Graduate Assistantships Overview

What is a Graduate Assistantship?

An assistantship is awarded to a graduate student who provides teaching (teaching assistantship: TA) or research (research assistantship: RA) support to the University that is a part of their academic program. In recognition of this support, tuition is waived by the University and subsidized health insurance is offered. Graduate Assistants (GAs) are responsible for paying their student fees at the negotiated GA rate.

What is the Eligibility Criteria to be a GA?

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

In order to perform duties with direct instructional responsibilities, a graduate student appointed as a Teaching Assistant will need to provide proof of English proficiency. UConn’s English Proficiency Policy for TAs and Testing Procedures details information about how to provide proof of proficiency.

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 has an extensive compilation of information on graduate assistant benefits, payroll, and policies, including detailed information about health insurance benefits. If employed in an assistantship that falls under the Graduate Employee Union (GEU), additional benefits may be described in the GEU contract and on our GA Onboarding page. Please note, GAs employed solely at UConn Health do not fall under the GEU.

Do GAs Receive a Tuition Waiver?

A graduate assistantship provides the student with a tuition waiver for the duration of the appointment in the fall and spring semesters. There is no tuition waiver for summer or winter intersession courses. GAs are still required to pay student fees. When graduate fee bills are calculated by the Office of the Bursar, the tuition waiver will automatically populate to the GA’s fee bill once two items are in place:  an active payroll authorization input by the hiring department and enrollment for the semester in at least six credits.

What are the Stipend Rates?

Stipend rates for graduate assistants are graduated in terms of progress toward the advanced degree and experience.

  • Level I: for graduate assistants with at least a baccalaureate degree.
  • 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. Equivalency consists of thirty graduate level credits 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.

Specific stipend rates may be found on Payroll’s website and will be included in the GA offer letter.

Are GAs Required to Do 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.

What is a 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, among 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, etc.; and the work location. The Supplemental Description of Duties must be signed by both the GA’s supervisor and the GA. The Supplemental Description of Duties form may be issued separately from the assistantship offer letter.

Can GAs Hold Additional Employment?

Graduate Assistants seeking on-campus employment or wishing to hold an internship in addition to a 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 above 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. 

Once accepting an offer and if resigning from a different graduate assistant position, it is recommended that you immediately notify the department of your resignation. This is especially important when departments are already counting on you to teach courses or labs. They would rather know immediately and be able to initiate a hiring process to fill open positions, ensuring that course offerings remain available, etc.  

What Next?

If you are applying to UConn, there is a place within the application where you can indicate that you wish to be considered for a graduate assistantship.

If you have accepted an assistantship offer, please visit our GA Onboarding page. This webpage will orient GAs employed at Storrs and regional campuses who fall under the Graduate Employees Union (GEU) and provide information, resources, and to-do items specific to your role as a GA to help you successfully transition into your assistantship.

Current Opportunities

Are you an academic or non-academic department that would like to advertise a GA position here? If so, please send your job description to gradschool@uconn.edu to be posted. Additional guidance for non-academic units can be found on our Appointing a GA in a Non-Academic Unit page.

Center for Students with Disabilities – Stamford Campus

JOB SUMMARY:

The Center for Students with Disabilities is seeking a graduate assistant to coordinate and assist with general office duties, exam accommodations, and note taking assistance at the Stamford campus. Under the supervision of the Regional Campus Coordinator at Stamford, the graduate assistant will coordinate day-to-day administrative activities, exam administration, including proctoring of exams, and the hiring of notetakers.  This GA opportunity will begin immediately in the fall 2024 semester and continue through the spring 2025 semester.

