Graduate Student Instructors

The University hires highly qualified, matriculated graduate students to primarily assist in teaching, grading, and proctoring courses. If your primary language is not English, you are required to submit scores from the Test of Spoken English.

Graduate student instructors are recommended by the graduate program directors to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Graduate student instructors are assigned to various departments across campus by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. These graduate students are required to participate in all teaching assistant training sessions sponsored by the departments, the Department of Safety, and the Teaching and Learning Center.

Graduate Instructor's Stipend and Tuition Scholarship

Graduate student instructors are awarded a stipend and a tuition scholarship on a semester-to-semester basis with the usual contract lasting a full calendar year.

Contracts and Stipends

Most graduate student instructors initially begin their studies during the fall semester and would usually receive an initial contract for the fall and spring semesters. New contracts are usually awarded during the new fiscal year, which would start with the summer session beginning in May. The amount of the stipend is based on experience and is considered to be taxable as it is a fee for service.

Tuition Scholarships

The tuition scholarship will cover tuition during the time frame outlined in the contract; the graduate student instructor is responsible for all tuition beyond the number stipulated in the contract.

The tuition scholarship is considered not to be taxable as it is not a fee for service. The contract will also specify the number of hours of service per week required of the graduate student instructor. Graduate students may receive this type of financial aid for a maximum period of two and one-half years for a student in an MS degree track or five years for a student in a PhD track.

To apply for a Graduate Student Instructorship, please contact your program director.