Types of Assistantships
We offer a variety of assistantships across disciplines, allowing you to contribute to the university while earning financial support. From research and teaching to administrative roles, there’s an opportunity to match your skills and interests.
NOTE: Graduate assistantships are awarded each year by academic units and non-academic units on a competitive basis following a highly qualified student’s nomination by their graduate program and using predetermined criteria, including but not limited to the applicant’s academic record, test scores, recommendations, and other pertinent information.
Teaching Assistants, Level 1 (TA1)
As a Level 1 Teaching Assistant (TA1), you’ll assist professors by leading discussions, grading papers, and proctoring exams. Basically, you’ll be a helpful hand in the classroom.
Teaching Assistants, Level 2 (TA2)
Level 2 Teaching Assistants (TA2s) have completed more advanced coursework and training. They’ll take on more responsibility, like leading entire classes, grading assignments, and running labs.
Lab Assistants, Level 1 (LA1)
Level 1 Lab Assistants help out in labs, assisting the instructor and students in a variety of ways.
Lab Assistants, Level 2 (LA2)
As a Level 2 Lab Assistant (LA2), you’ll take on a bigger role in the lab. You might lead lab sections, grade assignments, and even design experiments.
Research Assistants
As a Research Assistant (RA), you’ll work closely with faculty on research projects. Your tasks could include collecting and analyzing data, developing theories, and even publishing research papers.
Graduate Assistants
Graduate Assistants (GA) provide general administrative support to a department. Your tasks might include things like scheduling meetings, organizing events, or handling paperwork. While less specific, these positions help you gain valuable work experience.
FAQs
Assistantships may only be awarded to graduate students who have unqualified admission to the College of Graduate Studies under the “Regular” degree admission classification. Provisional degrees or non-degree admits are not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.
Graduate assistants must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0**,** Ed.D., Curriculum Studies must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.25, Ed.D., and Educational Administration must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.50.
If an Incomplete (I) grade is received, the graduate assistant must remove the “I” during the following semester.
To be eligible, fully online students must be able to meet the same eligibility requirements and are required to fulfill the same on-campus work schedule as a traditional graduate assistant. At the discretion of the dean of the respective college, a limited number of assistantships may be provided to students enrolled in classes that are delivered fully online AND where the student will be employed as a TA, RA, LA, or GA in the home college/department of the graduate program. In cases where the employing unit and the academic unit are NOT one and the same, the employing unit MUST seek prior approval from the dean of the academic unit in advance of offering the student an assistantship.
Graduate Assistants must be registered for a minimum of 9 credit hours of coursework for Fall or Spring semester, within the program of study throughout the period of the assistantship. The only exceptions are:
Master of Music students must register for a minimum of 7 hours to be eligible
Master of Public Administration students must register for a minimum of 8 hours to be eligible
Master of Science in Nursing must register for a minimum of 5 hours to be eligible
Summer Minimester 1 or 2 requires a minimum of 3 credit hours. * Students must be registered during the term in which they hold an assistantship. Summer Full Term or Minimester 1 and 2 together require a minimum of 6 hours.
- If you have not applied for admission, please do so first and pay the application fee.
- Complete the online Graduate Assistantship Application.
- March 1 is the deadline for the receipt of applications to have priority consideration. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications early.
- Ask the Graduate Program Director or Department Chair for your department about available assistantships.
- Check the College of Graduate Studies website often for listed Vacant Assistantships. HERE
- Once hired, go to Human Resources the week before classes begin to fill out the required paperwork.
Renewal of a previous year’s contract is not automatic, and students must reapply each academic year.
Full-time Graduate Assistants can expect to work a maximum of 20 hrs/wk in both the fall and spring semesters. Federal law generally limits the number of hours that international students can work on campus to 20 hrs/wk in the fall and spring semesters.
The standard starting date for a graduate assistant may be one week before the first day of classes and the standard ending date shall be the last day of final exams.
Graduate assistants receive a tuition waiver of the standard in-state and out-of-state tuition but must pay a reduced matriculation fee of $25 per semester along with all assessed university fees. Some programs are approved to charge a premium tuition rate that is not covered by the standard tuition waiver.
Graduate assistants are responsible for paying all University Fees and the Technology Fee each semester.
All graduate assistants are required to have health insurance. Health Insurance is provided by Pearce & Pearce, Inc. through the University System of Georgia Student Health Insurance Program. All Graduate Assistants must apply for health insurance
through the Pearce & Pearce website.
Graduate Assistants who already have their own personal health insurance may apply for a waiver of the mandatory student health insurance through the Pearce & Pearce website. Select “Waive Online”. Proof of insurance must be provided each semester.
The standard starting date for a graduate assistant may be one week before the first day of classes and the standard ending date shall be the last day of final exams.
Graduate assistants receive a tuition waiver of the standard in-state and out-of-state tuition but must pay a reduced matriculation fee of $25 per semester along with all assessed university fees. Some programs are approved to charge a premium tuition rate that is not covered by the standard tuition waiver.
Graduate assistants are responsible for paying all University Fees and the Technology Fee each semester.
All graduate assistants are required to have health insurance. Health Insurance is provided by Pearce & Pearce, Inc. through the University System of Georgia Student Health Insurance Program. All Graduate Assistants must apply for health insurance
through the Pearce & Pearce website.
Graduate Assistants who already have their health insurance may apply for a waiver of the mandatory student health insurance through the Pearce & Pearce website. Select “Waive Online”. Proof of insurance must be provided each semester.
A graduate assistant choosing to resign or terminate his/her employment must submit a letter of resignation to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. If the student accepts the offer and then desires to withdraw, the student may submit, in writing, a resignation within two weeks. However, after this date, the appointment of the assistantship prevents the student from accepting another offer without first obtaining a written release from the College of Graduate Studies.
Yes. A graduate assistant may be terminated for the following reasons:
- Suspension or dismissal of a graduate student from the University for disciplinary reasons
- The overall GPA drops below 3.0
- The semester course load falls below the minimum full-time load of 9 hours or the equivalent
- An allegation of academic or scientific misconduct
- Failure to perform work assignments at a satisfactory level
All graduate assistants will receive written notice a minimum of two weeks prior to termination. Failure to satisfactorily perform work assignments in particular needs to be documented in writing prior to the dismissal notification. Additionally, the University reserves the right to terminate a graduate assistant if, at the discretion of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, the circumstances of a particular situation warrant such action.
For more information view the Georgia Southern Graduate Catalog