Graduate Assistantships

Both Graduate Assistantships and Doctoral Fellowships are recognized awards. Students may receive a
full GA/DF Position, which includes up to 18 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver over an academic
year and a financial stipend. A half-time award includes up to nine (9) graduate credit hours of tuition
waiver over the Fall (5 hours) and Winter (4 hours) semesters and a stipend. Courses taken below the 500 level will not be eligible for reimbursement under the GA/DF tuition waiver benefit, unless the courses are included in the program of study for a 150-credit hour, dual degree, bachelor’s-master’s program.


Full-time Graduate Assistant/Doctoral Fellow Appointments (average 20 hours/week)


A full-time GA/DF appointment entitles a student up to 9 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver per
semester, with a limit of 18 graduate credit hours per academic year. Students must be enrolled in no
fewer than 6 graduate credit hours Fall and Winter semesters. If there are any credit hours remaining in
the 18 credit hour award (at most 6), the remaining hour(s) can be used for Spring/Summer courses in the same academic year.


Note: A GA/DF will receive no more than 9 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver in a single semester,
regardless of how many appointments are given during that semester. If the GA/DF is not reappointed, is terminated for the following semester, or voluntarily resigns from the assistantship and has not used all the credit hours of tuition waiver from the employed semester, the unused credit hours of waiver are
forfeited.


This award provides a stipend and covers tuition and differential tuition. It does not cover registration
fees, mandatory fees, late payment fees, new student record initiation fee, nor program fees.


Half-time Graduate Assistant/Doctoral Fellow Appointments (average 10 hours/week)


A half-time GA/DF entitles a student to 5 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver in the Fall semester and
4 graduate credit hours in the Winter semester, with a limit of 9 credit hours in total during the
Fall/Winter semesters. No tuition waiver is available during the Spring/Summer semester. This is a
partial award. To be eligible for this award, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours in
the Fall and 6 credit hours in the Winter.

This award provides a stipend and covers partial tuition and differential tuition. It does not cover additional tuition, registration fees, mandatory fees, late payment fees, new student record initiation fee, nor program fees.

Compensation

Compensation rates are determined by the hiring office.

Application Process

Applicants must either seek an assistantship through their academic department/school or find one online. When a job opening appears, you may complete an application and upload a resume, letters of recommendation or other hiring materials requested by the department. Once the first application has been submitted and you are applying to additional positions, your previously entered information will carry over into the new application form, where it can be edited.

Most departments/schools seek applications in February/March for fall appointments. Offices will review the submitted materials, interview candidates and select a GA. Once an appointment decision has been made, the department sends a letter of offer to the applicant and hiring paperwork (a Personnel Action Form or PAF) to EMU Human Resources. Once it is confirmed that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements, EMU Human Resources enters the stipend information into the payroll database system and, Student Business Services and the Office of Financial Aid are notified to process the tuition/fee scholarship.

Communication regarding this award will be sent to the "local" address. Domestic students should update this address through their my.emich account. Within 10 days of a move, international students (F- and J-visa holders) must update their address through the Office of International Students, who then will convey the change to the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS). 

For More Information


Eastern Michigan University HR

301 Pierce Hall
Ypsilanti, MI . 48197

734. 487.7101 |  [email protected]

EMU Human Resource hiring info 

Read the Graduate Assistant policies [PDF]

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