phd graduate teaching assistantship

• What Is a Graduate Teaching Assistant? – Explained
• Types of Doctorates

What are Graduate Teaching Assistants?

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are postgraduate research students who support academic and faculty staff members with their teaching responsibility.

As a GTA, you may help a lecturer teach students, review papers and organise the classes time table and room bookings. If your university allows for it, you may even teach your own class independently and only meet your supervising professor when you require support or advice. This will assume that you have first gained enough experience to do this first.

Besides teaching, you may also be asked to assist with a staff member’s research. For example, if you’re a STEM student, you may help to organise and set-up laboratory equipment for one of their experiments. Alternatively, you could work as a tutor in one of the education centres run by your university. For instance, if you’re GTA in Civil Engineering, you could tutor students who are struggling to grasp some fundamental mathematical concepts used in engineering.

Responsibilities of Graduate Teaching Assistants

The core responsibilities of GTAs include:

• Deliver classes  – Support (and sometimes lead) seminars and tutorials.
• Supervise projects  – Assist undergraduate and postgraduate students working on their final year projects.
• Support learning  – Support students with the technical aspects of their course.
• Provide feedback  – Provide students with valuable and timely feedback to aid in their development.
• Review work  – Participate in the assessment process by marking work.
• Give demonstrations  – Deliver demonstrations for practical work, advising on the required skills, methods and techniques.
• Support fieldwork  – Assist in the preparation and delivery of fieldwork .
• Be effective  – Familiarise themselves with course material, continually develop their skills and undertake training to enable the best support for students.
• Pastoral care  – Direct students to support facilities provided by the university based on their personal needs.

In addition to this, you may be asked to undertake the below additional duties from time to time:

• Participate in the assessment process by invigilating exams.
• Help develop, update and gather teaching material to support the development of the course curriculum.
• Take on limited administrative responsibilities as requested by the Head of Department.
• Provide in-person or email support to assist with student enquiries during the exam period.

While you will have many duties, you won’t be solely responsible for them. You will be appointed a supervising professor who you will report to and frequently check in with. As well as this, all members of staff will usually be more than happy to support you should you need it.

Benefits of becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant

Being a GTA will give you an opportunity to extend your knowledge and acquire new skills. These include teaching, communicating and the ability to breakdown complex theories in a way which can be easier understood.

Besides this, teaching students is an excellent way to develop your abilities. It will help you consolidate your existing technical knowledge, gain knowledge in new topics and get valuable hands-on experience in teaching. This will be a significant advantage if you are planning a career in academia. Undertaking the duties of a GTA will adequately help you prepare for a career as a lecturer, and will provide you with a strong foundation that you can use to sell yourself when applying to your first lectureship position.

In addition to this, GTA positions come with a studentship which covers your full tuition fee and provides a stipend for your living costs.

Requirements for becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant

The eligibility requirements for GTAs differ between universities, however, the typical requirements are:

• You must meet the entry requirements of the PhD programme.
• You should have a relevant Master’s degree with at least an upper-second class honors (2:1).
• Your application should be for a full-time student. While part-time GTAs exist, they are uncommon and usually only offered in exceptional circumstances.
• You must have approval from your supervisor.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Salary

A Graduate Teaching Assistant position usually comes with a salary, tuition fees and a stipend.

Universities have two approaches for paying GTA salaries. Some pay an hourly rate whereas others pay a fixed monthly amount.

While the hourly rate will depend on your specific agreement with your university, we’ve extracted the hourly rates for 2022/23 GTA students from the University of York  as an example:

Hourly Rate for Graduate Teaching Assistants

Universities which pay a fixed amount typically do so under the  nationally-agreed pay spine  set out by University and College Union (UCU). This pay spine works by assigning job positions a ‘spine point’ value which then corresponds to an annual salary figure. The spine value a Graduate Teaching Assistant is assigned will differ depending on the level of responsibilities the position will have. However, taking the University of Kent as an example, they assign GTAs a spine point of 24 which corresponds to an annual salary of £29,619 (based on the 2022/23 pay spine).

Tuition Fees

As part of GTA scholarships, your university will cover your tuition fees, usually for the first three years of your study if studying full time or longer if studying part-time.

For Home/EU students, your tuition fees will nearly always be covered in full. However, if you’re an international student, the GTA may only cover part of your fees. In these situations, you will be responsible for covering the difference.

You will also receive a stipend to help cover your living, travelling and other related costs. Similar to the tuition fees, the stipend is usually provided for the first three years of your registration period or longer if you’re a part-time student. Your stipend will be paid in monthly instalments and will be a minimum of £4,712   per year , as per the Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2023/24.

As mentioned earlier, keep in mind that some universities incorporate your stipend value into your annual salary.

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Working Hours and Annual Leave

Your working hours will vary depending on your department; some departments require 4 hours per week, whereas others require up to 20 hours . Regardless of the number of hours you’re required to work, you may be thankful to know that your working hours will include preparing for lectures and undertaking training; not just the time you’re physically teaching.

Besides total working hours, your GTA contract will also specify the amount of paid annual leave you’ll be entitled to. This will be prorated from your contracted number of working hours. Continuing to use the University of Kent as an example, they contract their GTAs to work 240 hours per each academic calendar year (equating to 7 hours per week) with 40 hours of paid annual leave.

While you will have a set number of annual hours, their allocation will vary weekly depending on the needs of your department. As a result, it’s not uncommon to work 5 hours one week and 10 hours the following week. While your working hours will need to be flexible, your supervising professor will work with you to agree on a schedule that doesn’t affect your ability to carry out your doctorate.

International Students

If you’re an international student, you can still apply to become a Graduate Teaching Assistant. However, check whether your student visa places any restrictions on what you can and can’t do. Overseas students will typically be on Tier 4 visas, which don’t allow you to work over 20 hours per week . Ensure you account for this when arranging your workload, especially during periods of training or lecture preparation where your hours can quickly add up. If you exceed this restriction, you will be in breach of your Tier 4 visa and could face a fine or having your visa and therefore doctorate study revoked.

Is a Graduate Teaching Assistantship for you?

Before applying to become a Graduate Teaching Assistant, it’s essential you first discover as much information about the positions at each of your prospective universities. Most importantly, find out what your exact obligations will be. At some institutions, teaching assistants only mark coursework and lead tutorial sessions. At other universities, they’ll expect you to take on all the responsibilities discussed in this guide.

While teaching assistants in their first year will have reduced job responsibility, they will still spend much time planning lessons and providing contact time for students. This may sound easily manageable, but once you add your research project into the mix, it can become overwhelming.

Be honest with yourself – do you have good time-management skills? Are you disciplined enough to work on your research even after having spent several hours teaching undergraduate students? If your answer is no, then reconsider whether you really want to take on the additional responsibilities of a GTA.

How to Find Graduate Teaching Assistant positions?

GTA positions are advertised the same way regular PhD positions are; therefore, you don’t need to do anything out of the ordinary to find them. Search our  extensive database of PhD programmes  to see whether there are any GTA positions available, or browse the postgraduate programmes section on the websites of the universities you’re interested in.

Some universities choose not to assign GTA positions to specific PhD projects but instead leave them open to all PhD programmes.

Therefore, state your interest in becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant when contacting supervisors about available PhD projects . This will allow supervisors to know your intentions and advise you further.

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Teaching and Research Assistantships

•  /  Graduate School Funding
•  /  Types of Graduate Support
•  /  Teaching and Research Assistantships

About Assistantships

Assistantships are provided as aids to completion of advanced degrees. As such, they should be related to the graduate student's disciplinary field and wherever possible tied to the student's program of study so as to contribute in a relevant manner to the student's professional development. To effectively make such a contribution, the supervisor of the assistantship necessarily serves in a mentoring role, which requires regular interaction, close communication, and feedback with the graduate assistant, including clear expectations for satisfactory fulfillment of the assistantship duties. Assistantships may require work in the classroom or the laboratory, in research, or in other areas on campus, with the opportunity for professional development further benefiting from and enriched by the scholarly environment of the University. As such, assistantships are limited to degree-seeking students enrolled in residence. Approximately 4,000 assistantships are awarded annually.

A prospective student should contact the graduate major program for information , and indicate on the graduate admission application an interest in receiving a graduate assistantship. The necessary application forms will then be sent by the graduate program. Appointments are made subject to the student’s receipt of a bachelor’s degree and admission to the Graduate School as a degree student. Clear evidence of superior ability and promise is required.

Although Penn State’s classes last fifteen weeks per semester, appointments of graduate assistants are for eighteen weeks of activities per semester. Thus the duties in an academic year appointment (thirty-six weeks) such as is normally provided for teaching assistants will begin on the Monday following the last day of summer session final exams and continue until the last day of spring semester final exams, less the period of time classes are suspended at Thanksgiving and during the winter and spring breaks. A 48-week appointment, such as is provided for many research assistants, consists of the 36-week period of the academic year plus twelve weeks for summer session activities.

Reappointment to an assistantship is based on availability of positions and the quality of the student’s performance. In most departments or major programs the number of years an appointment may be renewed is limited. Unsatisfactory academic performance in any semester or summer session is sufficient cause for termination of the appointment at the end of that period. Unsatisfactory performance of assistantship duties is also sufficient cause for termination.

Legislation passed by the University Faculty Senate in 1981 and 1989 requires that all newly appointed teaching assistants participate in a teaching assistant (TA) training program unless they can provide evidence of successful prior teaching experience and that all new international TAs take and pass a test of spoken English. Details of the procedures for meeting these requirements may be obtained by new graduate students during their departmental orientation or by contacting the Department of Applied Linguistics .

Non-degree students are not eligible for assistantships.

Appointments cover tuition and provide a monthly stipend. Appointments are made at one of several grades in consideration of experience and qualification of the individual. Assistantships are of three types:

• QUARTER-TIME—The student normally schedules 9 to 14 credits per semester (5 to 7 per six-week summer session*), receives a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and performs tasks that, on the average, occupy approximately ten hours per week.
• HALF-TIME—The student normally schedules 9 to 12 credits per semester (4 to 6 per six-week summer session*), receives a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and performs tasks that, on the average, occupy approximately twenty hours per week.
• THREE-QUARTER–TIME—The student normally schedules 6 to 8 credits per semester (3 to 4 per six week summer session*), receives a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and performs tasks that, on the average, occupy approximately thirty hours per week.

A graduate assistant may accept concurrent employment outside the University only with permission from the assistantship department head and the assistant’s graduate academic program chair.

Graduate assistants must be enrolled at Penn State as graduate students. More specifically, because assistantships are provided as aids to completion of advanced degrees, assistants must be degree seeking and are expected to enroll for credit loads each semester that fall within the limits indicated in the table below. Maximum limits on permissible credit loads are indicated in order to assure that the student can give appropriate attention both to academic progress and assistantship responsibilities. These considerations give rise to the table of permissible credit loads below.

*Credits taken during the Maymester and/or over both 6-week summer sessions must total a minimum of 9 (quarter- and half-time assistants) or 6 (three-quarter-time assistants) and cannot exceed a maximum of 8 (three-quarter-time assistants), 12 (half-time assistants), or 14 (quarter-time assistants).

To provide for some flexibility, moderate exceptions to the specified limits may be made in particular cases. The credit limits specified above may only be increased or decreased in exceptional cases for a specific semester or summer session by permission of the assistantship supervisor, the student’s academic adviser, and the dean of the Graduate School (requests should be submitted for the dean’s approval via the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services ). The Graduate School expects that an exception made in one semester or summer session will be compensated for by a suitably modified credit load in the subsequent semester or summer session, so that, on the average, normal progress is maintained at a rate falling within the limits above. Failure to do so may jeopardize the student’s academic status. Maintenance of the established credit loads and responsibility for consequences of a graduate student’s change of course load rest with the student and adviser. The course load is a factor in determining whether a graduate student is classified as a full-time or part-time student; has met residence requirements; and is eligible to hold a fellowship, traineeship, assistantship, or departmental or program appointment.

Applicants should write or call the person in charge of their graduate program for information and should indicate on their graduate admissions form that they are interested in an assistantship.

Full-Time Academic Status

Students holding fellowships, traineeships, or other awards based on academic excellence are required to carry 9 or more credits each semester (fall and spring). For awards that require full-time summer registration, students should register for a minimum cumulative total of nine credits (over all summer sessions), or SUBJ 601 (in the case of post-comprehensive doctoral candidates) over the summer. A graduate assistant whose semester or summer session credit load meets, or exceeds the minimum requirements in the above credit table and whose assistantship duties are directly related to his or her degree objectives, is considered by the Graduate School to be engaged in full-time academic work for that semester or summer session. A post-comprehensive doctoral candidate who is registered for SUBJ 601 also is so considered.

