Graduate Assistantships
What is a Graduate Assistantship
Graduate Assistantships are intended to recruit quality students to graduate study at USF and to enhance the graduate learning experience. Graduate Assistants (GAs) within the College of Marine Science are hired employees that conduct research or teach. They may be classified as Graduate Research Assistants/Associates (GRAs), Graduate Teaching Assistants/Associates (GTAs), and/or Graduate Instructional Assistants (GIAs). All graduate assistants at USF work under a contract negotiated by the Graduate Assistants United (GAU) and the USF Board of Trustees. The GAU is the labor union certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for graduate assistants at USF. Please visit the following web page for more details:
Graduate Assistantships Resource Center
Graduate Assistantships for New Students
There are a number of Graduate Research Assistantship positions funded by the college that are available to new incoming students. All new applicants are automatically considered for these positions. No additional steps are needed by the applicant. If the student is selected for a position they will be notified at the time of acceptance. Students are normally appointed for one year (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Students may also receive support as a Research Assistant through a Faculty member's research grant or through a Teaching Assistantship, however these opportunities are more conducive to continuing students because of research funding availability and course familiarity requirements.
Graduate Assistantships for Current Students
There are a number of Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantship positions available to current students. Contact your major advisor to find information about available research assistantships. For teaching assistantships you can contact the faculty member who is planning to teach teach the course.
Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship:
The benefits available to Graduate Assistants are explained in detail at the:
Graduate Assistantships Resource Center
- Tuition waivers: Students appointed as a Graduate Assistant for at least one full semester will be considered, but not guaranteed, a partial tuition waiver depending on available funding. The partial waivers normally account for 80-90% of the student's total tuition expenses.
- Tuition Payments by a Research Grant: If a Graduate Assistant is hired on a research grant, the grant will typically pay 80-100% of the students tuition expenses if the grant allows for tuition expenses.
- Student Health Insurance Subsidy: Graduate Assistants may be eligible to receive a subsidy from the University to help offset part of the cost of health insurance and make it more affordable for GA’s who participate in the USF Student Health Insurance plan. Visit the the following web pages for more information about eligibility and subsidized amounts which are negotiated each year.
