Academic Affairs Policy on Graduate Assisstants
The following policy relates to work loads, course loads, and compensation for graduate assistantships (Miscellaneous Academic Affairs Policy 1.18-14). The Academic Affairs Policy Manual can be found on the Academic Affairs and Provost website.
Responsibility
- The dean of the Graduate School has responsibility for the proper implementation of these policies and is delegated the authority to obtain compliance from all units in the University regardless of the source of funding.
- To permit the Graduate School to fulfill its responsibilities, units must indicate on personnel reports (monthly and hourly) extra compensation, and check request forms, that the persons receiving payment are graduate students. All requests for payment to graduate students must be submitted to and approved by the dean of the Graduate School, who will then send the approved forms to the appropriate Vice President for further consideration and action. Expeditious processing of these documents is necessary to insure that graduate students will be paid promptly.
Course Loads
- Graduate assistants who hold assistantships that require from one-third to one-half time service must register for a minimum of twelve semester hours each semester.
- Graduate assistants may register for a maximum of eighteen credit hours without approval of the dean of the Graduate School. To register for more than eighteen hours per semester, they must have written recommendation from their major professor, department head or graduate coordinator, and approval of the dean of the Graduate School.
- Because of the intensive nature of class work in the summer semester, graduate assistants are required to enroll for nine hours of course work. Summer semester rules for maximum loads apply.
- With proper approval, full-time employees of the University of Georgia are permitted to take a maximum of nine hours of graduate course work during a semester.
- Audits will not be counted when considering maximum and minimum course load requirements.
Fees
- Fees for graduate study will be assessed in keeping with the schedule presented in the Bulletin. Fees are subject to change by the Board of Regents at any time.
- To be eligible to receive a waiver of non-resident fees, holders of assistantships must (1) perform at least one-third time service (thirteen hours per week) for the University, and (2) be paid at the approved rate for graduate assistants in the particular school or college in which they are employed. Out-of-state tuition waivers will not be granted to hourly employees unless the terms of their employment clearly indicate an intent that they serve as graduate assistants and they meet the basic requirements for graduate assistants noted in this policy.
Compensation
- Annual rates for graduate assistants which vary from the rate set for budgetary purposes by the University (see section 6 of this document) may be approved by the Graduate School providing:
- The rate used is uniform for all graduate students in a school or college. This policy applies to funds from all sources.
- Compensation to the student is in excess of the non-resident fee.
- Each dean or director requesting waiver of non-resident fees certifies to the dean of the Graduate School that the student will perform at least one-third time service.
- Graduate assistantship appointments shall not exceed half (50%) time. In those instances where a student is paid from more than one source, the total amount paid shall not exceed half of the base rate established for graduate assistantships in the yearly budget of the University. (If the base rate adopted by a school/college is different from the base rate established by the annual budgetary process, the total amount earned by a student may not exceed half of the base rate established by the school/college.)
Student Financial Aid and Veterans Benefits
- Federal regulations require that University standards be applied consistently to all students. To qualify as a full-time student for student financial aid and Veterans benefits during an academic year, students must enroll for a minimum of nine hours per semester. Students must enroll for at last five hours per semester to be considered half-time.
- Because of the intensive nature of classwork in the summer semester, students who enroll for nine hours during the summer semester will be considered full-time and students who enroll for three hours will be considered half-time.
Time Worked and Course Loads
Pay Rates for the fiscal year are available from the dean of the Graduate School.
Vice President for Academic Affairs, June 14, 1982; updated July 1, 1990 ; updated May 30, 2005