Part-Time Academic Status

A student who in any semester or summer session is registered for study but who does not meet the criteria for full-time status is considered to be engaged in part-time academic work for that semester. This includes students registered for SUBJ 611.

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Should You Apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship?

Teaching assistants (TAs) are the cogs in the university machine. They help professors with undergraduate courses by grading papers, leading discussion sections, and sometimes teaching classes on their own.

Benefits of becoming a TA

Many graduate programs (and almost all PhD programs) require you to serve as a teaching assistant for one or several years of your education. Even if this is not a requirement of your program, there are two reasons you should consider being a TA. First, it helps you pay for your education; TAs are awarded either a stipend or a tuition discount. Second, it provides you with university-level teaching experience. This is a great resume booster for any field, and particularly valuable for students who hope to become professors.

Is a Teaching Assistantship right for you?

If you'd like to be a TA, it's important to find out as much as you can about the assistantship programs at your prospective schools. Be sure to ask what your roles and responsibilities as a TA would be. At some universities, assistants are just that; they grade papers or oversee quiz sessions. At other schools, a TA might be expected to teach two classes per term. While first-year TAs are generally provided with a basic curriculum and syllabus, they still spend a lot of time preparing lesson plans, doing background reading, grading tests and meeting with students. All this can be overwhelming when you're trying to keep up with studies of your own.

Read More: Graduate School Application Timeline

How to Book the TA Gig

Don't just assume you'll be able to snag a TA position; some schools only have a handful of spots, while others have none. Additionally, not all assistantships are created equal. The amount of time required can differ, as can compensation. Some TAs might get to forego tuition payments, while others receive only a modest grant.

Most schools include an application form for assistantships in their general application packet. You may need a letter of recommendation and/or a short essay (separate from those required for the grad school application itself) that explains your qualifications and what subject you want to teach. Volunteer experience as an instructor or tutor can help you land a position, as can real-life experience in your field of study.

A teaching assistantship may be a great way to gain experience and save money, but it's not for everyone. Are you excited (or at least willing) to stand in front of a class of jittery first-years to earn your keep, or would the pressures of teaching detract from your own coursework? Only you can make that decision—so go into it with as much information as you can!

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Assistantships.

Full-time Ph.D. and research master’s students may be awarded assistantships, which fall into four general categories: teaching assistant (TA), research assistant (RA), graduate assistant (GA), and graduate research assistant (GRA). These awards are administered by fields and departments. 

Assistantships are an arrangement in which financial support is given to a graduate student who engages in teaching and/or research in furtherance of the university’s academic mission, as well as his or her graduate education. 

Students on full assistantships receive the following:

• a full tuition credit at the research degree rate , and
• Cornell individual student health insurance.

Some fields may supplement the stipend and/or make summer appointments.

See also:  University Policy on Assistantships

Assistantships are awarded by departments, fields, and Principal Investigators. There is no separate application for assistantships. The assignment is usually in your major field or a closely-related one.

Teaching Assistants (TAs)

A teaching assistant is an academic appointment in support of the teaching of a course. Teaching assistants may assist in teaching a section of a course, lead discussions, and/or lead laboratory sections. Teaching assistants average no more than 15 hours per week for the base stipend as established by the Board of Trustees.   

Special information for incoming international students: 

International students who come from countries where English is not the first language and who will TA in their first year at Cornell should visit the Center for Teaching Innovation’s International Teaching Assistant Program webpage for language assessment information.

See also:  On-Campus Work

Support and resources for TAs: 

The Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI) offers a central place where teaching assistants can go for insight and assistance with their teaching responsibilities, including programs and workshops for teaching assistants with all levels of experience. 

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs)

A GRA is an academic appointment focused on thesis or other degree-related research of a type that is required from all candidates for the degree. The research project for a GRA directly supports the student’s thesis or dissertation. Because a student devotes considerable time to thesis or dissertation research, the time spent is connected with the project.  

Research Assistantships (RAs)

A RA is an academic appointment for research that is not directly thesis-related, 15 to 20 hours per week, averaging no more than 15 hours per week. For example, a RA appointment might include data analysis on a faculty research project not directly related to the student’s dissertation topic. As with other assistantships, there is no separate application. Students are appointed by departments, fields, or individual faculty.

Graduate Assistantships (GAs)

A GA is an academic appointment requiring 15 to 20 hours a week, averaging no more than 15 hours per week, for the base stipend as established by the Board of Trustees. For example, a GA appointment might include assisting a faculty member in developing and coordinating an academic conference. 

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

Graduate Teaching Assistants: Why You Should Consider Becoming One!

As PhD students we’re often looking for ways to make extra money: I know I was! One of the most common ways is for students to work as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA).

Not only can it be rewarding but it’s usually easy to get involved. In fact, academic departments often actively encourage their PhD students to become graduate teaching assistants.

In this post we’ll dive into what the role involves (and how well it pays!) and learn from others who have previously taken on GTA roles.

What are Graduate Teaching Assistants?

Graduate teaching assistants (GTA) are graduate students (e.g. PhD students) who assist the delivery of content to undergraduate or Masters students. You are assisting the course leader (i.e a professor) in the teaching of their course: hence the name!

If you’re studying for a PhD, working as a GTA is a pretty typical way to make some money. Most of the PhD students I’ve known have done GTA work in some form or another during their PhD.

Later in this post you’ll hear from some of these researchers about their experiences.

Typical duties

Graduate teaching assistants are often required to help with tasks such as:

• Lab demonstrations
• Running seminars or delivering tutorials
• Providing students with feedback
• Exam invigilation
• Marking exams and coursework

You’ll typically sign up for a specific duty which is stated in the advert. For example: “three hours of exam invigilation”. It’s uncommon to blindly sign up to help a certain course without knowing what is expected, but it does happen.

How much do graduate teaching assistants get paid?

When I was doing my PhD at Imperial (finished in 2020), the pay for graduate teaching assistants was around £15-30 per hour . It looks like levels of pay are still broadly the same:

From 1st August 2023, GTA pay rates are below: £18.48 – Ambassador work; General administration; Panopto; PG Campus Tour; £22.74 – Marking (incl. second marking); Lab demonstration; Tutorial support and Tutorial delivery; £30.41 – Development of teaching materials (e.g: creating new questions and/or new tasks for tutorials)  Imperial’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering webpage on working as a GTA

You should be able to find a similar page for your own university. For example, here is Bristol’s .

As shown, there are usually several tiers of hourly rate, and the different duties will be split across them. Work with lower responsibility, or that is perceived to require less expertise, receives a lower rate of pay.

How you get paid

GTA work is typically considered “casual”, since the hours are variable and low. Usually you’ll log your hours by submitting a time sheet. Often there are tight bounds on what is an acceptable number of hours to log. For instance they may be willing to pay you for 20 minutes of your time to mark each piece of coursework.

If you’re helping to run classes, not only will they pay you for your time during the class (e.g. an hour) but also preparation and administrative time. This could involve logging student attendance and answering e-mails etc and can often add up to a similar amount of time as the actual teaching itself.

One benefit is of course the money! As touched on above, the pay for graduate teaching assistants is usually pretty good and can be a great way to help top up your existing stipend. P.S. I’ve written a separate post about other ways of making some extra money as a PhD student .

However, on top of financial incentives, working as a GTA also gives you a valuable opportunity to develop both domain-specific expertise and broader soft skills.

Working as a GTA can enable you to support classes you’re trying to solidify your knowledge in, or demonstrate existing know-how, techniques or topics you know would be useful for future job applications.

Having to mark exams on a particular topic can be a great way of reinforcing your understanding. If you’re like me, it also more than likely means having to refresh your memory on the topic!

Furthermore, graduate teaching assistant roles are an ideal setting to work on soft skills such as public speaking, team working, troubleshooting and time management. It goes without saying that the experience is incredibly relevant for anyone considering an academic career.

Experiences from Graduate Teaching Assistants

I taught in a variety of courses and tutorials, including Solidworks and engineering drawing where I was able to help build some small lectures, and thermal analysis techniques where I also did some marking.

I was fairly picky with my teaching roles and which supervisor I worked with, this meant I was given a degree of freedom which taught me a lot about lecturing, and most of my experiences were not as time consuming as other laboratory-based roles.

Doing these teaching roles helped me get my AFHEA (great if you’re interested in teaching in the future) and did help financially. I think GTA is a great opportunity and would definitely recommend it, but remember to not over commit and keep plenty of time for your own work.

Dr Agathe Heyraud, Biomaterials PhD graduate, Imperial

I first got involved with teaching as a way to learn and sharpen my skills in artificial intelligence. As part of a team of fellow PhD students, we worked with the unit director and a lead TA to assist students to better grasp the learning material. My biggest duties have always been to answer questions students have during labs and drop-in sessions. Upon gaining enough experience, I had the rare opportunity to support students in need of special adjustments in one-to-one sessions as well.

I’ve had a great experience teaching and realising the positive impact I can have on the learning journey of a student. Given my main motivation to learn by teaching, I tend to spend more time than I’m paid for on familiarising myself with the teaching material, which I hugely enjoy. Working as a TA has also allowed me to deeply interact with students and university staff, so much so that I see myself pursuing a career as an academic.

Teaching is not without its own challenges, especially with regards to managing those duties in parallel with one’s own research. It can be extremely time-consuming. So, assuming one selects units that directly complement their PhD research, I strongly recommend teaching assistantship, especially during the early years of the PhD.

Roussel Desmond Nzoyem, Interative AI PhD student, Bristol

I worked as a biochemistry supervisor for first year medical students during 2 years of my PhD. My role was to lead one hour tutorials for 2 groups of 3 undergraduate students every week to help them understand and learn the lecture materials and prepare for exams.

I really enjoyed it. It felt really good to sort of “give back” to the college, because at the time of teaching, I had been a first year medical student only 4 years previously so the memory of it was really fresh in my mind. Also, I formed lasting relationships with my students (who actually eventually became my classmates/friends when I went back into medical school after the PhD) – it really added to my college experience in many ways both academically and socially. 

I would recommend it. It is a bit time consuming at first – but once you have the lesson plans in place, it becomes less of a time investment! 

Dr Hassal Lee, Neuroscience PhD graduate, Cambridge – Read Hasssal’s PhD Profile here

During my PhD I did a variety of GTA work: leading classes, assisting during labs and marking. I was a bit nervous at first – it can be intimidating knowing that you’re expected to be the person with all the answers! However it turned out to be great fun and really rewarding. I recommend that all PhD students give it a go, even if it is just for one course.

Me! Medical Engineering PhD graduate, Imperial

Want more detail? There is a whole section detailing my experiences later in this post, you can skip to it here .

Considerations

Generally, I think that doing some graduate teaching assistant work is a good idea for all PhD students. However there are a few things to be aware of:

1) Maximum hours

Sometimes there are certain limitations on the amount of paid work you may be able to take on in addition to your PhD. This can be at the university or department level, tied to PhD funding sources or for overseas students: visas .

For example, at Imperial, students on a Tier 4 visa are restricted to working 20 hours per week or less: which to me sounds like loads on top of a full time PhD!

It goes without saying that you must also have a right to work in the country.

2) Valuing your time

Although GTA work can be well paid, I don’t personally think it is wise to max out as many hours as possible. Instead, make sure you’re valuing your time in the context of:

• Avoiding burnout . A PhD can already be intense, and adding additional academic duties can only add to the pressure. Read my whole post here: PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health .
• Enjoying being a PhD student . There is more to life as a PhD student than spending your whole existence in labs or marking coursework. There are many, non-academic, opportunities afforded to your as a PhD student, make sure you’re aware of them! Read my whole post here: How to make the most of opportunities .

My suggestion:

• Do some GTA work for at least one or two courses during your PhD, but don’t fill up your calendar too much with it (unless you’re desperate for the cash).
• Be strategic : think about which GTA positions provide either the best opportunity for personal growth (such as presenting) or could look best on your CV.

How do you find GTA Roles?

Typically, at the start of the academic year course directors will email a list of opportunities to all PhD students in their department. Alternatively, webpages get populated with all available opportunities.

