All assistantships and fellowships are awarded at the departmental or college (for example, Business, Engineering, Pharmacy) level. Requests for consideration of these awards should be directed to the graduate program director, department chair or academic dean of a specific academic unit. Most assistantships and fellowships are awarded on an academic year basis. These awards are made in mid-semester in the spring for the following academic year. To ensure consideration, a request for such financial support should be made to the academic unit by March.
Only students admitted as regular Classified students are eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship or fellowship. Conditional and Unclassified students are not eligible to receive an assistantship. Because full-time graduate assistants are expected to work up to 20 hours per week, the maximum number of credits an assistant may earn in a given semester is 12. Normally, a full-time graduate assistant is expected to carry a minimum of nine credits, which is a full load. Permission to carry fewer than six or more than 12 credits may be granted by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research upon written recommendation of the student's advisor or program director. DA fellows are expected to carry a minimum of 9 credits per semester. Permission to carry fewer than 9 or more than 16 credits may be granted by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research upon written recommendation of the student's advisor or program director.
Stipends for full-time graduate assistants and fellows range from $6118 (masters level) to $8564 (doctoral fellow) for nine months. Doctoral graduate assistants ordinarily receive higher stipends than those at the masters level. Full-time graduate assistants and fellows also may be awarded scholarships to cover tuition and fees.
Graduate Assistantships (GA)
There are about 100 GAs available for the entire university; almost all of these require serving as an instructor for a department. An individual department may have only two or three to award. Most of these are awarded late spring semester for the next academic year. Full-time GAs are expected to work up to 20 hours/week for their stipend. Contact departmental chair or graduate program directors for application materials.
Graduate assistants who are international students, whose native language is not English, and who have been assigned to teach may be asked to complete an English speaking proficiency examination administered by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.
Normally, graduate assistants are involved in classroom instruction, supervision of laboratory sections, grading papers and/or examinations, assisting faculty members in research activities, or other equivalent duties.
Research Assistantships (RA)
There are about 20 RAs available throughout the university. These are made available through grant monies or other external sources. Conditions of employment and amounts of compensation vary. Questions about such sources of support should be directed to the academic departments or colleges.
Fellowships
There are 26 Doctor of Art Fellowships awarded each year to students admitted to or enrolled in the Doctor of Arts program. These are available only in the Departments of Biological Sciences (up to eight), English (up to six), Mathematics (up to six) and Political Science (up to six). Most of these are awarded late spring-early summer each year. Contact these departments for details and applications. See location/phone below.
Contact Location PhoneBiological Sciences Life Sciences Bldg. 236-3765 English Liberal Arts Bldg. 236-2478 Mathematics Physical Sciences Bldg. 236-3350 Political Science Business Admin. Bldg. 236-2211
Tuition and Fee Waivers
Departments may offer tuition and fee waivers as separate scholarships to graduate assistants, research assistants, and DA fellows. However, these offers are at the discretion of the departments. Non-resident tuition waivers accompany all graduate assistantships and DA fellowships but are offered as separate scholarships.
Tuition and Fee Scholarships - Payment
Checks are made out to the recipient and must be picked up at the Accounts Payable Office in the Administration Building or at the cashier's station during registration week to make payment for in-state enrollment fees.