Training: Welcome to the FSPT
This is a living document that will be updated as we continue to develop FSPT. We recommend bookmarking this page so you can easily access it in the future.
Welcome!
This introduction will help you get oriented before diving into the details of the application.
What is FSPT?
The Financial Support Payments Tool (FSPT) is UC San Diego's new homegrown system for managing non-employment graduate student financial support. It combines stipend, fee payment, and remission processes into one integrated, automated system, replacing the current Financial Support Request Tool (FSRT). The stipends functionality is currently in development, with work on fee payment and remission features scheduled to begin in 2026.
Because the FSPT is being released in phases, training is also rolling out in parts to align with each new feature. This training focuses on the Stipends Release, the first part of FSPT’s rollout. You’ll learn how the tool supports stipend management and how it fits into your day-to-day work. Future trainings will cover fee payments and remissions as those features are released.
After reviewing this page, you'll be able to:
💡 Understand Stipends Release Components
Identify which parts of graduate financial support are included in the current Stipends Release of the Financial Support Payments Tool (FSPT) includes.
💡 Recognize Key Changes
Explain how the FSPT impacts your workflow, and what remains the same.
💡 Learn How to Gain Access to the FSPT for Stipends
Complete the necessary requirements and steps to begin using the application.
Note: FSPT will not support employment-related payments (payroll through UCPath) or historical FSRT data.
Before we get started, read about the resources and support available to you
Recommended Skills:
Excel: Basic Excel skills are required for users, including the ability to work with different file types and delimit columns of data.
Tip: Complete supplementary Excel training through the UC Learning Center for additional support.
Resources and Support:
Stipends Success Checklist: After completing training, use this quick reference while working in FSPT to verify key items before you finalize entries in FSPT. Bookmark this document or download it to keep it open while you work.
Collab Space: Training materials will be added to the Graduate Financial Support Collab Space.
Office Hours: FSPT Project Office Hours are held monthly on the fourth Thursday of each month. Drop-in for questions and to provide feedback. See FSPT Office Hours Sign-Up.
Stay Connected:
Receive Updates: Sign up for the gradsup-g listerv to hear about important FSPT updates, reminders, announcements, and additional resources, including the Graduate Financial Support Calendar and Knowledge Base Articles.
Bookmark this Page: For ongoing updates and resources, watch this page (and the main FSPT parent page) so you’re notified when new materials are posted.
Contact Us: For additional support or questions, contact one of the following:
Your departmental admin contacts
GEPA FSU at fspt@ucsd.edu or via the FSPT MS Teams channel.
Additional resources, including the Graduate Financial Support Calendar, Knowledge Base Articles, and quick reference materials such as job aids and FAQs, will be provided to support your work.
Training begins here.
Why UC San Diego is Moving from FSRT to FSPT
The Financial Support Request Tool (FSRT) served campus for over a decade but it was built for a smaller, less complex environment. Over time, it became clear that FSRT couldn’t keep pace with UC San Diego's expanding graduate student financial support processes. Manual steps, multiple hand-offs, and limited system integration slowed payments and created opportunities for error.
The Financial Support Payments Tool (FSPT) is being developed in partnership between Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) Financial Support Unit and UC San Diego’s IT Services to replace FSRT with a more connected and efficient solution that represents a transformational change in how graduate financial support is managed.
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What’s Improving - and Why It’s Better
FSPT introduces an improved workflow for entering, tracking, and processing graduate financial support. It integrates related campus systems, automatically checks information across those systems for accuracy, and reduces manual steps, helping departments process payments accurately and on time.
You can now…Process multiple payments at once Enter and track stipend payments in one place Get real-time error checks Monitor and manage payments with greater visibility and control |
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You no longer need to…Wait for multiple rounds of manual approvals Fix errors after disbursement (thanks to early validation checks) Work across disconnected tools Remember an AIDID (Aid Identifiers) for Stipends |
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Thanks to the enhanced FSPT features, your workflow will be smoother and more efficient. You’ll spend less time on repetitive data entry and post-disbursement fixes, and more time focusing on what matters most: supporting your students.