For example, check out all the positions available at Imperial’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering by scrolling to the bottom of this page :

Some positions get snapped up very quickly. My experience however has generally been that if you want to earn money as a GTA, the opportunities are there.

It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll usually be committing to work a certain number of hours per week for a whole term or semester (as shown in the example above), so don’t over commit!

Personally I helped on about one course per year for a few hours per week on average. This felt like a nice manageable amount.

In addition to these more structured commitments, I used to often receive emails stating that a small amount of help was required at short notice. This could be collating course material or preparing a room for an exam, so not all GTA opportunities require a large time commitment nor are they always advertised well in advance.

My Experiences as a Graduate Teaching Assistant

What i was doing.

During my PhD I did a few different kinds of work as a GTA:

1. Leading a journal club for Masters students

Leading a class for MSc students, helping them to build experience digesting and critically evaluating research papers. Across the term, each student would give two presentations on different papers and then their fellow students would ask them questions about the research.

Time commitment

Two hours a week for 11 weeks. This consisted of one hour in class and one hour outside of class, both of which I was paid for.

Tasks in the class

• Leading the session: inviting students to give their presentations and encouraging other students to ask them questions.
• Inevitably asking my own questions, since often the other students were a bit shy or uninterested in asking their own!
• Keeping track of time, each presentation couldn’t overrun.
• Writing down comments (and a mark) for each student’s presentation.

Tasks outside of clas s

• Reading the research papers myself and thinking up potential questions ahead of each class.
• Assigning students to give presentations.
• Answering student questions over email.
• Sending individual feedback to students after each presentation.
• Adding student marks to a spreadsheet.

What I learned & enjoyed

It was rewarding seeing the students typically getting more comfortable at giving presentations. After seeing 40+ presentations it also gave me insights as to how to improve my own presentations (tips here!) .

2. Assisting in computing lab tutorials

First year undergraduates took a class in computer aided design (CAD), I helped them during the lab sessions.

Weekly two hour long tutorials. We were given a bit of training ahead of the sessions but generally we didn’t have much warning for what types of questions to expect.

Answering students’ questions where they had issues using the software. This included diagnosing issues but also trying to prompt them to figure out the issue on their own.

Outside of class

None relating to the tutorials, but I did mark their end of semester coursework. More on that in the next point.

It was fun helping the first year students to rapidly get better at using the software, by the end they were designing some sophisticated things! Helping with this lab was also a great refresher of the software for myself.

3. Marking coursework / exams

As a graduate teaching assistant I marked coursework for one course and exams for another:

• The computing lab I mention above
• A fluid dynamics course

When taking on marking work, you get told how many students you’re marking for and how long the department expects for it to take. I forget exact numbers of papers but I think it would have been something like marking submissions from 25 students.

We got told broadly how long it should take to mark each submission (e.g. 20 minutes), and therefore what were the total acceptable number of hours to charge to the department.

Usually the course lead will organise a session to explain to all GTAs what is expected, how to mark the exams correctly, common things to look out for and address any questions you may have. Then they’ll provide you with a mark sheet which includes a breakdown of how many marks a student gets for each part of a question (e.g. if they get the answer wrong but did lots of the correct initial workings).

Finally, they assign you to mark a number of students’ work and off you go! Usually they’ll give you a few weeks to complete this.

Don’t worry, the course lead is usually very happy for you to reach out with any questions you may have as you start going through the marking process.

Fun fact, I discovered that two students were cheating because I marked their answers to the same question back to back. Only because I had the previous answer stored in my short term memory was it so obvious that their answers were identical. If the papers hadn’t been submitted right after one another I’m sure I’d never have noticed!

I’d never done any marking before this, so it was a great experience! Learning how exams are assessed, for instance the breakdown of marks for achieving certain parts of the answer, and having to try and understand the thought process for certain students’ answers was really interesting.

• Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are grad students, typically working towards PhDs, who support the teaching of more junior students
• Most GTA roles are specific about what work will need to be undertaken, with typical duties including; lab demos, running seminars, exam invigilation and marking
• You should normally be paid for any preparation time required (within reasonable limits)
• GTA roles are well paid, with the level of pay often varying depending on the complexity of the work
• Taking on a GTA role provides opportunities to enhance both your technical skills and your soft skills
• It’s important to not over-commit, if in doubt start small and look for further opportunities at a later stage

I hope that you’ve found this introduction to GTA work useful. Let me know in the comments if you have any of your own GTA experiences, or if you’ve now been inspired to join your department’s team of graduate teaching assistants!

If you have any other questions not answered in the post, do reach out.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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Graduate and Teaching Assistantships

Graduate assistantships   are awarded to students for service to further the University’s academic mission, but not directly related to their dissertation or preparation for it. Examples are offering administrative support by editing a journal, managing a website, or assisting a faculty member with developing or coordinating a conference.

Teaching assistantships   are awarded to students who perform duties ranging from reading and grading assignments, running discussion sections or labs, or teaching sections of undergraduate courses, all while continuing the University’s academic mission and their own academic requirements and training.

Learn more:

• Requirements for Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants  Students pursuing assistantships need to complete certain requirements.
• Best practices for graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) The Graduate School recommends guidelines for relationships between faculty and their TAs.

Graduate Assistantship Information for Students

One of the most common sources of funding for graduate students are assistantships, which can support general administrative duties, teaching, or research projects. Assistantship policies are documented in University Policy No. 6210 . A full assistantship requires a student to work for 20 hours per week on average. Departments may also offer partial assistantships. Students may or may not be required to report to work during school breaks. You can find some data on assistantship funding here . 

How to Find an Assistantship

• Many departments evaluate graduate admission applications to match them with available assistantship positions.  Most assistantship opportunities are managed at the department/program level and interested graduate students should contact the program of interest directly regarding funding opportunities. Review assistantship funding data to learn more about assistantship funding by degree level, program, assistantship type and more.
• Current students in the Blacksburg area seeking funding are encouraged to monitor  GLC Weekly listserv postings  for assistantship and wage openings that administrative offices share with the Graduate School. Current students in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area should monitor the D.C. Area Weekly newslette r postings.
• Student Affairs posts its available GA positions on their jobs portal . 

Manage your Assistantship

• Quick guide for new GAs, GRAs, and GTAs.
• Making the Most of Your Assistantship

Types of Assistantships (GA, GTA, GRA)

Graduate Assistant (GA) Graduate Assistants provide academic and program support to academic, administrative or service units of the university. Responsibilities may be administrative in nature and consist of duties not directly related to teaching or research (such as academic advising, program planning, advising student groups, and assisting with the administrative duties of an office). GA responsibilities may also include grading examinations, problem sets, and/or lab assignments, setting up displays for lectures or laboratory sections, and preparing or maintaining equipment used in laboratory sections.

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Graduate Research Assistants conduct academically significant research under the direction of a faculty member who is generally a principal investigator on an external grant or contract. GRAs are awarded by departments and professors who are engaged in research projects. Research assistantships offer exciting opportunities to participate in  ongoing research developments at Virginia Tech . Since GRAs are often funded by sponsored research grants, they may be paid at a higher stipend level than GAs or GTAs. Students enrolled in Research & Dissertation (R & D) credit hours while holding a GRA position are expected to exert significant time and effort toward earning those credits in addition to fulfilling their assistantship duties. Please discuss expectations with your research advisor.

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Graduate Teaching Assistants provide academic program support under the supervision of a faculty member. GTAs may assist faculty in teaching undergraduate courses, including laboratory teaching assignments, or in providing other appropriate professional assistance, including grading examinations, problem sets, and/or lab assignments, setting up displays for lectures and laboratory sections, and preparing or maintaining equipment used in lab sections. GTAs must have 18 hours of graduate-level course work completed in their teaching disciplines to be assigned full responsibility for teaching an undergraduate course. GTAs lacking this training will be assigned to work under the supervision of a faculty member who will be the instructor of record for the course.

The  GTA workshop  is held during the week before the start of each semester. All students holding a GTA appointment are expected to attend at the first available opportunity. 

Assistantship Eligibility Requirements

• Must be enrolled in 12-18 credit hours in fall and spring; audited courses do not count toward fulfilling this requirement.
• Maintain a 3.0 GPA; departmental requirements may be higher (provisional students with a GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 may also receive assistantships). Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 may remain on assistantship if their assistantship employer wishes to continue to support them. Exceptions are made on a semester-by-semester basis by the Graduate School.
• Make satisfactory progress toward degree as defined by academic departments and the Graduate School.
• Meet requirements to be eligible for employment in the U.S. You can find information about employment eligibility verification and tax forms from the Payroll Office, or review their website . 

Assistantship in final semester:

• Students who enroll full-time may remain on their assistantship through the end of the semester in which they defend, regardless of when in the semester they defend and submit their ETD. 
• Students who plan to defend early and leave the university during the fall or spring semester should not be on an assistantship but may be paid on wages or P14 appointment. Resigning early from an assistantship may result in prorated tuition responsibility for the student. Comprehensive fees are not prorated and are not refundable. 
• Students who defend in the summer under SSDE may remain on assistantship in the summer if they were on assistantship in the spring.

Compensation - Overview

The University provides an assistantship compensation package that is comparable with those offered by our peer institutions. The standard components of the compensation package, approved annually by the Board of Visitors, are:

• monthly stipend (paid semi-monthly according to the university's salary payroll schedule )
• in-state tuition scholarship in proportion to the assistantship FTE and contract period
• out-of-state tuition waiver (if eligibility requirements are met)
• health insurance subsidy (if eligibility requirements are met)
• payment plan for comprehensive and CFE fees (see below).

Compensation: Stipend

The stipend table for graduate assistants ranges from Step 1 to Step 50, representing a pay range within which graduate assistants must be paid. Departments determine which pay step to use based on the student's qualifications and experience, academic standing, and availability of funds. Departments have a wide range of stipend options to make competitive offers.

• 2023-24R Full-Time Graduate Assistantship Stipend Table Revised (effective Dec 10, 2023-Aug 9, 2024)
• 2023-24 Full-Time Graduate Assistantship Stipend Table (effective Aug 10, 2023-Dec 9, 2023)
• 2022-23 Full-Time Graduate Assistantship Stipend Table (effective Aug 10, 2022)
• 2021-22 Full-Time Graduate Assistantship Stipend Table  (effective through Aug 9, 2022)

Taxes: Federal and state taxes, if applicable, are withheld from the assistantship stipend check, which is issued semi-monthly at approximately the first and sixteenth of each month. Students on summer assistantships who are not enrolled will be taxed at a higher, non-student rate.

Compensation: In-State Tuition, Library and Technology Fees

During the academic year (Fall/Spring; tuition for summer and winter enrollment not included) students will receive a tuition remission for the in-state tuition, applicable program fee, and library and technology fees for the semester of their assistantship, in proportion to the assistantship appointment FTE and time period. Tuition remission is earned in 4-week increments, with full remission earned when students complete at least 16 weeks of work between the standard assistantship contract dates of the semester. If a student’s total stipend payments for the semester exceeds the combined amount of the standard department stipend amount plus the required in-state tuition, E&G and programs fees and the source of funding prohibits tuition payment, then tuition coverage by the department could be optional and the student would be required to pay their tuition and fee.

Payment of Comprehensive fees and CFE (Commonwealth Facility and Equipment) fees is not provided . Virginia residents should complete the In-State Tuition Request form in order to avoid being charged the CFE fees that out-of-state students are required to pay.

Compensation: Out-of-State Tuition Waiver

Graduate students who earn more than $4000 in an academic year on assistantship appointment(s) may be eligible for a waiver of the out-of-state portion of tuition for the year. This waiver does not apply to the Commonwealth Facility and Equipment (CFE) fee.  Summer earnings on assistantship or wage employment do not count towards meeting the $4000 minimum earnings requirement. Tuition bills from the  Bursar's Office  will show the out-of-state tuition charge and a credit to reflect the out-of-state tuition waiver (may also be referred to as "UF Differential"). Students who are enrolled in programs that have a program-specific graduate tuition rate (such as MIT, MNR, PSALS, and LGMC) are not eligible for the out-of-state waiver, since they are assessed a flat rate that is not residency specific.

The out-of-state tuition waiver is automatically applied to students' accounts when the following three criteria are met (this does not apply to level 46 bachelor's/master's students whose out-of-state tuition cannot be waived):

• the student's appointment (PAF) is entered in Banner by the hiring department
• the student meets the earnings criteria described above
• the student has registered for the semester

Virginia residents do not automatically receive in-state tuition status when they enter a graduate program at Virginia Tech, even if they were undergraduate students at Virginia Tech paying as an in-state resident.   You must submit the In-State Tuition Request form  to be qualified for in-state tuition. Also, any current student being charged out-of-state tuition and wishing to be considered for in-state rates must submit this form .

