Graduate Assistantships or Instructorships
Learn detailed information about graduate assistantships or instructorships, including the application process, teaching or research requirements, and stipends, as well as information on tuition scholarships.
Making Graduate School Affordable Through Graduate Student Work Opportunities
Updated 4/7/2026
Application for a graduate assistantship/instructorship should be made directly to the academic department in which the applicant will pursue a degree.
- Graduate assistantships open to degree-seeking graduate students from any discipline are advertised on the webpage for Open Graduate Assistantship Opportunities.
- Graduate assistantships that require part-time teaching, laboratory assistance, research or other assistance are available in a number of fields and from grant and contracts. Certain academic departments offer graduate instructorships, which involves direct responsibility for teaching one or more courses.
International students who attain graduate assistantships that involve any teaching or instruction activities are subject to the Policy on Language Assessment for International Graduate Students.
Stipends for graduate assistantships/instructorships vary, depending on the level of the graduate student, the service to be rendered and the time commitment (typically ¼- or ½-time appointments are made).
- Academic excellence, maturity and teaching or research experience are the main qualifications considered in the appointment of assistants/instructors.
- In addition to the stipend, graduate assistants/instructors also receive a partial tuition scholarship (75% of regular graduate tuition** for ¼-time appointments) or full tuition scholarship (100% of regular graduate tuition** for ½-time appointments) and receive a full nonresident fee scholarship during regular (i.e., fall and spring) academic terms.
** Accountancy and MBA students need to confer with your program regarding the fee differential (which is not covered by a scholarship from the Graduate School).
Online programs are NOT eligible for the tuition or fee scholarships at this time.
See Financial Aid FAQs for additional details on tuition and fees.
Scholarships
Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, the standard appointment for a graduate assistant is 9 months (August 16 to May 15). Students with an assistantship should contact the hiring unit to determine their work schedule including expectations to work prior to the start of fall, between the fall and spring terms (while the University is open for business), and after graduation (up until May 15th.)
Some programs have established program-specific minimum stipends for the academic year for any student receiving an assistantship. That list of programs is found at Program Minimum Stipends. For the 2026-2027 academic year, all other graduate students who are enrolled full-time and who receive an assistantship are eligible for tuition scholarships according to the following schedule:
75% Tuition Scholarship** | 100% Tuition Scholarship** | |
|---|---|---|
| Work Load | 10 hours of work per week (¼-time) | 20 hours of work per week (½-time) |
| Minimum Stipenda,b | $7,500 | $15,000 |
| Enrollment Min (as current policy) | 9 hrs | 9 hrs |
| Enrollment Max (as current policy) | 13 hrs | 13 hrs |
**Accountancy and MBA students need to confer with your program regarding fee differential.
a The minimum stipends are calculated for a 9-month standard appointment. In cases where the appointment is other than 9 months, the following requirements apply:
- The minimum stipend for graduate assistants appointed for 4.5 months will be prorated to 50% of the minimum stipend for a standard graduate assistantship appointment.
- The minimum stipend for graduate assistants appointed for 12 months will be proportional such that the minimum stipend for a ½-time 12 month appointment is $20,000.
- Hiring units may separately hire graduate students as hourly or student stipend workers during summer months. In such cases, university policies regarding minimum pay for students must be satisfied and such appointments are not under the purview of the Graduate School. Hiring units should clearly communicate to students hired for summer appointments expectations related to hours and pay.
Online programs are NOT eligible for graduate assistantships at this time.
Graduate programs may nominate graduate students for summer tuition and nonresident fee scholarships when students meet the following requirements:
- Enrolled full-time in the spring term immediately prior to the summer term
- Enrolled for 3 or 6 hours for the full summer in either thesis or dissertation credit hours
- Not enrolled in any courses other than thesis or dissertation
- Included on the list of students for whom the department requests such scholarships
- Enrolled in the summer thesis or dissertation hours by the deadline set by the Graduate School
The summer tuition and nonresident fee scholarships are not applicable for content-based courses. Students in programs that require enrollment in seminars and similar content courses should contact their program for information about enrollment expectations and to inquire if the program offers funding for the summer.