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How Your Work Gets Easier
These improvements translate to:
Less Rework
FSPT Improvement
Built-in validations catch issues early, allowing corrections at the point of entry instead of after payments have been disbursed.
Your Work Impact
You spend less time fixing errors later and can trust that payments and funds are distributed correctly the first time.
Quicker Turnaround
FSPT Improvement
Payments move through the system faster, reducing delays between when you enter a stipend and when students receive funds.
Your Work Impact
Fewer student inquiries and administrative follow-ups mean your workload is lighter and the student experience is smoother.
Simpler Workload
FSPT Improvement
The tool processes multiple students or payments at once, automatically handling uploads of 10+ rows in the background and allowing project task entry with built-in validation.
Your Work Impact
By minimizing repetitive data entry, you’ll have more time for engaging, student-focused work.
Fewer Surprises
FSPT Improvement
Student data, academic eligibility, and payment activity display directly in the tool, allowing you to view scheduled and recent payments for each student in one place.
Your Work Impact
Real-time visibility gives you confidence that payments are progressing as expected and helps you quickly spot issues before they impact students.
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What’s Staying the Same
While FSPT introduces major improvements, some processes and policies remain the same.
Stipends will continue to disburse monthly, and policy requirements for managing student support remain the same. Employment-related payments, payroll through UCPath, and historical FSRT data will not move into FSPT. FSRT will remain available for retroactive changes for about a year after go-live. See Retroactive Funding Changes in Financial Support Request Tool (FSRT) for more information.
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How Compliance Now Works
Users remain responsible for following compliance standards and good stewardship of university resources when entering payments. The difference is how compliance is supported: FSPT provides real-time funding and eligibility validations, including warnings and hard stops. Departmental and FSU approvals are no longer required for each transaction. Accountability is now maintained through post-transaction reports and audits. More detailed information about reports and audits will be coming in the near future.
Your Role in Accuracy: While oversight now happens after transactions are entered, the tool gives you the safeguards to get it right the first time. Every entry in FSPT directly affects student finances and university resources, and real-time validations, academic eligibility warnings, and notifications help you catch and correct issues before they affect students.
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Preview: See FSPT in Action
▶️ Watch this 5-minute demo to see how stipend entry works in the FSPT. As new features roll out, this demo may change!
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Get Started
Access to FSPT is rolling out in two stages to support a smooth transition and proper training. Both staff who enter or update payments as well as central administrators will complete the process in two parts.
First, you’ll request access to the Quality Assurance (QA) environment - a testing space to explore and practice using FSPT before it goes live.
Then, you’ll request access to Production (PROD) - the live application for entering and processing stipend payments.
🧭 Follow each step on the map below to complete both stages and get full FSPT access for live stipend payments.
START HERE |
For QA environment access |
Step 1: Complete UC Learning Center Trainings These trainings take approximately 2 hours to complete. You may have already completed some of these; if so, you don’t need to retake them. Step 2: Request QA Access
When responding to the "Please explain your need for access" question on the SNOW form, be sure to write a 1-2 sentence explanation that describes your business case and includes what you need access to the FSPT for, when (how often) you use the FSPT functionality, and why you need access. Note that saying "I need it for my job" or "I need access to FSPT" are not sufficient responses and FSPT access will not be granted until an adequate explanation is provided. Step 3: Obtain Supervisor Approval
Caution: Completing Steps 1 - 3 now ensures no delays in your PROD access request later. |
For PROD environment access |
Step 4: Attend or View a Live Stipends Training & Demo To complete this step, choose one of the following options: Option 1: View the Virtual Training Recording
Option 2: Attend the In-Person Training to practice scenarios and ask questions
Step 5: Pass the Stipends Training Assessment
Step 6: Request PROD Access
Step 7: Obtain Supervisor Approval
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You’re Ready to use the FSPT for Stipends! |
Congratulations! You now have full access to the PROD environment and can begin entering stipend payments that will appear in the FSPT in real time. |
You’ve reached the end of this training!
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve reviewed the purpose of the FSPT and the Stipends Release, proceed to the next module to get oriented with the application before entering or editing stipend records.
Go to: Get Oriented in FSPT