Eligibility for out-of-state waiver based on assistantship status and earnings:

• Fall: Must be on a GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-Dec 24
• Winter: Must be on a GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-Dec 24, or $4000 or more between Aug 10-May 9
• Spring: Must be on a GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Dec 25-May 9
• Summer: Must have been on a GA/GTA/GRA in immediately preceding spring semester and earned at least $4000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-May 9

Out-of-state tuition differential waiver eligibility chart

Compensation: Health Insurance Benefits

Graduate assistants who maintain at least a 50% assistantship (10 hours per week), may be eligible for health insurance benefits. Visit the Graduate School's  insurance benefits webpage  for additional information. Enrollment in the subsidized health insurance plan is available during the open enrollment period posted by the  Student Medical Insurance office , and after your department has entered your assistantship appointment (PAF) in the HR system. 

Compensation: Payment Plan for Comprehensive and CFE Fees

Comprehensive fees are a mandatory cost of attendance for students enrolling in Blacksburg that support the operation of self-funded (auxiliary enterprise) units providing services for the benefit of all students (recreational sports, Schiffert Health Center, Cook Counseling Center, Blacksburg Transit, etc).  Services covered by these fees are accessible to students only in the semesters when they are enrolled. Students who are not enrolled during the summer semester may have the option of paying for certain individual services directly ( Schiffert Health Center ; Rec Sports ). Students are responsible for comprehensive fees each semester. Out-of-state students must also pay a Commonwealth Facilities & Equipment (CFE) fee. See the  Bursar's web page  for a description of fees. The CFE fee requirement cannot be waived and is not part of the tuition charges.

Graduate students on assistantship appointment may pay their comprehensive and CFE fees in installments through a payment plan during the fall and spring semesters. Enrollment is managed through Hokie SPA and students must sign up each semester in which they wish to take advantage of this opportunity. Enrollment is not available for the summer terms.  Fully integrated with the students account system, the plan debits coincide with university payroll dates and adjust seamlessly with changes to the student account balance. 

Enroll in the payment plan before the payment deadline to avoid late fees.

You may enroll in the plan only after you have registered for classes and after your tuition remission has been entered in the Banner system by the hiring department. If you are unable to enroll in the plan , please contact your assistantship department to ensure that they entered your tuition remission award. The projected debit amount and remaining debit dates will be displayed during the enrollment process.  There is no cost to participate.  Once enrolled in the program, you  cannot cancel unless the balance is paid in full.

Request for Reduced Comprehensive Fees

In recognition of students living and studying away from the Blacksburg campus, comprehensive fees may be reduced for students enrolled in an all virtual schedule or who have only research hours/ independent study not located on campus.  Students must certify that they will reside more than 50 miles from the Blacksburg campus   for the   entire   semester.  More information can be found on the Bursar  website .  To be considered, this form must be submitted by the last day to add courses each semester.

Assistantship Agreement Contract

Students offered an assistantship must electronically sign the Graduate Assistantship Contract, which is a contract between the student and department. Assistantship contracts can be accessed through onecampus.vt.edu , Graduate Contracts. All contracts stipulate start and end dates, type of appointment, monthly stipend, percentage of tuition remission, whether the student is expected to work during school breaks, and any other special conditions. 

Performance Expectations

As with most professional appointments, work-time may vary from week to week. Students on a full assistantship (also referred to as 100%, 1 FTE), are expected to work an average of 20 hours/week during their contract period. Specific work assignments are provided by the employing departments. Contact your assistantship supervisor to discuss performance expectations; work schedule; first and last day of work for a semester (which may be different from the standard contract start/end dates); whether you need to work during school breaks, and other details.

Students enrolled in Research & Dissertation (R & D) credit hours while holding an assistantship position are expected to exert significant time and effort toward earning those credits in addition to fulfilling their assistantship duties. Please discuss expectations with your research advisor.

Financial Aid Reporting Requirement for Students with Assistantships

Students receiving financial aid need to report their assistantship compensation, including stipend, tuition scholarship, and out of state waiver, to their financial aid counselors.

Accepting Additional Employment

Graduate students on full assistantships are not prohibited from seeking additional employment (some restrictions apply: assistantships cannot be combined with P14 appointments; immigration regulations further govern  international student employment). Students should consult with their academic advisor and/or assistantship supervisor as applicable regarding the fulfillment of their assistantship and graduate study responsibilities. Students must notify the Graduate School about any additional employment, including the period of employment, name and contact of employer, and job title or short description of duties. Use the online tool for reporting:

Access the Additional Employment Reporting Tool .

Special Categories of Graduate Assistant

Five-year bachelor/master's students can hold assistantships in the last semester of their senior year and receive an in-state tuition scholarship, but their out-of-state fees cannot be waived. Bachelor/Master's students in the last semester of their senior year (level 46 students) who are offered assistantships cannot accept funds from the undergraduate scholarship funds and the graduate scholarship funds concurrently. Departments should discuss with each student the scholarship options before awarding an assistantship and issuing an agreement.

Termination of Contract

When a contract is terminated prior to its end date, the department must inform the Graduate School using this  form .

Tuition Obligation When Students Leave Assistantship

Except in cases where the student is withdrawing from the university for family/medical reasons, if an assistantship is terminated prior to the completion of the academic semester, the remission of tuition and E&G fees will be prorated in four week increments, with each quarter of tuition earned by the completion of four full weeks of work and full remission earned only if the student completes the assistantship (16 full weeks or more in a semester). Other benefits, such as health insurance subsidy and out-of-state tuition waiver, will be recalculated based on eligibility requirements, and the student will be billed for the remaining balance.

The table below details the tuition obligations for students who leave the assistantship appointment before the semester is complete. The table is also available in  pdf format .

Assistantship Contract Dates

Standard assistantship contract start and end dates are the same each year to provide 9 pay periods a semester regardless of the actual semester start/end dates. Assistantship benefits such as the health insurance subsidy are distributed evenly through the 18 pay periods in an academic year. Your reporting to work date and last day of work might be different from the contract start/end dates, including starting to work later than the contract start date and working some days beyond the official contract end date. Work with your supervisor on determining the actual start/end dates.

Standard assistantship appointments:  Academic Year:             Aug 10 through May 9 Fall Semester:               Aug 10 through Dec 24 Spring Semester:         Dec 25 through May 9 Summer:                       May 10 through August 9

Departments must specify whether a student is to work over school- or semester breaks. Students may be offered assistantships at any time of year. Tuition remission is prorated based on percentage and length of contract. 

For assistantships starting on Aug 10, the first paycheck is on Sep 1. 

Summer Changes to Deductions and Services

Changes to deductions.

Virginia Tech follows the safe harbor outlined in Revenue Procedure 2005-11.  All graduate students employed by and enrolled at VT in at least 5 credit hours in fall/spring/summer will be exempt from FICA taxes; students who are not enrolled in the summer while on assistantship are subject to FICA taxes on their earnings. Students who work during breaks and are not enrolled will have Social Security and Medicare withheld from their pay over the break.

Access to services

Services such as recreational sports, Schiffert Health Center, Cook Counseling Center, Student Legal Services, etc., are covered by comprehensive fees, which are mandatory when students are enrolled. If not enrolled in the summer, students on summer assistantship have the option of paying for certain services directly ( Cook Counseling ;  Schiffert Health Center ;  Rec Sports ) if they wish to use these. Day-use charges for Cook Counseling and Schiffert Health Center are reimburseable by the Aetna Student Insurance sponsored by VT, regardless of how often the service is used. However, payment of the full summer health services fee is not a reimbursable expense. For more information on reimbursable expenses, contact the Student Medical Insurance office at [email protected]; 540-231-6226.

Accommodations

For workplace accommodations, graduate assistants should contact the Office for Equity and Accessibility  at  [email protected] or call 540-231-1048. This also includes potential accommodations related to pregnancy, complications of pregnancy, and childbirth, as covered by the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) . Reasonable accommodations under the PWFA may include flexible working hours, appropriately sized uniforms and safety apparel, exemption from strenuous activities or other adjustments. For additional guidance regarding the PWFA,  review the VT PWFA guide  or direct questions to OEA at  [email protected]  or 540-231-2010.

For academic accommodations, graduate assistants should contact The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at  [email protected] or call 540-231-3788. 

Work-Life Grants

The  Work-Life Grant Program  provides temporary financial assistance to departments to enable them to continue support for graduate students during pregnancy and childbirth or potentially other major medical issues. 

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Contact us at  [email protected]  if you have questions or need assistance.

For the latest news on available assistantships, read the GLC-programs weekly listserv , published every Monday.  

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Doctoral handbook

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• Graduate Student Assistantships

Assistantships are graduate financial support (aid) in the form of student employment, earning compensation for the performance of research, teaching, or course support services to the University while students continue their academic and professional development. A salary is paid twice per month (i.e., bimonthly) through University Payroll. In addition, a tuition allowance is awarded that covers partial to full tuition depending upon the student’s level of employment (i.e., the total number of weekly hours worked).

The types of assistantship appointments available to graduate students are as a Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant, and Teaching Affiliate.

The assistantship level or percentage is determined by the amount of weekly hours worked. For example, a student who works 20 hours per week is a 50% assistant (i.e., half of 40 hours or 100% employment). Likewise, a student who works 10 hours per week is a 25% assistant. The most common assistantships are offered at the 25% and 50% levels, though there are variations. While enrolled in 8 to 10 units, Stanford students cannot exceed the 50% assistantship level during the regular academic year (Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters). This is a University-wide policy applicable to all graduate students. In summers, however, students can work up to the 90% assistantship level, which translates to 36 hours per week with a minimum course enrollment of 3 units. See the Summer Funding section for more details.

A University committee determines the policies, salary structure, and terms of graduate student assistantships. In addition, GSE reserves the right to clarify and augment these regulations.

In relation to the GSE guaranteed funding policy, a student’s work performance in assistantships will be part of the student’s yearly academic progress review. The review determines whether the student’s funding may continue, conditional upon satisfactory performance in research work, for another year.

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Assistantship Information

Graduate Assistants (GAs) are, first and foremost, graduate students pursuing an education. The opportunity to work closely with faculty members and undergraduate students in teaching, research, or administrative environments is an integral part of that education.

Graduate students who hold assistantships benefit educationally and professionally. They gain further expertise in their field; enhance their research skills and develop pedagogical skills; acquire experience in leadership, interpersonal effectiveness, and performance evaluation; acquire academic administrative experience; and enjoy collegial collaborations with advisors that may result in joint publications and other professional activities. Skills learned in assistantships prepare students not only for the academy, but also for corporate, government, and nonprofit organizations.

Assistantships also provide graduate students with the financial resources necessary to pursue their degrees. This financial support—stipend, tuition remission, and benefits—is part of the University’s commitment to the success of our graduate students. Graduate Assistant stipend levels  are reviewed each year.

Please visit the  Office of the Student Financial Aid website  for information about other student financial aid.

The official title of Graduate Assistant is used in all university documents, but, in general practice, Graduate Assistants are referred to either as Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs), Graduate Research Assistants (RAs), or Graduate Administrative Assistants (AAs). Additionally, a small number of Graduate Assistants serve as resident life counselors. Qualified graduate students often move between these kinds of appointments during their graduate education.

For full details, please see  Policies for Graduate Assistantships .

Teaching Assistantships

The specific duties of Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) vary across disciplines and departments. For the majority of teaching assistants, however, assignments and responsibilities fall into four categories:

• Assuming teaching responsibility for a laboratory or discussion session of a course; 
• Assuming teaching responsibility for a classroom section of a multi-sectional course, under the close supervision of the director(s) of the course; 
• Assisting a faculty member in the grading, advising, and administrative duties necessary for a course(s); 
• Assisting in general departmental administrative duties, such as advising or the administration of community programs, workshops, etc.

Within a department, the particular assignment depends on the department’s needs and the experience and academic qualifications of the TA. All graduate TAs serving in any capacity are under the direction and close supervision of a member of the faculty.

Research Assistantships

The specific duties of Graduate Research Assistants (RAs) vary according to the nature of the research project in which they participate and the source of the funding. RAs may occasionally be asked to conduct some work at home or to do their research at times when classes are not officially in session. The duties of RAs are also performed under the close direction and supervision of a member of the faculty.

