Who is Eligible to be a GA?

To be appointed, retain an appointment, or reappointed, a student must: hold Regular (not Provisional) status; maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least a “B” (3.00) in any course work taken; be eligible to register (that is, not have more than three viable grades of “Incomplete” on their academic record); be enrolled in a graduate degree program scheduled to extend through the entire period of the appointment or reappointment and; be a full-time student.

To perform duties with direct instructional responsibilities, graduate students appointed as Teaching Assistants (TAs) must provide proof of English language proficiency. Information on how to provide proof of proficiency can be found on UConn’s English Proficiency Policy for TAs and Testing Procedures Page.

What is the Appointment Length and Hours Per Week?

Effort devoted to the duties of a graduate assistantship typically range between 10 and 20 hours per week (also sometimes called a “half GA” and “full GA,” respectively). Appointments ordinarily are made for the nine-month period, August 23 through May 22, but may be of shorter duration for a variety of reasons.

What Benefits Do GAs Receive?

The Human Resources website provides detailed information about benefits available to GAs, including health insurance. If employed in an assistantship that falls under the Graduate Employee and Postdoc Union (GEU), additional benefits may be described in the GEU contract and on our GA Onboarding page.

Note, GAs solely employed at UConn Health do not fall under the GEU.

Do GAs Receive a Tuition Waiver?

GAs enrolled in tuition-based programs receive a tuition waiver for the duration of their appointment. GAs enrolled in fee-based programs are charged academic program fees, not tuition; therefore, tuition waivers are not applicable, nor will the GA appointment provide a waiver of academic program fees. A list of fee-based programs is provided by the Office of the Bursar. For tuition-based programs, while tuition will be waived, the GA is responsible for paying university fees at the negotiated rate. For fee-based programs, there is no available waiver for any part of the academic program fee, and the GA will be responsible for paying university fees at the negotiated rate. There is no tuition waiver for summer or winter intersession courses. When graduate fee bills are calculated by the Office of the Bursar, the tuition waiver will automatically populate to the eligible GAs’ fee bills, provided that two items are in place: an active payroll authorization input by the hiring department and enrollment in at least six credits for the semester.

What are the Stipend Rates?

Stipend rates for graduate assistants, which can be found on the Payroll Department website, are based on levels that reflect progress toward the advanced degree and experience, defined as follows:

• Level 1: For graduate assistants with at least the baccalaureate degree (as noted in the Graduate Employee Union contract as “Beginners [Pre-Masters]”).
• Level 2: For graduate assistants in a doctoral program with at least a master’s degree or its equivalent in the field of graduate study (as noted in the Graduate Employee Union contract as “Masters or Equivalent”). Equivalency consists of 30 credits of appropriate graduate-level coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree, together with admission to a doctoral program. If the master’s degree was used to satisfy the equivalency of a bachelor’s degree for purposes of admission, the degree does not count toward Level 2 eligibility.
• Level 3: For graduate assistants enrolled in a doctoral program who have passed the doctoral general examination and have the milestone reflected on their record (as noted in the Graduate Employee Union Contract as “PhD Candidate”).

A GA shall be appointed at the highest stipend level for which they are eligible as of the start date of the fall/spring assistantship appointment. Specific stipend rates may be found on the Payroll Department Website and will be included in the GA Offer Letter.

Are GAs Required to Complete Any Additional Trainings?

As part of their employee role, GAs are required to participate in these mandatory trainings. There may be additional trainings or orientations required or recommended depending on the specific GA duties. GAs should consult with their program/department for more details.

What is the Supplemental Description of Duties?

In addition to an offer letter for a graduate assistantship, the hiring department must also provide GAs with a “Supplemental Description of Duties” (SDD) form for each semester they are appointed. This form summarizes the specific duties a GA is expected to perform and may include, amongst other things: the assigned course, lab, research project, or position; the faculty member to whom the GA will report; course meeting times and location; the maximum number of students for which the GA will be responsible per class, section, lab, and more; and the work location. The SSD form must be signed by both the GAs’ supervisor and the GA. The SSD form may be issued separately from the assistantship offer letter.

Can GAs Work Remotely?

GAs are expected to arrive on campus at UConn prior to the start date of their appointment and remain through the duration of their appointment. GAs may be able to work remotely within Connecticut, provided they have written faculty supervisor approval and the faculty supervisor finds that the responsibilities of the position can be completed from the remote location. In very limited instances, an exception to work as a GA while outside of Connecticut may be approved by the Dean of The Graduate School, however, such exceptions are typically limited to instances where the duties of the position require the GA to be out-of-state. If circumstances require a GA to leave Connecticut during their appointment, they must make arrangements with their GA supervisor to use time off or request a GA Leave through Human Resources.

Can GAs Hold Additional Employment?

Graduate Assistants seeking on-campus employment or wishing to hold an internship in addition to their full-time (20 hour) GA appointment during the semester must complete the online Supplemental Employment Approval form, which requires their advisor’s approval and is submitted to The Graduate School for final approval.

International students on UConn-sponsored visas are not able to work more than 20 hours per week during the semester.

Job Offer Acceptance Etiquette

When accepting a job offer, feel free to ask clarifying questions. If you feel that you are not being given enough time to make your decision, ask if additional time might be granted. Supervisors are encouraged to give candidates up to a week to accept an offer but sometimes this may not be possible.

If you intend on resigning from your current graduate assistantship to accept a new position, it is strongly recommended that you notify your supervisor of your resignation as soon as possible. This is crucial, as they are likely relying on your participation in teaching courses or labs. Advanced/immediate notice allows them to initiate the hiring process to fill any open positions and ensure that course offerings continue without disruption.

What’s Next?

Prospective applicants can indicate whether they would like to be considered for a graduate assistantship on their graduate school application.

Those who have already accepted an assistantship offer should visit the GA Onboarding Page for additional information, resources, and to-do items specific to your role as a GA to assist with helping you successfully transition into your assistantship.

Transitioning Out of an Assistantship

The GA Transition Guide provides a brief overview of topics that may be of interest to GAs who may not be reappointed in the following semester, including those who may instead be supported on external fellowship funding.