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Graduate Assistantships
GA Recruitment
Minimum GA Packages
Stipends
Resources and Related Links
Graduate assistants play an indispensable role on campus, serving as research team members and instructors and augmenting classroom and laboratory learning. UNLV currently provides graduate assistantships in a wide variety of disciplines and nonacademic units. Students apply for GAs through their own Grad Rebel Gateway portals. Nonacademic units post GA position openings in UNLV Handshake and unfunded students should watch these listings and then apply via the Grad Rebel Gateway. Faculty who need assistance with research or course instruction may request GA positions through their department and academic dean.
Please reference the Graduate College GA Handbook to find all relevant information, policies, and guidelines related to the GA program, how to apply for a GA, GA expectations, how to appoint a GA, etc.
Graduate Assistantships
UNLV subscribes to the following statement that has been adopted by the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States and by most of the leading graduate schools in North America:
Acceptance of an offer of a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or graduate assistantship for the next academic year by an actual or prospective graduate student completes an agreement which both student and the graduate school expect to honor. In those instances in which the student indicates acceptance prior to April 15 and subsequently desires to change plans, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15 in order to accept another scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or graduate assistantship. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another appointment without first obtaining formal release for that purpose. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above resolution that a copy of this resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer sent to a first-year graduate student before April 15.
A number of state-supported and extramurally funded graduate assistantships are available each academic year. For full information and policy guidelines regarding the UNLV GA Program, please see the Graduate College website. Below are some key GA policies for your review:
- Applications must be completed and submitted through your Grad Rebel Gateway account. While deadlines vary by department, the Graduate College recommends that you submit your application by March 1 for the fall semester admission and by Nov. 1 for the spring semester admission.
- Applications must be submitted to the department which you are seeking employment no later than March 1 proceeding the fall semester in which an assistantship is sought. Applications may be submitted after this date in case of unexpected openings occurring for the fall semester. In rare cases where an assistantship is available for the spring semester, the application deadline is Nov. 15.
- An assistantship is normally offered for a full academic year. If a student seeks renewal of an assistantship for the next year, a new application form must be submitted online.
- A GAship carries with it a stipend paid monthly for the length of the contract. Tuition waivers are usually included with the assistantship. These waivers are approved only for work directly related to the student’s degree program (courses numbered 500 and approved for graduate credit and 700-level courses). The state waiver covers nine credits per semester of the per-credit-hour registration fee. The state-funded tuition waiver does not cover differential fees charged for some courses. The tuition waiver covers the full amount of out-of-state tuition. The out-of-state tuition waiver does not apply to students who are enrolled in self-funded programs. Tuition waiver amounts may vary for extramurally funded assistantships.
- State-funded GAshipsare not generally available during summer term. However, tuition waivers are available for state-funded graduate assistants during the summer term if the student was on a state GA contract in spring and has been renewed as a state GA for fall. To take advantage of the summer tuition waiver for three credits max., the Graduate College must be informed via email at GradFinancialSVC@unlv.edu of your enrollment prior to the start of summer session. Tuition waivers are not available for undergraduate or audited courses. The above policies may differ for extramurally funded assistantships.
- GAs must have graduate standing status in a degree-seeking program at the time they begin their assistantships.
- New international GAs are required to successfully pass the Duolingo English Test prior to the start of the semester. Students who do not pass the Duolingo English Test will be required to enroll in ESL 580X, a two credit oral presentation skills course their first semester as a GA. Students whose graduate assistantship includes instructional duties (lecture, discussion groups, laboratory supervision, tutoring) must receive a successful grade in ESL 580X before resuming instructional duties.
- GAs must carry a minimum of six semester hours of graduate credit per fall and spring semester. To carry more than fifteen semester hours of credit, the department chair, academic dean, and the Graduate College dean must approve an Overload Petition. Credit hours must be taken in residence to maintain GA eligibility unless an official consortium has been approved.
- GAs are expected to spend on average 20 hours per week on departmental duties in either instruction and/or research.