Administrative Assistantships

A number of academic and non-academic units employ Graduate Administrative Assistants (AAs), generally to perform administrative support functions in an office setting. Such positions are expected to have a research or professional development component. Some administrative appointments are for less than one academic year.

Tips and Other Opportunities

• There is no centralized posting of all available assistantships on campus; however, many are listed on the  University Human Resources ejobs website .
• There are also a small number of positions available on campus as  Resident Life Graduate Assistants . 
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Teaching and Research Assistantships

Doctoral students are eligible for support in the form of departmental Teaching Assistantships (TAs) and Research Assistantships (RAs), contingent upon satisfactory progression through the program and the availability of funds. It is expected that the program will provide a TA to students in their first two years and that a student’s advisor will obtain research funds for an RA for subsequent years. To avoid financial burden, TA support for eligible Ph.D. students will be guaranteed for 8 semesters, and provided on an as available basis in subsequent semesters. Detailed UNC Charlotte policies regarding assistanships are on the Graduate School web page.

Every eligible student with an assistantship (TA or RA) also receives a tuition waiver and health insurance (GASP award). GASP awards are available for up to 10 semesters.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS:

The PhD Program has Teaching Assistantships (TAs) available for full-standing students for $22,000/academic year. The student must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. A TA in the Department of Biological Sciences is a competitive award. Renewal of a TA position is contingent upon satisfactory evaluations of teaching performance and satisfactory progression through the program.

Several Teaching Assistantships are available for summer sessions (summer TAs), and students may apply for these by contacting the Graduate Program Director. Salary for summer TAs is awarded in addition to the amount awarded for the fall and spring semesters. Summer TAs do not require that the student be enrolled in summer courses.

Workload and duties of a TA: A regular TA contract is for 20 hours/week for the semester. The standard workload includes teach two lab sections/week (6 in-class hrs), attend weekly prep sessions (1-2 hrs/week), plus time spent on lecture prep, lab report and quiz grading, and office hours. To meet the 20 hrs/week designated in the contracts, it is expected that TAs also assist the faculty supervisor with proctoring and/or grading lecture exams, when requested. If teh faculty supervisor requests assistance, the TA must provide it unless there are time conflicts with the student’s own course schedules or the 20hrs/week has been meet. TAs are required to respond to all faculty supervisor emails. TA evaluations are performed at the end of each semester. Outstanding TAs are recognized each year at the annual Biologicla Sciences symposium.

• A faculty major advisor should have no more than 2 students holding a TA position.
• Students who have a TA position in association with a GASP award (Graduate Assistant Support Package) must enroll for 9 credit hours per semester. After obtaining 72 hrs and Advancement to Candidacy the student may enroll in GRAD9800 for 3 credit hours per semester.
• New applicants: to receive full consideration for financial support for the fall semester, all application materials should be received by the Graduate School by no later than January 15 for the Fall seemster of entry or July 1 for spring semester of entry. Applications received after the deadline will be considered for financial aid only if funds are available.

RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS:

Research Assistantships (RAs) are highly competitive and will afford the student to dedicate full time effort (maximum allowed 20 hrs per week) to dissertation research. RA awards be available to Ph.D. students at the discretion of the major advisor and depending on the funding of research grants by the Doctoral Faculty. Applications for RAs are filed with faculty members holding the grants.

UNC CHarlotte Competitive Fellowships (NOMINATion required):

Several highly competitive awards are open to doctoral students at UNC Charlotte. The following fellowships require a Graduate Program Director nomination in the NinerScholar’s Portal. Competitive applicants selected for nomination by our program will be contacted upon acceptance to the program. Once a student is admitted and provides an intent to enroll, the Graduate Programs Director will be able to submit a nomination to give students enough time to complete their application. To nominate a student, please visit https://ninerscholars.charlotte.edu/Nominate/ . The Nomination Portal contains a link to the User Instructions. These instructions include information on uploading recommendation letters.

Herschel and Cornelia Everett Foundation First-Year Graduate Fellowship

This Fellowship was established in 2001 by the Everett family trust to support their value on education and to foster the growth of UNC Charlotte. Through the continued support of their daughter, Ann E. Belk, the foundation works to help graduate students actualize their career goals. Doctoral student award provides $18,500 service-free stipend for first year; full tuition support and health insurance for up to 5 years.

• Department must provide a qualifying graduate assistantship years 2-5
• Minimum Undergraduate GPA of 3.2-4.0
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident; Preference given to North Carolina or South Carolina residents
• Admitted for summer or fall 2020; Full-time enrollment

Wayland H. Cato Jr. First-Year Doctoral Fellowship

This Fellowship was established in 2004 by the Wayland H. Cato Jr. Foundation to recruit exceptionally talented newly admitted graduate students into doctoral programs at UNC Charlotte. Award provides $18,500 service-free stipend for first year, full tuition support and health insurance for up to 5 years.

• Preference will be given to domestic students who show evidence of the potential to make a significant contribution to society by completing their terminal degree their chosen discipline
• Preference give to first generation graduate students
• Demonstrated financial need
• Minimum GPA of 3.0-4.0

Admitted for summer or fall 2020; Must enroll full-time (9 or more graduate credit hours) fall and spring semesters

William F. Kennedy Graduate Fellowship

This Scholarship was established by Dr. William F. Kennedy, a former professor in the College of Business, for UNC Charlotte students who have financial need and demonstrate academic promise. Award provides $18,500 service-free stipend for first year, full tuition support and health insurance.

UNC Charlotte Competitive Fellowships (matched by eligibility):

The following competitive fellowhips are open to new and continuing students. Students (new and continuing) will need to log in to the NinerScholars site at http://scholarships.charlotte.edu/ and complete an applicant profile before they can be matched to any awards or see the awards they are eligible for. Newly admitted students may use their AdmissionPros ID number when applying if an 800/801 number has not yet been issued.​ All application materials will be submitted through the NinerScholars portal. Students will automatically be matched to the following fellowships and scholarships based on their eligibility criteria. ​​ If the student meets the criteria, the application can be completed and submitted for the award competition. Please visit https://graduateschool.charlotte.edu/funding/fellowships for more information.

Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation-Year Graduate Fellowship

The Giles Dissertation-Year Fellowship is awarded to promising students in the final stages of their doctoral work who demonstrate strong potential to make a significant contribution to society by completing the terminal degree in their chosen discipline. The purpose of the fellowship is to allow students to focus full-time on the dissertation, thus improving quality and shortening the time required to complete the doctoral degree. Lucille Giles valued graduate education and established this fellowship in 1990 to support graduate students in the STEM programs. Mrs. Giles earned a master’s degree in chemistry and had a special interest in the sciences. Students create an application profile through the University Scholarship Office’s NinerScholars Portal at https://ninerscholars.charlotte.edu/ . Students will be matched to the Giles Fellowship based on initial eligibility criteria. If the students feel that they meet the additional requirements for the Fellowship, they can then apply for the award.

Award Amount: $20,000 fellowship plus $1,000 for travel. Includes health insurance, and full tuition, and fees (does not include tuition increments)

Eligibility :

• Continuing, full-time doctoral students with at least 42 hours of graduate coursework completed
• Demonstrated academic excellence
• US citizen or permanent resident
• Evidence that funding is suficient for completing degree

Application Requirements :

1. Half-page autobiographical sketch 2. Two-page (maximum) dissertation synopsis written for a “lay audience;” synopsis must address significance of the student’s research to a field of study listed in Appendix of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Fields of Study 3. Academic timeline with projected date of completion 4. Letter of support from student’s advisor addressing how student meets program objectives and eligibility requirements (three-page limit) 5. Letter of endorsement from Graduate Program Director

Dr. Craig R. Brown Graduate Fellowship

$2,000 grant plus NC resident tuition for a first-year US resident master’s or doctoral student conducting research to address societal issues.

Zonta Club Scholarship

$1,000 grant for a first year US resident master’s or doctoral students to recognize, encourage, and support students pursuing study and professional careers.

Joanna R. Baker Memorial Graduate Fellowship

A $3,000 grant for master’s or doctoral mathematical, computer science or information technology research, plus $750 travel allowance.

DRReaM Graduate Fellowship.

$1,000 needs-based award for a master’s or doctoral student in a health-related program.

Faye Jacques Memorial Graduate Fellowship.

$1,000 needs-based grant to a master’s or doctoral student.

Claudia M. Reynolds Graduate Fellowship

$1,000 award for non-traditional master’s or doctoral students.

Thomas L. Reynolds Graduate Student Research Award

Up to $1,500 for doctoral or master’s students to assist with costs often overlooked in other funding sources.

The Graduate School Summer Fellowship Program (GSSF):

Purpose: To provide students with financial support during a time when they may be most productive yet have the fewest funding options: the summer. Students will utilize the three summer months to dedicate significant effort to their research project, thereby making timely progress to the degree. The GSSF is designed to replace a TA or other summer job that takes the student away from their research. The award will provide $6,000 ($2,000 per month) paid at the end of May, provided eligibility has been met. Upload your Project Proposal and other application components with the form.

Eligibility:

• Doctoral student
• Enrolled full-time in the current academic year with GASP support
• Pass qualifying exam and proposal defense by the spring semester deadline
• Hold an eligible graduate assistantship in the following fall semester
• GPA 3.0 or greater
• Will not hold a summer job or assistantship
• You are eligible to apply for the GSSF even if you have had it before.

Application Components and Procedure

It must include:

• · An introduction to the current state of the field,
• · The significance and novelty of the project,
• · Gaps in knowledge and questions/hypotheses to be addressed,
• · Tools used to address them,
• · Potential significance of the outcome to your field of study.
• Timeline : Submit a timeline illustrating your plans for completing the project. The timeline may include dates beyond the summer, leading to your graduation.
• Time to Degree: Indicate your year and semester of anticipated graduation.
• Letter of Support : Ask your PhD advisor to send an email in support of your application, and confirming his/her availability to provide support (direction, advising, supervision, mentoring) over the summer.

A committee will review applications and provide decisions no later than April 15th.

Criteria for Awarding the GSSF.

• Quality of proposal:

a. Explanation of novelty and significance of the proposal: Introduction to the field, why it is important; Gap in knowledge identified

b. Hypotheses or questions the project aims to answer: How will the above be tested/answered? Novel approaches or techniques identified

c. Overall significance of the project articulated (not judging the significance, but the student’s ability to articulate a significance)

• Letter of support

a. Advisor’s level of commitment to the student’s summer research

b. Advisor’s ability to mentor/guide/work with the student

• Progress since last year’s GSSF, if student participated in former years

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMER FELLOWSHIP (PDSF) FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS

Summer 2020. The $5,000 summer fellowship is designed for doctoral students who have completed their qualifying/comprehensive exam but need summer support to help develop and/or complete their dissertation proposals. The purpose of the fellowship is to allow students to work on their dissertation project proposals , and any necessary research, in order to successfully defend their project proposals in upcoming semesters. This is a very competitive fellowship; many more students are eligible than we can fund. ( https://forms.gle/Uq1vmkwe2Fw7ijmRA )

Doctoral (PhD) students who meet the following criteria are invited to apply:

• Are in good standing with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or above
• Enrolled full-time in Spring and plan to be enrolled full-time in Fall
• Have or will successfully complete their comprehensive exam by May 15th
• Have not completed their project proposal defense
• Have completed the proposal defense course(s) for their programs, if required
• Must agree to not hold a TA during the summer. An RA is allowable, only with the student’s dissertation advisor.

Benefits of Participation:

• Students receive a fellowship award of $5,000, divided equally in the first half term and second half term of the summer semester, in addition to any assistantship stipend they may receive from their academic unit (RA with dissertation advisor only).
• Students will prepare a draft of their dissertation proposal, and upload it into the application form by July 17th. The second payment of the fellowship requires this draft upload that meets the minimum requirements. Dissertation proposal drafts must be a minimum length of 7 pages , including citations (bibliography), and may be prose or a detailed outline.
• The student will be required to attend a session at the Center for Graduate Life, or the Writing Resources Center, for professional feedback and editing help to develop a second draft of the proposal. We will communicate the details to awardees.