JOB DUTIES:

  1. Assists with operational functions at the CSD. Tasks include answering phones; greeting students and visitors to the Center; copying; filing; responding to routine emails, and other related
  2. Maintains contact with Storrs CSD office; routes higher level issues to appropriate staff.
  3. Coordinates related functions for exam accommodations including: exam scheduling; maintaining exam security; regular communication with faculty regarding exam administration; regular communication with students regarding exam scheduling; maintaining electronic exam records in CSD database; overseeing proctor duties.
  4. Assists with proctoring exams to ensure that students are receiving their accommodations and that no academic misconduct occurs.
  5. Serves as a resource for students, faculty and staff regarding exam administration procedures and resolves routine issues associated with exam accommodations.
  6. Coordinates related functions for note taking assistance including: hiring of note takers; training of note takers; forwarding employment documentation to the CSD office at Storrs.
  7. Assists with CSD (Center for Students with Disabilities) registration and guides students to connect with campus resources as they relate to procedures for campus change, readmission, and university appeals (e.g., dismissal and academic adjustments).
  8. Assists with supporting special projects which may be ongoing and require planning, coordination, and

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Must currently be enrolled as a graduate student at UConn.
  • Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office products.
  • Demonstrated experience with administrative tasks.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working with students in higher education.
  • Experience working with individuals with disabilities
  • Familiarity with academic testing procedures.
  • Graduate students in the following programs: Social Work, Psychology, Education or a related field

Qualified candidates should email a resume and cover letter to Tim Smagacz, Assistant Director for Operations: timothy.smagacz@uconn.edu.

NEUTC Women x LGBTQ+ Public Transit Needs GA

Brief description of the non-academic unit: The Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI) operates within the UConn College of Engineering and serves as a focal point for transportation-related research at the university, as well as training throughout the state. The Institute’s core programs serve to advance the maintenance and enhancement of transportation systems and safety, with a particular focus on Connecticut’s current and future needs. This position is funded through the Safety Research Center at CTI, which focuses on the collection, mining, distribution and analysis of traffic safety data.

Campus location(s) of non-academic unit: Storrs Campus

Graduate Assistant Job Title: Student Human Behavioral Research Assistant (L2)

Position Summary: To assist with research study tasks including literature review, survey development, and in-person data collection (travel required).Brief Project Summary: Public transportation policies and planning have historically been led by male counterparts and ultimately resulted in transit facilities and shared environments which are not always amiable for non-male or non-gender conforming passengers and their diverse needs. Minimal research has been conducted to identify the efficacy of past proposed solutions in improving the share of these populations in public transportation or expanding the planning purview to incorporate other gender-identity groups. The integration of inclusive ideas compiled from industry best practices and targeted community engagement into existing evaluations of public transit services across New England provides a tremendous opportunity for learning and progressive growth that aligns with U.S. DOT priorities to address inequities in transportation. Improving the accessibility, safety, and quality of public transportation services will encourage women and LGBTQ+ individuals to increasingly participate in their surrounding communities, which in turn improves the quality of life for all residents. Research objectives are to address the gaps in existing research and available resources that demonstrate: (1) a lack of understanding in the specific travel needs of women and LGBTQ+ passengers on public transportation; and (2) a lack of data-driven guidance to implement gender-inclusive transportation planning.

Duration of the position: January 21, 2025 – December 14, 2025 (GEU academic year contract dates, including summer months)

Hours: 10 hours per week (flexibility on days of the week/time of day)

Work location: Storrs Campus

Name and title of individual providing supervision: Marisa Auguste, Research Associate at CTI

Three (3) Primary Career Readiness Competencies Associated with this Role Include:

