Graduate Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships are available to full-time graduate students. For further information, visit the website of individual schools/colleges.

Graduate assistants can be paid for the equivalent of a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session. Students with assistantships must be registered for at least nine credits during the fall and spring semesters (audited classes do not count towards registration requirements).

Students who have a 21 – 40 hour per week research or teaching assistantship during the summer semester are in taxable status by default and have no summer registration requirements

Teaching assistantships may involve teaching courses, leading a discussion section, supervising a laboratory, grading papers, or meeting with students. The typical appointment involves working up to 20 hours per week. A teaching assistant receives a stipend, health insurance and tuition payment (see below) by the university:

• For no more than 10 credits if the workload is 15 to 20 hours per week.
• For no more than 5 credits if the workload is 10 to 14 hours per week.
• If the assistantship appointment begins on or before the first day of instruction and ends on or after the last day of final examinations for that semester (16 or more weeks). 4/15/93.

Research Assistantships are most common in science and engineering fields, but are often available in other fields as well. Research assistants work in laboratories and other settings to assist faculty on research projects. Research assistants also receive a stipend, health insurance, a tuition award based on workload (see below) and in some cases may include payment of fees. Research assistant support is provided by grants/contracts:

• For no more than 10 credits if the workload is 15 to 20 hours per week.
• For no more than 5 credits if the workload is 10 to 14 hours per week.
• If the assistantship appointment begins on or before the first day of instruction and ends on or after the last day of final examinations for that semester (16 or more weeks).

Service Assistantships  involve service activities such as office duties, library services, residence hall duties, athletic services or other academic or professional assignments.

Graduate Assistants must be registered full-time (nine credits consisting of a minimum of three graduate credits; audited classes do not count towards registration requirements).

Graduate Students are eligible for student employment.  This link will take you to the latest information on available employment at UAA.

UA Board of Regents Policy on Student Employment is contained in Chapter 09.05. Employment of Students.

Graduate Assistantship Processing

Please forward all Graduate Assistant Hiring Packets (RA/TA/SA) to the Graduate School. We expect a turn-around of no more than 3 business days in the Graduate School for logging and processing. Do NOT send them piecemeal to separate departments. They must come to the Graduate School as completed packet.

Hiring Packets must contain all three of these elements to be considered complete:

1. Contract letter

• This letter must be signed by either the Dean or Director and the student to be included in the packet  sent to the Graduate School.

2. Job Form

• Job Form must have signature of authorized departmental signatory officials.
  

3. ATW/Scholarship Form

Please direct any questions to Elisa Mattison, Director, at esmattion@uaa.alaska.edu or 786-1096.

When hiring Graduate Student employees, please budget for these mandatory insurance rates:

Fall (8/25/2012-1/11/2013)                              $714.00

Spring and Summer (1/12/2013-8/24/2013)      $1,245.00

Summer Only (5/24/2013-8/24/2013)                 $537.00

Annual Equivalent                                        $1,959.00

Graduate Assistant Health Insurance

Graduate Student Insurance provided by UnitedHealthcare.

Health 101

This is an on-line information website provided by UnitedHealthcare that explains benefits of the insurance program offered through UAA.