Application components

• Specific steps for the student to complete the proposal
• Evaluation of the student’s timeline – is it appropriate?
• Planned supervision of the student over the summer
• Introduction to their field of study and its importance
• Known gaps to be addressed by the student
• A timeline to proposal defense including any progress made to date
• Proposal course required for the degree program, if any, and when it was completed
• Challenges to completing the proposal and possible solutions to address them
• No more than 500 words

What are the selection criteria?

• Is the student making good progress toward their degree?
• Does the student have support for the summer from their dissertation advisor?
• Is the student’s letter of interest of high quality , having addressed all the components and staying within the word limit?

Teaching Assistantships:

• A faculty major advisor should have no more than 2 PhD students holding a TA position.

Research Assistantships:

• OU Homepage
• The University of Oklahoma

Graduate Assistantship

WHAT IS A GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP?

Select a topic using the dropdown below.

Graduate assistantships provide students with the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience while helping cover the cost of their education.

Many academic units and other administrative areas employ graduate students on a part-time basis as graduate assistants. Graduate assistantships are awarded and governed by the individual appointing units. Some assistantships are open for student applications and are posted on the student job board .  For questions about assistantship opportunities, contact your graduate program . 

REQUIREMENTS & INFORMATION

Graduate Assistants who will be reappointed for Fall need to complete payroll paperwork, including a new I-9 and Loyalty Oath, in early August if they were terminated by their department for the summer. In order to be paid on the August Monthly payroll, the necessary paperwork must be in Payroll by the August deadline. This means your reappointment paperwork, new I-9 and Loyalty Oath must be completed and in OU Human Resources , Nuclear Engineering Lab (NEL), 905 Asp Ave., Room 122 or through Remote Onboarding with OU Human Resources .

Graduate Assistants who are placed on Leave of Absence Without Pay for the summer and return to their GTA or GRA position in the Fall will not be required to complete a new I-9 or Loyalty Oath.  The department must provide Payroll and Employee Services with a Personnel Action Form returning the GTA or GRA from the Leave of Absence Without Pay.

To be eligible for the Student Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) Exemption, students must be enrolled at least half-time by August 5 for fall semester, January 5 for spring semester, or June 5 for summer semester. FICA taxes will not be refunded to student employees who fail to be enrolled in the appropriate number of class hours by the aforementioned deadlines.

Note:  Courses through the Extended Campus, this includes the College of Professional and Continuing Studies (formerly OU Outreach/College of Continuing Education) and OU North America and Europe (formerly Advanced Programs) courses OU North America & Europe (Advanced Programs) and/or the Center for Independent and Distance Learning (whether online or in-person) are not eligible credit hours for exemption from FICA.

In order to be a Qualifying Graduate Assistant (QGA) and eligible for QGA benefits, students must: 

• Be admitted to a graduate degree program
• Hold a minimum .50 FTE* graduate assistant appointment through an academic unit for the entire semester (from the first day of class to the last day of final exams.) The appointment(s) can be a graduate research assistant (GRA) and/or graduate teaching assistant (GTA). 
• Be enrolled in 5 hours during each semester of the appointment (fall and spring)

*A .50 FTE graduate assistantship may consist of a combined appointment from multiple units on campus (e.g., two .25 FTE assistantships).

Students must be enrolled in classes by August 5 in the fall and January 5 in the spring  to be eligible for the Student FICA Exemption on the August and January paychecks. The FICA payroll taxes cannot be refunded for late class enrollment.

Qualifying graduate assistants are eligible for a waiver of up to the total number of hours required for the graduate program, provided they meet the eligibility requirements for QGAs.  

Tuition waivers  do not  cover: 

• University fees (estimate the cost of fees using the  Tuition and Fees Calculator ) 
• Tuition for OU Online programs and courses
• Tuition for Extended Campus (formerly Liberal Studies) courses
• Tuition for OU North America and Europe (formerly Advanced Programs) courses
• Tuition for College of Professional and Continuing Studies (formerly OU Outreach) courses
• Tuition for College of Law courses
• Audited courses 
• OU Health Science Center professional degrees

Students and courses in the following programs  are not  eligible for tuition waivers:

• All OU Online programs and courses
• Master of Arts in TESOL
• Professional Master of Arts in TESOL
• Simultaneous accelerated programs

More details on tuition waivers and costs not covered can be found in section 4.3.3.1 of the Graduate College Bulletin . 

Qualifying graduate assistants are eligible for a student health insurance waiver. To participate in the health insurance plan, students must enroll by certain deadlines. For more information, contact the Student Health Plan Office at [email protected] ,  405-325-9196, or visit their website .

Student health insurance cannot be provided to students who reside outside of Oklahoma. 

To work more than .50 FTE (full-time equivalent), graduate research and teaching assistants must have prior approval of the OU Graduate College. Approval is required for any .50 FTE graduate assistant who does any additional paid work for OU, including supplemental pay. 

How to Request to Appoint a Graduate Assistant Over .50 FTE

• Complete the electronic   Request to Appoint a Graduate Assistant over .50 FTE form with the signature of the advisor, graduate liaison, or chair of the student's academic unit
• If there are questions, please contact Ashley Herndon at (405) 325-3811 or [email protected]
• Students and departments will be notified of the determination by the Graduate College via email.

Responsibility of the Graduate Student to Submit the  Request to Appoint a Graduate Assistant Over .50 FTE

• Since graduate assistants appointed over .50 FTE often hold a combination of appointments in various departments,  it is the responsibility of the graduate student to submit the  Request to Appoint a Graduate Assistant over .50 FTE  form to the OU Graduate College for approval prior to the start of the semester.
• Approvals are granted for one term, so this request process must be completed prior to the start of  each  semester that a graduate assistantship total FTE exceeds .50. 

Eligibility

• Graduate students may not be appointed over .70 FTE at any time.
• Graduate assistants appointed at .70 FTE cannot work for the university in any other capacity, including supplemental pay.
• Students must be in good academic standing.
• The assistantship(s) must be relevant to the student’s program of study or advisory conference report.
• The assistantship(s) must not impede the student’s progress towards the degree.
• Students are generally not approved to work over .50 FTE during the first semester of graduate-level coursework.
• International students on a student visa  are not  eligible to exceed .50 FTE during the fall and spring semesters and cannot work for the university in any other capacity, including supplemental pay.
• International students on a student visa are eligible to exceed .50 during summer and winter intersession.
• Requests are not required for summer appointments which will exceed .50 FTE.

Tracking Compliance of Graduate Assistantships Exceeding .50 FTE

• Two weeks into the start of each semester, OU Payroll and Employee Services will generate a report of all graduate assistants who are appointed over .50 FTE. Students with appointments exceeding .50 FTE which were not approved by the OU Graduate College will be notified that a request to the Graduate College is required. Students will then be given one week to submit the  Request to Appoint a Graduate Assistant over .50 FTE   form to the Graduate College for review. 

Supplemental Pay

• Departments may not effectively increase a graduate assistant’s FTE via supplemental pay. The Graduate College must approve supplemental pay requests for graduate assistants.

Graduate assistants with a total .50 FTE (full-time equivalent) or greater, may be eligible to enroll in   fewer than 5 hours of coursework (3 hours for summer) during their final semester and still be considered full-time for the purpose of maintaining eligibility for a tuition waiver and FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) tax exemption. This helps students avoid paying fees for coursework beyond the hours needed for completion of their degree.

Graduate assistants may receive a one-semester exemption from the FICA tax if they declare their final semester with the Graduate College by completing the online Graduate Assistant Final Semester Declaration form below.  This form may be completed one time only.

• Summer  graduates enrolled in less than 3 hours must complete the   online form   no later than May 22   to receive the FICA tax exemption on their summer paychecks.
• Fall  graduates enrolled in less than 5 hours must complete the   online form no later than July 24 to receive the FICA tax exemption on their August paycheck, or by August 25 to receive the FICA tax exemption on their September paycheck, and students must also be enrolled by August 5.
• Spring  graduates enrolled in less than 5 hours must complete the online form no later than December 31   to receive the FICA tax exemption on their January paycheck, and   be enrolled by January 5.

Should a student declare their final semester with the Graduate College but not graduate in that semester,  the student will no longer be eligible to retain full-time student status with reduced enrollment.

The Graduate College will report to the Office of Financial Aid any students who have self-identified the current semester as their final semester. Students should contact the  Student Financial Center   for enrollment requirements regarding financial aid eligibility and student loan deferment information.

For International Graduate Assistants

All international graduate students must also obtain separate approval for a reduced course load from   International Student Services   in their final semester.

Graduate Assistant Final Semester (online)

Appointment Information

A graduate assistant (GA) is a graduate student appointed to the title Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA). To qualify for Graduate Assistant Benefits, GAs must hold a minimum .50FTE (full-time equivalent) appointment the entire semester and be enrolled in at least 5 credit hours during the fall and spring terms. See the Final Semester Enrollment requirements below for more details. 

Graduate Assistant Benefits

Qualifying graduate assistants (QGAs) are eligible for a stipend, tuition waiver, and basic  student health insurance . 

Tuition waivers are called waivers because your tuition is “waived.” Tuition is still charged to your account until the waiver is applied. Tuition waivers  do not  cover   university fees. Estimate the cost of fees using the  Tuition and Fees Calculator .

GTA Orientation

All newly appointed GTAs at OU are required to complete the Graduate College's New GTA Orientation . This includes GTAs whose duties are grading-only.

This training is not the same as ETCS certification for some international GAs. For questions about orientation, contact [email protected] .

GRADUATE TUITION WAIVERS

Tuition waivers for qualifying graduate assistants (QGA) are automatically applied to a student's account within the first three weeks of classes. If a graduate assistant changes enrollment after a tuition waiver has been applied, the waiver will automatically get adjusted within 5 business days . 

Email [email protected]  with questions about tuition waivers. 

TUITION WAIVER LIMITS

Qualifying GAs are eligible for a waiver of up to the total number of hours required for the graduate program. Doctoral students also in a master’s program are eligible for the total number of hours required for the doctoral degree.

CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT

Tuition waivers are calculated on the number of hours a student is enrolled in at the time the waiver is awarded. If a student's enrollment increases or decreases, tuition waiver adjustments will be made within five business days.

SUMMER WAIVERS

Students who held or will hold a qualifying appointment in the preceding spring or following fall semester will be eligible for a waiver in the summer, provided they have not exhausted their maximum allowable waiver.

HOW WAIVERS ARE AWARDED

• The student will receive an offer letter for a Graduate Assistantship, once that offer letter has been accepted and all paperwork has been completed, QGAs will be awarded a tuition waiver. 
• Tuition Waivers for QGAs are automatically applied to a student's account within the first three weeks of classes.
• If a graduate assistant changes enrollment after a tuition waiver has been applied, the waiver will automatically get adjusted within 5 business days.
• Tuition waivers are factored into a student's overall financial aid package.
• The student is responsible for any tuition not covered by the waiver.

NEW GTA ORIENTATION

The OU Graduate College provides the New Graduate Teaching Assistant Orientation each fall and spring semester for all newly appointed GTAs. 

The New GTA Orientation is  required  for all newly appointed GTAs, including those in supporting roles where their duties are primarily grading and/or holding office hours. 

Failure to complete this orientation will result in an enrollment hold being placed on the GTA's account for the following semester. 

The Fall 2024 New GTA Orientation has an online and in-person component. The online component will be hosted via Canvas asynchronously. For the in-person component of the orientation, all participants must attend one of the synchronous New GTA Orientation workshops, offered in the first six weeks of the semester. Workshop details will be provided via the Canvas platform approximately two weeks prior to the start of the Fall 2024 semester.

Registrants will be added to the Fall 2024 orientation's Canvas platform starting on July 22nd, 2024  and new GTAs will have between 2 and 5 weeks to complete the online component of the orientation, depending on when they register.

For questions regarding the New GTA Orientation, email [email protected] . 

Registration for the Fall 2024 New GTA Orientation will open Monday, June 24th, 2024. 

Register Here Starting June 24th, 2024

For International GTAs

This orientation is not the same as the English language certification required for some international teaching assistants. For information about this certification, visit the  ETCS website.

For additional questions regarding the New GTA Orientation, please email  [email protected] .

To access the registration form, you must use your OU Net ID and password. You can set up your OU Net ID and password by following the instructions at  OU Information Technology . 

If you are experiencing any issues obtaining your OU Net ID and password, please  contact OU Internet Technology .

OFFER LETTER TEMPLATES

If you have questions about offer letters, contact the Graduate Personnel and Finance Coordinator, Ashley Herndon .

For offering applicants admission to the university with the invitation to participate as a Research Assistant.

