Current phase:
The 2019 Season of Docs program finished on March 6, 2020. See
timeline.
Google uses Payoneer to pay a stipend to technical writers who have successfully completed their Season of Docs projects.
The stipend is a single payment, paid at the end of documentation development phase. Stipend amounts are calculated based on the technical writer's home location.
- How is my location determined?
- Your location is determined by your home location.
- How are the stipend amounts determined?
- We use a Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) based calculation to determine the stipend. We start with a base amount of 6000 USD and then adjust it based on each country's PPP value. There is a minimum (2400 USD) and maximum (6600 USD) stipend amount. The base amount takes into consideration the fact that many universities are in urban centers which can be more expensive than other parts of the country.
- What is Purchasing Power Parity? (PPP)
Purchasing Power Parity is a way to estimate the exchange rate between two currencies to determine equivalent purchasing power.
- Can I opt out of receiving a stipend?
Yes. Technical writer stipends are optional. If you want to waive the stipend, please indicate your choice on the Season of Docs application form.
- When does payment start?
Stipends are paid at the end of the Season of Docs program, after a successful project evaluation. Payoneer starts transferring funds to all technical writers on December 11, 2019 for successfully-completed standard-length projects. For long-running projects, fund transfer starts on March 7, 2020.
Total stipend amount
| Country | Amount in USD |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 3000 |
| Albania | 3000 |
| Algeria | 3000 |
| Angola | 4200 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 3600 |
| Argentina | 4200 |
| Armenia | 3000 |
| Australia | 6600 |
| Austria | 5400 |
| Azerbaijan | 3000 |
| Bahamas, The | 6000 |
| Bahrain | 3000 |
| Bangladesh | 3000 |
| Barbados | 5400 |
| Belarus | 3000 |
| Belgium | 5400 |
| Belize | 3600 |
| Benin | 3000 |
| Bermuda | 6600 |
| Bhutan | 3000 |
| Bolivia | 3000 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 3000 |
| Botswana | 3000 |
| Brazil | 3600 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 3000 |
| Bulgaria | 3000 |
| Burkina Faso | 3000 |
| Burundi | 3000 |
| Cabo Verde | 3000 |
| Cambodia | 3000 |
| Cameroon | 3000 |
| Canada | 6000 |
| Central African Republic | 3600 |
| Chad | 3000 |
| Chile | 3600 |
| China | 3000 |
| Colombia | 3000 |
| Comoros | 3000 |
| Congo, Dem. Rep. | 3000 |
| Congo, Rep. | 3000 |
| Costa Rica | 4200 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 3000 |
| Croatia | 3000 |
| Cyprus | 4200 |
| Czech Republic | 3600 |
| Denmark | 6600 |
| Djibouti | 3600 |
| Dominica | 4200 |
| Dominican Republic | 3000 |
| Ecuador | 3000 |
| Egypt | 3000 |
| El Salvador | 3000 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 3000 |
| Estonia | 3600 |
| Ethiopia | 3000 |
| Fiji | 3600 |
| Finland | 6000 |
| France | 5400 |
| Gabon | 3000 |
| Gambia, The | 3000 |
| Georgia | 3000 |
| Germany | 5400 |
| Ghana | 3000 |
| Greece | 4200 |
| Grenada | 4200 |
| Guatemala | 3000 |
| Guinea | 3000 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 3000 |
| Guyana | 3600 |
| Haiti | 3000 |
| Honduras | 3000 |
| Hong Kong | 4800 |
| Hungary | 3000 |
| Iceland | 6600 |
| India | 3000 |
| Indonesia | 3000 |
| Iraq | 3000 |
| Ireland | 5400 |
| Israel | 6600 |
| Italy | 4800 |
| Jamaica | 3600 |
| Japan | 5400 |
| Jordan | 3000 |
| Kazakhstan | 3000 |
| Kenya | 3000 |
| Kiribati | 4800 |
| Kosovo | 3000 |
| Kuwait | 3000 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 3000 |
| Lao PDR | 3000 |
| Latvia | 3600 |
| Lebanon | 3600 |
| Lesotho | 3000 |
| Liberia | 3600 |
| Libya | 3000 |
| Lithuania | 3000 |
| Luxembourg | 6000 |
| Macao SAR, China | 4200 |
| Macedonia | 3000 |
| Madagascar | 3000 |
| Malawi | 3000 |
| Malaysia | 3000 |
| Maldives | 3600 |
| Mali | 3000 |
| Malta | 4200 |
| Marshall Islands | 5400 |
| Mauritania | 3000 |
| Mauritius | 3000 |
| Mexico | 3000 |
| Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 5400 |
| Moldova | 3000 |
| Mongolia | 3000 |
| Montenegro | 3000 |
| Morocco | 3000 |
| Mozambique | 3000 |
| Myanmar | 3000 |
| Namibia | 3000 |
| Nepal | 3000 |
| Netherlands | 5400 |
| New Zealand | 6000 |
| Nicaragua | 3000 |
| Niger | 3000 |
| Nigeria | 3000 |
| Norway | 6600 |
| Oman | 3000 |
| Pakistan | 3000 |
| Palau | 5400 |
| Panama | 3600 |
| Papua New Guinea | 3600 |
| Paraguay | 3000 |
| Peru | 3000 |
| Philippines | 3000 |
| Poland | 3000 |
| Portugal | 4200 |
| Puerto Rico | 4800 |
| Qatar | 3000 |
| Romania | 3000 |
| Russian Federation | 3000 |
| Rwanda | 3000 |
