during this time. Do I need to disclose this to my federal sponsors?

  • Financial support for research should be disclosed even if it relates to activities performed outside of a researcher’s appointment period and/or WU activities. For example, if a researcher with a 9-month appointment spends two months at a university outside of the U.S. during the summer conducting research supported by a foreign entity, that activity should be disclosed as other support to your federal sponsor as required and the salary support must be disclosed to WU via the financial disclosure statement.

3. I am an Adjunct Professor at Fudan University. I am listed as a Co-Investigator on a Chinese National Science Foundation award held by that University. I do not personally receive any compensation, but the grant pays for technicians’ salaries and the supplies for the aim that I work on when visiting Fudan. Do I need to include this award on my Other Support page?

  • Yes, this financial resource directly supports your research endeavors. It is necessary to include this appointment on your Other Support page. Include sections labeled WashU and Fudan University under both the awarded and pending portions of your other support and list this grant in the appropriate spot.

4. I was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the Onassis Foundation in Greece. A stipend is paid directly to me. Do I need to include this award on my Other Support page?

  • Yes, this financial resource directly supports your research endeavors. It is necessary to include this appointment on your Other Support page.

5. I just won a Nobel Prize from Karolinska Institute! Do I need to include this award on my Other Support page?

  • First off, congratulations! It is not necessary to include this award on your Other Support page because prizes are specifically excluded as per the other support guidelines.

6. I have WU start-up funds or other internal discretionary funds that support my WU research activities, do I need to disclose that on my other support?

  • No. However, start-up packages and other forms of support provided by other institutions must be reported. Additionally, other institutional funds that are separately budgeted and accounted for (e.g. an internal grant through the Siteman Cancer Center) do need to be reported.

Determining Which Positions and Honors to Include

1. Do I only include paid positions on my biosketch?

  • No, include the positions, whether or not you receive compensation. NIH requires the positions be list on the biosketch if related to your application. NSF may require it be listed on the biosketch regardless of relevancy.

2. Work on this project will be conducted at another institution at which I have an appointment. Do I need to report that appointment?

  • Yes, include on biosketch (and report as a foreign component).

3. I have an appointment in China at China’s Best Medical College restricted to teaching and mentoring. I plan to offer graduate students there the opportunity to travel to St. Louis and do their thesis at WashU working on this grant. Do I need to include this appointment on my Biosketch?

  • Yes.

4. I have an appointment at Moscow State University in Russia restricted to teaching and mentoring. I am mentoring a student there on her graduate thesis. The thesis topic is unrelated to my grant application. I don’t plan to involve her or any future Moscow State students in my NIH funded research. Do I need to include that appointment on my biosketch?

  • It is recommended you list this on your biosketch. Some agencies may not require the appointment to be listed if it is not relevant to your grant application (e.g. NIH). While other agencies, e.g. NSF, may require listing all academic/professional appointments regardless of relevance.

Reporting Foreign Travel

1. Is it true that I must disclose the occurrence of any reimbursed or sponsored travel (i.e., that which is paid on behalf of the Investigator and not reimbursed to the Investigator so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available), related to my institutional responsibilities?

  • Yes, that is true.

2. How about if my spouse is reimbursed for travel by a foreign entity? Does that need to be reported?

  • Yes, your spouse/partner and dependent children are subject to the Final Rule FCOI regulation if you are required to disclose.

3. Is there a minimum amount to be reported?

  • Yes, the minimum amount is $5,000 from each entity during a 12 month period.

4. How do I report travel in excess of $5,000?

5. Are there any exceptions?

  • Yes, travel paid for by U.S. federal, state or local governments, institutions of higher education, academic teaching hospitals, medical centers or research institutes are excluded from reporting.

6. If all of my travel is paid for by institutions of higher education, academic teaching hospitals, medical centers or research institutes, may I ignore these regulations?

  • No, this exclusion does not apply to foreign institutions. Do report sponsored travel paid for by any foreign source including institutions of higher education, academic teaching hospitals, medical centers or research institutes.

7. What if I fail to report my sponsored travel? How will anyone know?

  • Report immediately through the travel disclosure form and contact the COI office at COI@wustl.edu or 314-747-4181. Please be aware that the FBI is tracking who is leaving and returning to the US by air, what class ticket they have and who paid for that ticket. They are sharing that information with the NIH. (Source: Ropes and Gray Webinar on “NIH Inquiries into Foreign Affiliations, Research Support, and Award Components” March 25, 2019 Teleconference Replay / Presentation Slides).