DOWNLOAD (.DOC)

For inviting students admitted to the university to participate as a Graduate Research Assistant.

For GRA positions that are not considered a Qualifying Graduate Assistantship.

For offering applicants admission to the university with the invitation to participate as a Teaching Assistant.

For inviting students admitted to the university to participate as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

For GTA positions that are not considered a Qualifying Graduate Assistantship.

They are eligible for the waiver in the semesters they are appointed (plus summer) as a qualifying GA (.50 FTE assistantship for the full semester).

Starting August 1, 2023, the minimum rate for .50 FTE graduate assistants is $1,152.50 monthly or $13,830.00 annually.

Contact your hiring unit to verify your remaining hours of waiver.

If you have credit hours remaining, and the waiver is still not showing on your OU Bursar statement after the third week of the semester, contact the Graduate College at  [email protected]  or 405-325-3811 for assistance.

Hiring units have access to a report of each student and their remaining hours of waiver. Students can also contact  [email protected]  to verify waiver eligibility.

If a student is placed on academic probation or fails to make satisfactory progress toward their degree, the student may lose the tuition waiver award. A student who fails to enroll in the minimum number of required hours for the entire semester (fall and spring) will lose the tuition waiver award. If a student fails to have a qualifying graduate assistantship appointment for the entire semester (fall and spring), the student will lose any waiver dependent on that appointment.

OU Bursar Services will send you an e-refund or a check for the amount of your waiver(s) once it appears on your bill.

The hours from the uncompleted degree that apply to the new degree will reduce the limit for the new degree.

Norman campus will be transitioning all employees who are currently paid on a monthly pay schedule to a biweekly schedule between April 2024 and August 2024. The affected populations include salaried staff, 12-month academic appointments, 9-month academic appointments, graduate assistants, and monthly-paid student employees. For questions and resources, please visit their webpage, https://www.ou.edu/payroll/monthly-to-biweekly-pay-transition or contact [email protected] .   

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Teaching and research assistantships.

Assistantships are available on a limited basis in most graduate programs. These positions provide funds for many master’s and doctoral students. Each department or program has its own requirements and expectations for their assistants and fellows. Most require 20 hours of work per week and many assistantship positions include health insurance eligibility.

To inquire about or to apply for departmental support, contact your department or your academic graduate advisor .

Types of Assistantships

• Teaching Fellow (TF) : Teaching fellows have direct student contact in a formal instructional setting and are charged with primary responsibility for teaching a course for credit under the direct supervision of a faculty member or chair, receiving regular in-service training and planned and periodic evaluations. Teaching fellows are listed as the instructor of record.
• To help prepare students for their teaching roles, we have developed a page of teaching resources .
• Research Assistant (RA) : Research assistants are graduate students who are engaged in research activities under the direction and supervision of a principal investigator or faculty working on research.
• Graduate Services Assistant (GSA) : Graduate assistants are graduate students whose responsibilities may be administrative in nature or consist of other activities that do not generally fit within the TF, TA or RA job responsibilities.

The University recognizes the essential need to provide adequate benefits to sustain the graduate student and his/her family while the student pursues his/her studies.  Benefit plans will be offered for assistantships for domestic and international students who meet the eligibility requirements of the benefit plans.

Tuition Benefit Program

The Tuition Benefit Program (TBP) is one of several programs UNT has developed to provide support for graduate students as they pursue their studies. The TBP provides a tuition supplement for eligible recipients.  Because this award is tied to employment as a Graduate Assistant, hiring departments—not the Toulouse Graduate School—determine  which graduate assistants receive the tuition benefit and the award amount.   Please contact your hiring department for more details. Click here for more information about the program.

Non-Resident Tuition Waivers

Many students who receive an assistantship and are classified as non-resident/out-of-state are eligible to have non-resident/out-of-state tuition waived and will pay tuition at the resident/in-state rate through an employment waiver. This waiver is submitted each semester by your awarding department to the Toulouse Graduate School.

After residing in the state for 12 consecutive months, a student may apply for reclassification as a resident for tuition purposes provided unequivocal proof of establishment of domicile in Texas. For more information on reclassification, as well as documentation required, please visit the Registrar's Office website .

Health Benefits

The two available health insurance plans are the State’s Uniform Group Insurance Plan administered by the Employee’s Retirement System (ERS) and the University’s Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan administered by Aetna. More information on health benefits can be found on the insurance site page .

Uniform Group Insurance Program (ERS)

Graduate students, whether domestic or international, who are employed in a salaried capacity that requires graduate student status for at least .5 FTE are eligible to participate in this plan.  Details regarding the program can be found at the UNT System Human Resources site. Premiums for the current academic year can be found through the Employees Retirement System of Texas site.

Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan (Aetna)

The University has contracted with Aetna to offer a Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan to domestic and international students.  All students are eligible to enroll in this plan. Additional details can be found at UNT’s Health & Wellness Center .

International Students

All international students and scholars holding non-immigrant visas must carry UNT-approved health insurance coverage during the entire period of their UNT residence.  Residence is defined as that continuous period from initial orientation and enrollment or employment, including holidays, through graduation or final separation from the university.  International students are automatically charged for the UNT-offered policy each semester at registration, and must provide proof of comparable insurance by the established deadline at International Advising to avoid purchasing the UNT-offered policy.  The University has contracted with Aetna to offer a Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan to international students.  Details regarding the plan can be found at UNT’s Health & Wellness Center .

Learn more about additional funding at UNT

University of South Florida

Department of Communication

College of Arts and Sciences

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Teaching assistantships, the department of communication is proud to offer the opportunity to our graduates to teach courses..

This unique experience is open to all applying and current students. These positions are hand picked by our graduate committee and factor a number of qualifications in the selection process. In general, offers of graduate assistantships are accompanied with a full tuition waiver (excluding student fees). Funded assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to students who begin their studies in the Fall semester. Completed applications to the program must be received by January 15th (Ph.D. applicants) or March 15th (MA applicants) for consideration for assistantships. View more information and possible restrictions on these positions .

M.A. assistantships are offered for 2 years, or four consecutive regular semesters (Fall, Spring). Ph.D. assistantships are offered for a period of 4 years, or eight consecutive regular semesters (Fall, Spring). Summer teaching is typically available but is not guaranteed in the offer of assistance.

Students who accept and hold funded assistantships must:

• Be enrolled full-time in 9 hours of coursework a semester
• Make adequate progress toward the degree
• Complete course work with a 3.0 grade average or better
• Participate in teacher training provided by the department
• Be observed in the classroom by a faculty supervisor responsible for a yearly written evaluation

In addition to these funded assistantships, the department also frequently employs students for funded research in the university and community. These funds, however, are difficult to anticipate in advance and cannot be guaranteed for the full tenure of a student's studies.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship FAQ:

 Is there a funding application? What is the deadline to request an assistantship?

There is not a separate application for graduate teaching assistantships. If you wish to be considered for an assistantship, please email the Academic Program Specialist to confirm your interest by deadline below.

Do applicants need prior teaching experience to be considered for assistantships?

Graduate teaching assistantships are awarded to our most qualified applicants. While we note the teaching experience detailed on applicant's curriculum vitae, teaching assignments are not made on the basis of past teaching experience. Ample opportunities for teacher training are provided to all students who are awarded teaching assistantships.

What opportunities are available to prepare me to teach?

All graduate students on teaching assistantships who are assigned to teach SPC 2608, Public Speaking, participate in a series of teaching workshops throughout the fall semester.

The Office of Graduate Studies requires TA Training for all TAs before they can teach, involving both a face-to-face one-day event and an online training. All Graders, Teaching Assistants, and Instructors of Record have the same training requirements. Those who have taught at USF before are exempted from the requirement. (Please note: International applicants will need to take additional international teaching assistant training, as well.) Lastly, the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning (CITL) provides new teaching assistants with instructional tools and services. Innovative Education offers certification and training for online instruction . a wide variety of courses, workshops, and services designed to enhance teaching effectiveness. In addition, a 12-hour graduate certificate in College Teaching is administered through the College of Education.

Does the department offer summer teaching?

The department does its best to offer opportunities for summer teaching; however, these placements are contingent on available funding. Students who are on assistantships and are assigned summer teaching are required to enroll in summer coursework; tuition waivers are included in summer teaching compensation.

If I am offered an assistantship, how many courses will I be teaching? What types of courses will I be able to teach during my studies?

Graduate students on teaching assistantships teach two courses per semester (two in fall and two in spring).

New PhD students teach two sections of SPC 2608, Public Speaking. MA students must complete 18 hours of graduate study before they are assigned to teach SPC 2608. As such, MA students assist faculty in delivering courses including:

• COM 2000 - Introduction to Communication
• SPC 3710 - Communication and Diversity

Advanced PhD students may have opportunities to teach courses in their areas of expertise, including:

• ORI 3004 - Communication as Performance
• SPC 3544 - Persuasion & Media
• SPC 3301 - Interpersonal Communication
• COM 3014 - Communication, Gender, and Identity
• COM 3120 - Organizational Communication
• COM 4022 - Health Communication
• COM 4030 - Women and Communication
• SPC 4714 - Communication, Culture, and Community

How is financial support from the department determined?

We offer assistantships, which include a tuition waiver (students are responsible for fees and health insurance premiums), to entice our top-ranked applicants to join our graduate program. Funding availability varies from year to year and we are only able to make funding offers to six to eight of our top-ranked applicants each year (though our top-ranked list is usually twice this long). We wish we could support all of our graduate students with funding, but we cannot.

What does the assistantship provide financially?

PhD graduate students on teaching assistantships receive a stipend paid over nine months (end of August through mid-May). MA graduate students on teaching assistantships receive a stipend paid over nine months. All teaching assistantships include a tuition waiver. Students are responsible for fees. Graduate students on teaching assistantships are also able to purchase student health insurance at a significantly reduced rate.

Are there additional requirements for international applicants to be eligible? 

International students from countries where English is not the official language who want to be considered for a teaching assistantship must show proficiency in spoken English. They need a minimum score of 26 on the spoken portion of the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) or 160 on the spoken portion of the TOEIC test administered by ETS . The Office of Graduate Studies will consider these scores valid for up to 5 years after administration, so long as the student has dated supporting/official documentation. At this point USF is not accepting equivalencies with the IELTS test for establishing English proficiency.

In addition, all international applicants must take International Teaching Assistant Training . You can view the International Teaching Assistant Handbook here .

Graduate School

Article ix. graduate assistantships, article ix. graduate assistantships.

The graduate assistantship is a nine-month appointment of a student enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program in the Graduate School at Howard University. The appointment may carry remission of tuition and stipend, just remission of tuition, or just a stipend. The appointment requires performance by the student of specified duties no more than 20 hours each week, including preparation time. Graduate assistants may hold the title of teaching assistant or research assistant.

Section 1. Appointment Termination

The graduate assistantship appointment may be terminated on or before the expiration of the specified time under the following conditions: A. Incompetence or neglect of duty as determined by the faculty supervisor. B. Misconduct that is job-related as determined by the faculty supervisor. C. Delinquency or misconduct in academic work as determined by the department and the Graduate School. E. Resignation. F. Ineligibility; and, G. Other employment during the tenure of the graduate assistantship.

Section 2. Expectations for Graduate Students Who Receive Tuition Awards and/or Stipends 

A graduate assistant (GA) is a graduate student who is given financial support, either with a tuition award and/or a stipend, for work in a teaching unit, academic unit, and research unit/lab. There are two types of GAs—teaching assistants and research assistants.

A teaching assistant (TA) is a graduate assistant whose work predominantly involves an instructional assignment. TA responsibilities vary greatly and may include but are not limited to the following:

• Teaching a course as the instructor or record.
• Teaching a small section of a course with a full-time faculty member as the instructor of record.
• Tutoring individual or small groups of students.
• Holding office hours and meeting with students for a course or series of courses.
• Assisting the instructor of record with the grading of course assignments, e.g., homework, exams, or written assignments.
• Administering tests, exams, or other course assignments for the instructor of record.
• Assisting the instructor of record with a large lecture class by teaching students in recitation, laboratory, Blackboard (or other course management software), or discussion sessions; and
• Helping software users in a computer laboratory.

