Research Participant Payments

Certain study participants are eligible for compensation for taking part in IRB approved studies. Some members of the UT community are prohibited from receiving compensation for study participation.

It is preferable that studies conducted on campus use cash as a participant reward. Compensation in the form of gift cards should only be used when participants will be taking part in a study from a location that is not on campus.

Both cash and gift card compensation require the submission and approval of a Participant Study Cash Advance form which require the IRB compensation page and PI signature.

If you would like to submit a request for a cash advance, please complete a Participant Study Cash Advance form and email to the KHE staff: khe@austin.utexas.edu.

Please review these instructions before submitting a cash advance

UPDATE - Paying participants who are employee's of UT:

Participants who are UT employees may now be compensated with either cash or gift cards. Compensation in the form of electronic gift cards should only be used when participants will be taking part in an online study. Cash compensation is recommended for all in person studies.

Participants who will make more than $600 (not including payroll) in a calendar year from UT Austin must sign an "Individual Receipt Form". Participants who sign the individual receipt form must not sign the Multiple Participant Receipt Form.

TangoCard:

UT Austin allows for paying research participants, including UT employees, via TangoCard, an electronic gift card service provider. Participants receive an email notifying them that they have an electronic gift card to claim in the amount designated by the PI / study coordinator. Read more about compensating participants with TangoCard here, and read about the COE Tango Procedures here.

Additional Resources:

Cash Advance Request Flow Chart

Participant Compensation Flow Chart

Multiple Participant Receipt Form *Participants earning $600 or more from UT Austin within the calendar year (not including payroll) should not sign this form

Individual Participant Receipt Form

Approved Templates for Flyers

HBP Part 9.1.7 Advances for Research Subjects and Study Participants