I expect to leave employment (currently on H1B) to join a Phd program + Fellowship.

I'm in the process of applying for marriage based Green Card + EAD. Once I get the receipt, I will be in I-485 pending when I join school (Sep 09).

The university requires me to fill out an I-9 form. I will not be getting my approved EAD before I join. (Hopefully in a couple of months into joining.) As regards the I-9 requirement, university folks are ambiguous in their response. "Once you come here we will work it out." They say I can enroll as a student OK, but fellowship ?

My questions is: Does a university fellowship require EAD ? Fellowship comes with full tuition + maintenance. Teaching or research only begins later in the second year, not right away. So it's not really "employment".