A research assistant (RA) is a graduate student whose work predominantly involves assisting tenure-track faculty member(s) with academic research related to a prospective publication. RAs are not independent researchers and are not directly responsible for the outcome of the research. The can, however, be secondary authors on publications. They are responsible to, and report to a faculty research supervisor or faculty principal investigator (PI). RA responsibilities vary greatly and may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conducting literature reviews or library research.
• Collecting, coding, cleaning, or analyzing data.
• Preparing materials for submission to funding agencies and foundations.
• Preparing materials for IRB, IACUC, or IBC review.
• Coding computer programs to automate processes.
• Writing reports or designing conference presentations; Performing research under the guidance of faculty mentor; and
• Attending research meetings, seminars, webcasts, etc. as assigned.

All graduate assistantships should be beneficial to the graduate student and the academic/teaching unit or the faculty researcher. The unit or faculty member receives assistance from the supported graduate student, and the graduate student receives experience and mentorship in research or teaching, which is intended to facilitate professional development. In sum, as a general rule, graduate assistant duties should be limited to tasks that benefit both the academic unit and advance the professional development of the GA.

Tuition and Stipend Award for Academic Year

A graduate student who receives a tuition award and a stipend for the academic year is expected to work 15-20 hours weekly (August– December for the fall semester AND January – May for the spring semester.

A graduate student in candidacy who receives a tuition award and a stipend for the academic year is expected to work 15 hours weekly (August– December for the fall semester AND January – May for the spring semester).

Tuition and Stipend Award for One Semester

A graduate student who receives a tuition award and a stipend for one semester is expected to work 15-20 hours weekly). (August– December for the fall semester OR January – May for the spring semester). A graduate student in candidacy who receives a tuition award and a stipend for one semester is expected to work 15-20 hours weekly (August– December for the fall semester OR January – May for the spring semester).

Partial Tuition or Stipend Award for One Semester

A graduate student who receives a tuition-only award is expected to work 10 hours weekly (August– December for the fall semester OR January – May for the spring semester).

A graduate student who receives a stipend-only award is expected to work 10 hours weekly (August– December for the fall semester OR January – May for the spring semester).

Graduate Students Funded by Grants Graduate students funded by grants will follow the service requirements outlined by the grant’s PI but should not exceed 15 hours weekly for full stipends and 10 hours weekly for partial stipends.

Named Fellowship Awards for Graduate Students

The following named fellowship awards do not require service from students.

• Hawthorne Dissertation Research Fellowship
• Edward Alexander Bouchet Doctoral Scholars Fellowship Program
• Ernest E. Just-Percy L. Julian Graduate Research Fellowship
• Sasakawa Fellowship

Note: In all instances, an evaluation of the assistantship or fellowship period must be completed by the graduate student and the faculty member.  

Department of English

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GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are the primary source of support for graduate study in our Department. We offer GTA positions for advanced MA students and for PhD students, but may not be able to fund all students.

MA-GTAs 

• MA students may be considered for GTA positions after they have completed 18 hours of graduate coursework in our program.  
• They must have taken and passed, or be concurrently enrolled in ENGL 5389: Topics in Teaching Composition and ENGL 5359: Argumentation Theory. 
• They must be making satisfactory progress towards completion of their degrees in order to become or continue to be GTAs. 
• They may not hold outside employment while serving as a GTA. 

Doctoral GTAs

The most common type of GTA is the Dean’s Doctoral Assistantship (DDA), which is awarded on a competitive basis to newly admitted PhD students. The DDA provides a generous stipend and is renewable for up to five years so long as satisfactory progress is made toward the PhD degree. 

To be offered a GTA position, a student must be admitted unconditionally into our PhD program and be among the top ranked applicants for the program, based on the review of application materials by the Graduate Admissions Committee. 

GTAs need to have an MA or a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in English. In addition, GTAs must enroll in the composition pedagogy courses ENGL 5389: Topics in Teaching Composition (during their first year) and ENGL 5359: Argumentation Theory (during their second year). All new GTAs must attend an orientation held in August, shortly before the start of the classes. 

GTAs typically teach two courses and take three courses each long semester; occasionally, summer teaching opportunities are available, but summer support is not guaranteed. Initially, GTAs teach first-year writing courses; however, after passing their PhD comprehensive exams, GTAs may have opportunities to teach sophomore-level literature and/or technical writing courses, based upon their coursework and other qualifications and upon departmental needs. They may also, as needed, work as consultants in or as assistant directors of the Writing Center or the First-Year Writing Program. 

A benefits package, including health insurance, is provided. Optional vision and dental insurance are available for a fee. GTAs pay in-state tuition, which is among the lowest in the nation. See the UTA Office of Graduate Studies Website for information about tuition and fees. 

To receive full consideration for an assistantship, applications should be received by March 15th. Applications are accepted and reviewed as they are received, with offers made to qualified candidates until all assistantships are filled. 

Note: GTAs in English are restricted to MA and PhD students in our Department. Students in other academic programs at UTA should pursue funding through their own departments. 

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OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING

Contingent upon available funding, secondary forms of support for graduate students in English may include dissertation fellowships and travel awards.

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College of Education

College of Education graduate programs receive high marks in latest national rankings

Fifty University of Iowa colleges and programs were recognized among the best in their field in the   U.S. News   &   World Report   Best Graduate Schools rankings for 2025. Ten UI programs, including the College of Education’s  Rehabilitation Counseling program , which is ranked third, are ranked in the top 10.

An accredited master’s program, Rehabilitation Counseling prepares graduates for careers serving persons with emotional and physical disabilities through counseling, human resources, advocacy, leadership, case management, life care planning, forensic rehabilitation, corrections, consultation, private and public service. 

The college received an overall ranking of 30 (up from No. 36) and an additional two of its graduate programs were nationally ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News & World Report : Student Counseling (No. 11; up from its previous ranking of No. 12) and  Higher Education Administration (No. 22).

The University of Iowa as a whole continues to excel, with 23 total colleges and programs ranked among the top 25 in the nation.

Click here to read the entire article , which includes a list of all 72 UI colleges and programs as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.  

These are the best graduate school programs in Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World

Top graduate schools in Wisconsin landed on the latest U.S. News & World Report list ranking more than 2,000 programs across the country. U.S. News & World Report published its 2024-'25 report in April, ranking graduate programs in business, education, law and nursing, among other fields.

University of Wisconsin-Madison's the School of Education tied for first overall with Teacher's College, Columbia University, according the report. That's up from third overall and second among public universities last year.

Several of Marquette University's graduate programs moved up on the list, including the master's program in the College of Nursing, which moved up from 66 to 58.

Schools were evaluated based on expert opinion and statistical data measuring the quality of the school's faculty, research and post-graduate outcomes. You can find the full list on the U.S. News website for graduate rankings on their website www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools .

Top business graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #43

Top law graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #36 (tie)
• Marquette University: #68 (tie)

Top nursing graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• Marquette University: #58 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #82 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: #107 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh: #118
• Alverno College: #119 (tie)
• Milwaukee School of Engineering: #153-169

Top medical graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #35 (tie)

Top education graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #1 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #169 (tie)
• Marquette University: #192

Top Engineering graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #27 (tie)
• Marquette University: #142 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #177 (tie)

RELATED: Here's how Wisconsin universities ranked in the 2024 Best Colleges list

University of Houston Lands 18 Programs in Latest QS World University Rankings

By Shawn Lindsey — 713-743-5725

• University and Campus

The University of Houston is, once again, demonstrating its strength as a global leader. UH has 18 programs ranked among the top in the world according to the 2024 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject , released today by QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

UH’s hospitality programs in the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership led the way with a world rank of No. 35. The petroleum engineering program in the Cullen College of Engineering also ranked in the top 100 worldwide (51-100).

In its annual list, QS evaluated 55 narrow academic disciplines and five broad faculty areas by analyzing the reputation and research output of almost 5,000 institutions worldwide. In total, it provides independent comparative analysis on the performance of more than 16,400 individual university programs in 96 locations around the world.

“We are pleased to have yet one more accolade confirming the quality of our programs. Our faculty members are at the forefront of groundbreaking research spanning various fields, positioning UH as a global leader in advancing societal progress and fostering innovation,” said Diane Z. Chase, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

In addition to the 18 individual subjects that were ranked, UH’s earned an overall world ranking in three of the five broad disciplines: engineering and technology, natural sciences, and social sciences and management.

Using five key metrics— academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations, research impact and cross-border research collaboration. Of the almost 5,000 institutions evaluated, fewer than a third of the institutions earned a published world ranking. The U.S. led the rankings with 213 institutions, followed by the United Kingdom (103) and China (101).

“QS’ analysis of performance trends across nearly 16,000 university departments worldwide continues to illuminate factors influencing the quality of higher education institutions globally,” said QS senior vice president Ben Sowter. “An international outlook remains paramount, manifested through diversity of students, faculty body and research relationships. Additionally, universities experiencing upward mobility have benefited from sustained, targeted investment, highlighting the importance of government support. Meanwhile, the development of partnerships with industry correlates with improved performance in employment and research.”

UH Programs in the QS World Rankings by Subject:

Arts & Humanities

   - English Language & Literature                        

Social Sciences and Management (Overall Ranking)

   - Hospitality & Leisure Management                  

   - Accounting & Finance                                    

   - Economics & Econometrics                            

   - Education                                                    

   - Business & Management Studies

Engineering and Technology (Overall Ranking)

   - Petroleum Engineering                                  

   - Engineering – Chemical                                 

   - Engineering - Electrical & Electronic                

   - Engineering - Mechanical, Aeronautical & Ma.  

   - Computer Science & Information Systems       

Life Sciences and Medicine

   - Psychology                                                   

   - Medicine                                                      

   - Biological Sciences                                        

Natural Sciences (Overall Ranking)

   - Chemistry                                                    

   - Materials Science                                          

   - Mathematics

   - Physics & Astronomy

Top Stories

April 11, 2024

The University of Houston is, once again, demonstrating its strength as a global leader. UH has 18 programs ranked among the top in the world according to the 2024 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, released today by QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

April 09, 2024

U.S. News & World Report Ranks UH Graduate Programs Among Nation’s Best in 2024

The University of Houston is once again proving that it is a powerhouse in graduate education, with 13 of its programs securing spots among the top 50 nationwide in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report graduate program rankings, released today. Three engineering programs maintain their top 50 rank pending the release of 2024 engineering rankings, which have been delayed. In total, UH has 17 programs in the top 50.

• Student, Faculty and Staff Success

March 29, 2024

Three Renowned Argonne Scientists Accept Joint Appointments at the University of Houston

Three top researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have accepted joint appointments in various capacities at the University of Houston. This strategic collaboration furthers critical research efforts, public-private partnerships and educational opportunities for students.

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2025 Best Graduate Schools

Article by UDaily Staff Photo by Evan Krape April 09, 2024

UD programs remain among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report

In the 2025 edition of Best Graduate Schools , U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Delaware's graduate programs among the best in the nation.

“As we continue to enhance and expand our excellent graduate programs to meet the needs of our students and society, it is gratifying to see the expertise and hard work of our faculty and staff nationally recognized,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “We are proud of the positive impact that our graduate students are making on the world, and we look forward to even greater successes ahead empowered by their UD education.”     

UD’s consistently top-ranked physical therapy program remained in the top three nationwide. This is the first year U.S. News and World Report ranked speech-language pathology programs with UD’s inaugural ranking at #32.

“Excellent graduate preparation is central to the University of Delaware's mission as a world-class research institution," said Louis Rossi, dean of UD’s Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and professional education. "Our graduate programs are producing the thinkers, leaders and innovators who are tackling the world's greatest challenges. We are excited about these rankings, which indicate their excellence."

Physical Therapy, 2

Non-profit Management, 16 (up from 23)

Public Management and Leadership, 18 (up from 23)

Public Finance and Budgeting, 21

Speech-Language Pathology, 32

Education Schools, 34

Public Affairs Schools, 34

Computer Science, 70 (up from 77)

Nursing: Master's, 79 (up from 82)

Nursing: Doctor of Nursing Practice, 110

Part-Time MBA, 150

The preceding list only includes subject areas evaluated in this year's edition published to date. U.S. News and World Report has delayed the announcement of two programs that were slated to be included in the rankings: Best Engineering Schools and Programs, and Best Clinical Psychology Programs. The lists will be updated as soon as the data are available.

Other UD graduate programs have been ranked in previous years. The full listing of UD graduate programs ranked by U.S. News and World Report is available on the Institutional Research and Effectiveness Rankings  webpage . Please note the programs and specialties used by U.S. News might vary slightly from the names of degree programs used by UD.

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