Equity & Inclusion | Critical Thinking | Communication

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Compile a broad-scale literature review of the last ten (10) years of research that has evaluated the unique needs of women and LGBTQ+ individuals and how they impact their use and perception of different types of public transportation. Examples of data sources you may use include the following:
    • Data on Travel Patterns and Behavior: (e.g., National Household Travel Survey)
    • Crime Statistics: (e.g., Uniform Crime Reporting System (UCR), National Transgender Discrimination Survey)
    • Socio-Demographic and Lifestyle Data: (e.g., Consumer Spending Habits, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES))
    • Recommendations for Inclusive Transportation Planning: (e.g., LA Metro Gender Action Plan, Philadelphia Racial Equity Plan, CTDOT CX Action Plan)
  • Electronic survey development. New data will be collected by surveying public transit users, both past and present. Surveys will be disseminated electronically to New England (NE) residents, gathering information about the motivations for using or not using public transit, changes in travel behavior or employment, and other lifestyle habits and circumstances as they relate to public transit use (i.e., unhoused, single-income HH, health issues). You will be asked to populate survey questions, consent forms and other study docs using Qualtrics, MS Office, and Canva.
  • Travel (within NE) for “pop-up” engagements and data collection. You will be required to travel to public transit hubs (i.e., MTA stations) across the region for “pop-up engagements” with public transit users about their experiences using tablets for data collection. You will be asked to assist with questionnaire development as well. You will be accompanied by at least one (1) additional member of the research team for these pop-ups. Personal vehicle ownership is not required but is strongly preferred.
  • IRB Human Subjects Research protocol development. You will assist with the preparation of protocol documents for submission.
  • Preparation of final deliverables. You will assist with the preparation and editing of final project deliverables including but not limited to a final report and presentation of findings.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Enrollment in a graduate program related to social sciences, transportation studies, urban planning, public health, or a similar field.
  • Experience conducting literature reviews and synthesizing academic articles.
  • Basic knowledge of survey design and data collection principles.
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and basic survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics, Google Forms).
  • Awareness of social equity issues, particularly those related to gender and sexual orientation.
  • Ability to engage thoughtfully and respectfully with diverse populations, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior involvement in mixed-methods research or projects focusing on vulnerable populations.
  • Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools (e.g., NVivo, SPSS, R).
  • Experience designing validated survey instruments, including those tailored for marginalized populations.
  • Demonstrated interest in issues surrounding gender, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and social equity, reflected in prior projects or coursework.
  • Capacity to write well-structured reports and communicate findings effectively.
  • Background knowledge of public transportation systems, accessibility challenges, and user experience.
  • Proven ability to conduct in-person interviews, focus groups, or observational studies.

Education and Prior Experience Requirements: Pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Connecticut with preferred focus in social sciences, environmental sciences, or equity and human rights.

Application Steps & Materials

Please submit all application materials by email to Marisa.Auguste@uconn.edu with the Subject line: NEUTC Transit Needs Study

Include the following materials

  1. Resume/CV
  2. Cover letter/letter of interest (include research areas of interest and any additional details about your experience relevant to the job responsibilities and qualifications)
  3. Two (2) references including how the individual knows you and contact information

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with final submission deadline for consideration: December 24, 2024. Interviews will begin the week of: December 30th, 2024.

Compensation and Benefits Statement

Compensation & Benefits: Stipend consistent with UConn Graduate Employee Union (GEU) rates and successful candidate’s level of education. Stipend rates can be found here. See the GEU contract for other generous benefits provided, including paid time off, tuition remission, and subsidized health insurance through the Connecticut Partnership Plan.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO employer.

Questions may be directed to: Marisa Auguste (PI), marisa.auguste@uconn.edu or Jennifer Pawelzik (Co-PI), jennifer.pawelzik@uconn.edu

REINVENT-PT Lab Graduate Assistant (Kinesiology)

Introduction
The REINVENT-PT lab (REhabilitation INnoVations & Emerging Novel Technologies in Physical Therapy, Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Sudha Srinivasan) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) is seeking diligent, energetic, and empathetic students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Kinesiology beginning Fall 2025.

The REINVENT-PT lab is interested in understanding developmental trajectories of individuals with neuro-developmental disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, and Intellectual Disability across the lifespan. We are interested in studying how infants and children with developmental disabilities explore their physical and social environment compared to typically developing peers, as well as the cascading effects of motor difficulties on a child’s social communication and cognitive development. We are also interested in assessing health-related outcomes in adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities, including their physical activity and physical fitness levels. Based on our understanding of the developmental trajectories of individuals with disabilities, our goal is to develop multisystem, engaging, evidence-based, behavioural interventions and assistive technologies to empower the lives of people with disabilities. We are interested in developing motivating interventions that harness an individual’s intrinsic interests/preferences in positive ways to bring about sustained behaviour change.

