Graduate Assistantships: Rules and Regulations
Policies
Tuition & Fees
Teaching and Research Assistants receive an exemption of the in-state tuition provided by the funding source. In compliance with LA Act 664/Senate Bill 76, all Teaching and Research Assistants receive a waiver of mandatory fees but not differential and course fees. These fees include the graduate enhancement fee, academic excellence fee, technology fee, registration fee, fuel recovery fee, building use fee, operational fee, student retention initiative fee, privateer spirit fee, and campus enhancement fee. Summer tuition and fees will not be covered. Students hired as full-time graduate assistants are not responsible for the non-resident fee as they are considered state residents (for fee purposes only). Graduate Assistants are responsible for paying any fees assessed, including fees generated by a specific program or course (e.g. MBA Professional Fee, Engineering Differential Fee).
Special Note: Tuition remission, if offered, does not cover summer institute courses, intersession courses or any course that generates its own fee structure.
Registration Requirements
In order to hold a graduate assistantship, graduate students must be:
registered as full-time students during each regular semester in which they are employed (nine graduate credit hours during the Fall and Spring) in a degree program and in good academic standing (3.0 GPA and not on probation)
Term of Appointment
- A fiscal-year graduate assistant's work is typically based on a twelve-month appointment.
- An academic-year graduate assistant's work is based on a nine-month appointment (or 4.5 months per semester).
Please note: Employment of International Students (those on F-1 and J-1 visas) is subject to federal immigration and labor law. As per the Code of Federal Regulations: “(i) On-campus employment. Employment authorized under this paragraph must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session” [8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)]. A J-1 student may be authorized for work if “[e]employment totals no more than 20 hours per week, except during official school breaks and the student’s annual vacation” [22 CFR 62.23(g)(2)(iii)].
Should a graduate assistant resign or be terminated from the position prior to the end of their appointment, he/she will be held accountable for all University fees, including tuition.
Stipend
Graduate assistants receive a stipend, which is determined by the hiring department. The stipend is considered taxable income and as a result tax forms must be submitted.
Processing
All hires (New and Reappointments) are done in Workday. Scanned copies of signed hiring documents (offer letter /I-9/ job description / evaluation) should be uploaded during the hire. GA hire forms can be found here.