- GAs may not accept employment on or off campus without written permission from their faculty advisor, department chair, and Graduate College dean. GAs are prohibited from being employed for more than 10 hours per week beyond their assistantship. The request for additional employment can be found in your Grad Rebel Gateway portal under the Forms - Additional Forms tab. Please note, due to F-1 Visa regulations International GAs must consult with OISS before requesting to work outside of the GA position. Failure to do so could result in the loss of F-1 Visa status.
- GAs are expected to report in the same time-frame as faculty, e.g., during academic semesters and not during break or vacation times. GAs must report one week prior to the start of classes in both the fall and spring semesters.
- New GAs are expected, as part of their contract obligation, to attend the GA Orientation session and complete the mandatory GA Onboarding video and quiz prior to the start of the semester.
- GAships will be terminated if the student does not satisfactorily perform assigned duties. Assistantships will also be terminated if a student does not make satisfactory progress toward the degree. Unsatisfactory progress includes, but is not limited to: filing a degree program late; receiving a grade of less than B; failing to remove an Incomplete grade after one calendar year; and failing comprehensive or qualifying examinations as required by the degree program.
Offers of assistantships, whether state-supported or extramurally funded, are valid only if they come from the Graduate College dean.
GA Recruitment
GAs are generally hired from a school or department’s pool of admitted and enrolled graduate students. When searching for GA hires beyond an academic school/department – especially, but not exclusively, Professional Development Graduate Research Assistants (PDGRAs) – available opportunities should be posted through UNLV Handshake. Graduate students are encouraged to watch UNLV Handshake to find open GA opportunities on campus.
Minimum GA Packages
UNLV and the Graduate College set minimum GA packages; no GA may be hired for less, but departments/units may opt to provide fuller GA packages as long as it’s not done on an individual case-by-case basis. Regardless of the package value, there are many benefits associated with being a GA. More Information about the benefits of being a GA can be found on the GA website and GA Handbook.
Stipends
Both Graduate College state-funded and extramurally funded GAs will receive a stipend. All GA appointments must meet the minimum stipend amount from the student’s academic program. GAhip stipend amounts vary by department. Externally funded (sometimes referred to as extramurally funded) GA stipends must meet the minimum state-funded GA stipend amount for the student’s home department. Information regarding minimum GA stipends by program can be found in the GA Handbook.
Resources and Related Links
Please reference the Graduate College GA Handbook to find all relevant information, policies, and guidelines related to the GA program, how to apply for a GA, GA expectations, and other relevant GA information.
Apply for a GAship: Students can apply for GAships by logging in to their Grad Rebel Gateway Account and selecting the ‘Funds’ tab.
Search for Open Positions: Graduate Career Support provides some guideposts here to help you navigate the complexities of preparing for a career that builds on and extends your graduate experience.
GA Stipend and Payroll Information: GAstipend, payroll, and appointment information.
English Requirements for All International GAs: All new international students who are first-time GAs will be required to take the Duolingo English Test. This includes all graduate assistants who will be advising or teaching students as an instructor, teaching assistant or lab supervisors. Research assistants and GAs with other professional duties are also required to take the Duolingo English Test.
GA Benefits: Explore the grants, contracts, health insurance, tuition waivers, and loans GA students receive as benefits to their positions.
GSFS Team Contact Information by GA Department: Discover the GA departmental breakdown by processor.
Inclusive Teaching Guide: Want to reach all of your students? Here’s how to make your teaching more inclusive.
Nevada Residency: The Board of Regents establishes Nevada residency for tuition purposes regulations. For admitted degree-seeking graduate students, your residency status is determined at the time of admission to a degree-seeking program and is indicated in your official Letter of Admission from the Graduate College. Non-degree-seeking graduate students will generally be classified as out-of-state until and unless Nevada residency is determined via the residency application process. If your residency status is not “Nevada,” you will be assessed out-of-state tuition.
New Graduate Assistant Orientation: The Graduate College now offers an online, asynchronous Graduate Assistant Orientation. All graduate assistants are required to attend.
Annual Security Report: This report summarizes public safety and security policies in effect on our campuses. It highlights crime reporting procedures, crime prevention programs, and other services available to the campus community.
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