Past work in our lab has included: (1) developing and assessing the effects of creative movement-based interventions involving music, dance, and yoga for children with autism; (2) assessing physical activity levels in youth with developmental disabilities compared to typically developing peers and understanding stakeholder perspectives related to facilitators and barriers around physical activity engagement among youth with disabilities; and (3) designing accessible and user-friendly communication aids for nonverbal and minimally-verbal children with disabilities and assessing the effects of a training program using novel assistive technologies. In addition, our lab has conducted and published multiple systematic reviews and perspectives in the areas of physical activity, equine therapies, telehealth-based interventions, and creative movement therapies.

Our work on project (1) suggests that whole-body creative movement interventions that promote playful exploration, creativity, improvisation, and self-expression are inherently more enjoyable and motivating for children with autism compared to standard-of-care interventions. Moreover, these interventions can promote multisystem development in perceptuo-motor, social communication, and cognitive domains among children with autism. Our work so far on project (2) suggests that youth with disabilities have lower levels of physical fitness, engage in lower levels of physical activity, are more sedentary, and have lower levels of motor proficiency/function compared to typically developing peers. Moreover, focus group discussions with youth with disabilities, their caregivers, special educators, and therapists indicate that youth with disabilities prefer activities that are fun, non-competitive, and that promote interactions with neurotypical peers. Families face several barriers in promoting physical activity among youth including limitations related to accessibility and affordability of adult-oriented programs, availability of trained personnel, and challenges in balancing multiple work and family-related commitments. Finally, results from project (3) suggest that a 3-month training program provided in a special school setting using a child-friendly, icon-driven communication system called Jellow, which was developed following multiple user studies, led to improvements in communication skills among 17 children with autism.

Over the last 4 years, our lab’s work has focused on exploring the utility and efficacy of using playful joystick-operated ride-on toys to promote upper extremity function and spontaneous use in children with hemiplegia. Children with hemiplegia have poor control, specifically in their upper extremity, on their affected side, which leads to significant limitations in daily activities and their ability to participate in play, at school, and within the community. Current evidence-based clinical practice guidelines suggest that children with cerebral palsy require intensive practice for several hours per week to produce meaningful improvements in function and participation. Our line of work is aimed at assessing the adjunctive value of playful training programs using joystick-operated ride-on toys in addition to conventional rehabilitation to improve arm use and function among children with hemiplegia. We are interested in exploring the feasibility of implementing such training programs within multiple settings and as part of different service delivery models, e.g., at home, clinic, school, summer camp, within the community, etc. We are also interested in comparing the efficacy of single- versus dual-joystick ride-on-toy navigation training in improving unimanual and bimanual function in children with hemiplegia. The new graduate student joining the lab will receive the opportunity to work on funded projects in the lab related to this line of research with children with hemiplegia. We have recently received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 6-week ride-on-toy navigation training intervention compared to a dose-matched intervention standard-of-care seated intervention among 30 children with hemiplegia between 3 and 8 years.

As a graduate student, the prospective candidate will be involved in multiple related projects in the lab starting with the recently funded RCT. The student will be engaged in several aspects of the research process including preparing materials to get approval for research from the institutional review board, participant recruitment and screening, data collection and administration of standardized
tests/measures with children/youth, development and delivery of novel treatment protocols, data coding and analysis, and data dissemination through manuscript writing. The student will have the opportunity to learn technical skills (e.g., motion capture techniques, accelerometery to assess arm activity, video data-based behavioural coding software, post-processing algorithms to analyse collected data, scientific presentation and writing skills, critical review of published literature, etc.) and soft skills (e.g., time management, multi-tasking, mentoring undergraduate students, etc.). The student will also be interacting on a regular basis, under the supervision of the PI, with undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab on research projects.

The Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut (UConn) is regarded as one of the best in the United States, with the doctoral program ranked #2 in the US. The faculty includes recognized leaders in the fields of exercise science, athletic training, and physical therapy. Given the nature of our work, our lab also works closely with the Psychological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Departments at UConn. In addition, the PI is an affiliate of the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP; https://chip.uconn.edu/home/) and the Connecticut Institute of the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS; https://ibacs.uconn.edu/). The student may be able to work with faculty within these institutes/centres and take relevant training courses offered by these institutes/centres. As a part of their graduate curriculum, the student will receive an interdisciplinary education, which may include several courses in statistics, research methods, developmental psychology, developmental disabilities, exercise science, exercise prescription, scientific presentations, grant writing, and human development and family studies. The plan of study will be tailored based on the requirements of the topic of the student’s dissertation and in accordance with the lab’s research agenda.

