Research Subject Payments

• Request research subject payment
• Research subject compensation types
• Recruitment marketplace - Prolific, Mechanical Turk

Projects involving research subject participants often offer compensation as a method of recruitment or encouragement for participation.  Research subject payments must be purchased by the department and are not eligible for reimbursement.

Request research subject payment

Please email hcdefiz@uw.edu with the following information: 

• Subject line: Research Subject Payment – compensation type (see options below)
• Research Participant info:
  • First and last name(s)
  • Appropriate information required for recipients to receive payment, per payment type, such as their email, phone, address
  • Amount of compensation (USD)
• Approval from PI/Faculty/Administrator (where appropriate) to include:
  • Business purpose
  • Estimated cost(s)
  • Worktag(s) and/or budget information (if known)
• Award letter - if applicable (ie. Capstone, DEI, PhD Doctoral)

Resources:  Department Responsibility - Research Subject Payments, Procurement Services - Pay Research Subjects
 

Research subject compensation types

Note: As of July 1, 2025, Amazon eGift Cards will no longer be an option for participant compensation, as they are not considered a best practice.  However, Amazon is an available reward option through the Tango Reward program (details below). 

US Bank VISA cards

A one-time load of a physical VISA card that can be used anywhere VISA is accepted. These cards come with an expiration date, usually valid for 2 years, as well as a $3.00/month fee that will be deducted from the card balance after 6 months.  Cards will need to be picked-up at the HCDE front desk (Sieg 428) and distributed by the requester. 

Tango rewards eGift program

Tango is an eGift reward (sent as a link) where the participant selects their eGift card choice from a variety of vendors (see Reward Catalog), including ‘cash-like’ options such as a Prepaid VISA or Mastercard.  There is no expiration on the reward link or fees charged for use.  Participant information required to process these are their name (first, last), email address and internet access to redeem their online reward.  

For customer service after HCDE Fiscal has completed the request:

UW internal customers with an issue on an order already placed, contact Kyndra Shea (Kyndra.Shea@bhn.com), the UW Dedicated Account Manager, and provide the PO number. 

Recipients/Participants having trouble using or redeeming their Tango rewards, please direct them to contact cs@tangocard.com.

Zelle electronic payments

Zelle provides quick electronic payments to a participant’s bank account without providing sensitive bank information.  To be eligible to receive these payments, participants will need to opt-in for Zelle through their bank or by downloading the app.  Make sure this is completed before requesting compensation for the individual.  Participant information required to process these are their name (first, last), and phone number or email address associated with Zelle account.

Note:  Domestic only, US bank account required. 

Check payment

Check payments require the most information from participants, including their full legal name, phone number, mailing address, and status (student, domestic resident)

Note: Domestic only, US bank and address required.

Wire payment

For foreign nationals only; tax ID not required; 30% tax withholding.  We will need the recipient's phone number, mailing address, and bank information.

• Select one of the following for each recipient.
  • Foreign national
  • Student – foreign  

Recruitment marketplace - Prolific, Mechanical Turk

Recruitment marketplaces such as Mechanical Turk and Prolific are becoming increasingly relevant to user research and testing. These platforms help connect researchers to qualified participants who can complete tasks or surveys, and provide easy mechanisms for rewarding this work via financial incentives.

Prolific

Each research project utilizing Prolific requires a unique contract through UW Procurement.  Please see the information below for how PI’s request a contract review and acquire payment info:  

• From MyCoE, review the Prolific User Policy and complete the Prolific User Agreement.  Each person who uses Prolific in your group* will also need to complete this agreement. It is the responsibility of the unit’s Grant Manager(s) to ensure they are registered, and keep the paperwork on file.
• Fill out the UW Procurement Contract Manager Support Request form for contract review and approval.
• After approval, the PI works with the HCDE fiscal team to set up payment using the departmental credit card (ProCard).  Send email request(s) to HCDEfiz@uw.edu.

Current Restriction on Student Usage of Prolific: Students are not allowed to use the system directly since a Data Processing Agreement is not in place, and the UW has not yet negotiated terms that protect student data. Alternatively, the UW Privacy Office suggests using a shared account.

Mechanical Turk 

Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT, MTurk) is a crowdsourcing digital marketplace that enables individuals and businesses (known as Requesters) to coordinate the use of human intelligence to perform tasks that computers are currently unable to perform. 

• To request assistance with MTurk, please fully review the University’s Amazon Mechanical Turk Policy.  
• Email HCDEfiz@uw.edu with your intent to utilize MTurk and the fiscal team will be able to assist you with next steps. Please include:
  • Budget information and worktag(s), if known
  • Approver/PI for budget approval, if applies
  • Award letter - if applicable (ie. Capstone, DEI, PhD Doctoral)