Graduate Student Assistantships
A graduate assistantship (GA) is a form of student aid that combines training with income (Graduate College handbook 3.2). There are three types of assistantships:
- Administrative
- Teaching
- Research
Graduate assistantships for students in the School of Education graduate programs are not guaranteed. Consult your program area or advisor for details. Student affairs master’s students use a program-specific process for their assistantships. Information about assistantships is provided through the program admission process and by the program once students have completed their first year.
Benefits
In addition to a monthly stipend proportional to your GA assignment level (25% or about 10 hours/week, 50% or 20 hours/week, 75% or 30 hours/week), GAs receive a tuition scholarship, health insurance, and a computer fee reduction. The tuition scholarship for master’s students is equal to the percentage of appointment (e.g., 25% or 50%). For doctoral students, the tuition scholarship is equal to double the percentage of appointment, to a maximum of 100%.
Note: Student fees are not covered as part of the tuition scholarship; fees will be billed to your U-bill.
Finding or Changing an Assistantship
Doctoral students will have opportunities to discuss assistantship opportunities as part of the admission process. Doctoral and master’s students can hold assistantships within or outside of the School of Education. Many assistantships are supported by individual faculty to support their research or by the School of Education to provide teaching in undergraduate courses. Available assistantships are advertised in the SOE Weekly Graduate Update email sent on Fridays.
To be considered for a School of Education assistantship, submit a résumé and a letter of interest describing your skills, research interests, and experiences to the Graduate Support Specialist. These materials are kept on file for each academic year and shared with faculty who indicate they are in need of a GA.
If you wish to make a change in a current assistantship or seek a new assistantship, please discuss this first with your assistantship supervisor and your major professor. Then follow the procedures outlined above to identify a new position that best meets your needs and skillsets.
Problems With an Assistantship
Should a problem or dispute arise related to an assistantship, the first step is for the supervisor and the student to meet to discuss the concerns and attempt to resolve the situation. If this effort does not provide resolution, the parties should bring the concern to the attention of the DOGE. See section 9.8 of the Graduate College handbook for additional information regarding expectations for assistantships.