| Samoa | 4200 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 3600 |
| Saudi Arabia | 3000 |
| Senegal | 3000 |
| Serbia | 3000 |
| Seychelles | 3000 |
| Sierra Leone | 3000 |
| Singapore | 3600 |
| Slovak Republic | 3600 |
| Slovenia | 4200 |
| Solomon Islands | 5400 |
| South Africa | 3000 |
| South Korea | 4800 |
| South Sudan | 3000 |
| Spain | 4200 |
| Sri Lanka | 3000 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | 3600 |
| St. Lucia | 4200 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 3600 |
| Suriname | 3000 |
| Swaziland | 3000 |
| Sweden | 6600 |
| Switzerland | 6600 |
| Taiwan | 3000 |
| Tajikistan | 3000 |
| Tanzania | 3000 |
| Thailand | 3000 |
| Timor-Leste | 3000 |
| Togo | 3000 |
| Tonga | 4200 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 3000 |
| Tunisia | 3000 |
| Turkey | 3000 |
| Turkmenistan | 3000 |
| Tuvalu | 5400 |
| Uganda | 3000 |
| Ukraine | 3000 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3600 |
| United Kingdom | 5400 |
| United States | 6000 |
| Uruguay | 4200 |
| Uzbekistan | 3000 |
| Vanuatu | 6000 |
| Venezuela | 4200 |
| Vietnam | 3000 |
| West Bank and Gaza | 3600 |
| Yemen, Rep. | 3000 |
| Zambia | 3000 |
| Zimbabwe | 3000 |
Payoneer payment system
Distributing funds to participants in countries around the world is a specialized task. We have partnered with Payoneer to manage payments.
Payoneer offers two options to receive your stipend:
- A Google branded Payoneer Prepaid Debit MasterCard® card. The card is reloadable and can be used to make purchases or ATM withdrawals wherever MasterCard® is accepted worldwide.
- Direct deposit to your local bank account. With Payoneer’s local bank transfer, Payoneer will send funds directly to your bank account securely and at a reduced cost. This service is available in over 200 countries and more than 150 currencies.
Make sure you read and understand all the terms, conditions, fees, and FAQs associated with Payoneer. You need to agree to these items when you register with Payoneer. You can access this information in your personal Payoneer My Account page.
NOTE: In some countries (such as India), only direct deposit is available.
Registration for a Payoneer account
If your Season of Docs project is accepted, you will receive an email with a personalized link for you to use to register for your Payoneer account. This email will arrive soon after November 5, 2019.
Important notes:
You must complete your Payoneer registration (including tax forms where appropriate) by December 3, 2019 to receive your stipend on time.
You must use the personalized link given in the email to register for your Payoneer account, as it is associated with your Season of Docs enrolment. Do not go to the Payoneer site directly and register. If you do not use the provided link, you will not receive the stipend.
After you register, your Payoneer account will be reviewed. You will receive an email when it is approved.
If you apply for the Payoneer prepaid debit card, it will be shipped to the address you provide Payoneer.
If you have previously registered for Payoneer, and already have an account, click "Already Have a Payoneer Account" after clicking the registration link.
If you are in India, you will be asked for a "Purpose Code". You must select code
P1009- Architectural Services. Yes, it sounds strange to put Architectural Services, but it is the designated code for this program.Payoneer has a specific set of shipping restrictions which may affect the shipping of a Payoneer card. Contact Payoneer for details.
Payoneer fees
Depending on which payment method you choose, such as the prepaid debit card, you may be subject to different fees. After registering for a Payoneer account, refer to the fee schedule on the Payoneer system.
Prepaid debit card fees
If you choose the prepaid debit card as the payment method, the following are the fees you are responsible for:
- Currency conversion fee, depending on the currency you are converting to
- 3.15 USD ATM withdrawal fee
- 1 USD declined transaction fee
- 12 USD card replacement fee, if your card is lost and you need to replace it
- 3 USD inactivity fee, if your card retains a balance after 6 months of inactivity
Reference your Payoneer account for the most up to date rates.
Payoneer support
If you have any questions regarding your Payoneer account, please be sure to contact Payoneer directly via their contact page. You can also use the link in your Payoneer My Account page. You will receive login information upon completion of your registration. Payoneer offers multilingual customer support for all payment related issues via e-mail, telephone and live chat.
If your card is lost or stolen, please contact Payoneer immediately so that the card can be disabled and so that a new card can be sent to you.