Required Qualifications and Attributes

  1. Master’s degree in Physical Therapy/Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy or related fields with a specialization in Neuroscience or Rehabilitation or Paediatrics, with a strong academic record. Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy/Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy, with a strong academic record, may be considered for the position. (Note: Students with a Bachelor’s degree will need to get their Master’s degree at UConn prior to beginning their PhD curriculum. This requirement need not be separately satisfied - it will be integrated into the student’s PhD program.). Students from other related fields with relevant experience working with children or individuals with developmental disabilities will be considered.
  2. 1-2 years of experience working with children or young adults with developmental disabilities.
  3. Experience with research including designing a study, obtaining approval for human subjects research, recruitment of participants, data collection, data analyses, and data dissemination (e.g., writing manuscripts, presenting at conferences through platform and/or poster presentations, writing abstracts for submission to conferences/annual meetings, etc.).
  4. Ability and willingness to learn and work hard, with great attention to detail.
  5. High levels of motivation, passion for research, and academic curiosity to excel.
  6. Willingness to take the initiative in designing and solving research-related problems.
  7. Excellent interpersonal and time management skills and ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary team.
  8. Strong written and oral communication skills (as indicated by TOEFL scores>100/120 or IELTS score > 7/10, writing sample, and as assessed during virtual interview) and leadership qualities to work with research staff and students in the lab.
  9. Proficiency in using MS-Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
  10. Working knowledge of statistics, research design, and quantitative skills, as assessed by GRE scores > 300. (Note: In exceptional circumstances, the GRE requirement may be waived, but this is completely at the discretion of the PI.)
  11. Willingness and ability to drive a car to travel within 1.5 hour driving distance from UConn for data collections (note, mileage reimbursement will be provided for travel)

Preferred Qualifications and Attributes

  1. Knowledge of motion tracking systems and their use for measuring upper and lower extremity kinematics
  2. Knowledge of programming using MATLAB®
  3. Experience with brain imaging tools such as fNIRS, EEG, etc.

To Apply
To apply for this position, please send the following materials via email to Dr. Sudha Srinivasan at sudha.srinivasan@uconn.edu

  1. A cover letter with at least 2 references (please provide contact information and details of at least 2 of your references who can be contacted for more information);
  2. Curriculum Vitae (describing educational qualifications, trainings/certifications, and relevant work/research experience);
  3. A brief (1-2 pages) statement of interests (please clearly define your research interests and discuss how your interests align with the work we pursue in our lab; please add what you think you will bring to our lab and what you hope to gain from pursuing research in our lab);
  4. A writing sample (thesis draft / journal article / review paper / conference paper, etc.).

Next Steps

  • Upon review of your application packet by the lab PI, you may be contacted for a virtual 1.5-hour interview, if you are shortlisted for the position. The interview will help the PI learn more about your academic qualifications, career aspirations, potential fit with the lab agenda, interpersonal skills, expectations from the program and your advisor, and any other issues on which the PI would like clarification.
  • Following this initial interview, the PI may schedule a second interview that will involve a presentation of your past work / research project / publication.
  • If the PI selects your application, you will be requested to formally apply to UConn. Please note that you can apply to UConn BEFORE you take the TOEFL &/or GRE. Steps for completing the UConn application, along with timelines, are outlined here: https://grad.uconn.edu/admissions/requirements/
  • Assistantships: Based on your interactions with the PI, you may be selected to receive a research or teaching assistantship (RA/TA). If you are on at least a 50% RA/TA (i.e., involving 10 hours of work per week), your tuition fees are waived by the university. Please note that the assistantship allows you to work as an academic assistant at UConn while still pursuing your graduate education at the university. The duties of an RA/TA are decided in conjunction with your primary advisor and the needs of the department that will hire you. More information on assistantships can be found at: https://grad.uconn.edu/assistantships/
  • Other helpful links for students are as follows: