Graduate Assistant Appointment Procedures
Graduate Assistantships are offered throughout the university, and students are hired by departments. The Graduate School does not hire graduate assistants. Graduate assistantship jobs are posted on TWU Connect and Handshake. Students are encouraged to contact their department, a department related to their field of study, or a university support services office to inquire about available graduate assistantship appointments. Students should visit Career Connections and Handshake to search for open/posted graduate assistantships.
Students apply for an assistantship through TWU Connect and Handshake.
Please note that admission to the Graduate School and enrollment in graduate courses must precede an appointment to a graduate assistantship.
Graduate Assistant Appointment Schedule
Graduate Assistant applications should be processed through the academic components by June 1 for an assistantship for the fall semester, by November 1 for an assistantship for the spring semester, and by April 1 for an assistantship for the succeeding summer session.
Appointments for assistantships are issued for an academic year (Sept. 1 - May 31), semester, or summer session (6/1-8/31). Appointment dates follow the fiscal calendar and include the following periods:
Fall - September 1 through January 15
Spring - January 16 through May 31
Summer - June 1 through August 31
Depending upon the period of appointment, a GA is entitled to official university holidays and the same work period as the faculty unless exceptions have been agreed upon in writing in advance by the GA and supervisor.
Departmental Contract Letter
The hiring department will issue a contract letter to each student they employ as a graduate assistant.
Processing Graduate Assistantship Assignment Appointments
The academic component leader or department will process graduate assistant appointment assignments through Oracle, which will be approved and signed by the Academic Component Leader (chair, dean, associate dean, director). The graduate assistant appointment assignment will then be sent to the Graduate School through Oracle. The Graduate School will verify the applicant's admission status, salary level, workload (FTE), and dates of employment. Once approved, the Graduate School will forward the graduate assistant appointment assignment to the Office of Academic Financial Services. Graduate assistant appointment assignments for students who do not meet the minimum enrollment requirements will not be approved and will be returned through Oracle to the academic component for appropriate action. All approved graduate assistant appointments will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Financial Services.
Enrollment Requirements
Semester Enrollment Requirements - The minimum course load for which graduate assistants must be enrolled during long semesters is five (5) semester credit hours for both a .25 and .50 FTE. Departments may require a greater minimum number of hours. For enrollments less than five (5) hours, a letter from the dean or program component leader to the Graduate School requesting approval to enroll for fewer hours and explaining the reason for the request is required. Students in thesis, dissertation, practicum, or internship hours may register for a minimum of three (3) hours. (Note: Students enrolled for less than 5 hours must pay FICA tax unless enrolled in their last semester.)
Summer Enrollment Requirements - The minimum course load for which graduate assistants must be enrolled for summer is five (5) semester credit hours for a 0.50 FTE and three (3) semester credit hours for a .25 FTE. Summer enrollment includes enrollment any time during summer I, summer II, and/or summer III terms (6/1-8/31). The summer must be 5 semester credit hours of graduate coursework.
Graduate assistant appointment assignments for students who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be approved and will be returned through Oracle to the academic component for appropriate action. All approved graduate assistant appointments will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Financial Services.
Graduate Assistant Payroll Information
Graduate assistants are paid monthly on the 1st business day of the month and on the 16th business day of the month or the first business day thereafter.
For a Graduate Assistant to receive a paycheck, the graduate assistant appointment must be approved and in the Office of Academic Financial Services by the published payroll deadline. Payroll deadlines vary each month; schedules are available in the office of Human Resources. GAs are required to complete certain forms in the Office of Human Resources by the payroll deadline before receiving the first paycheck. Therefore, graduate assistants should go to the Human Resources Office as soon as their graduate assistant appointment applications are approved to complete the necessary forms and to provide proof of citizenship, usually by means of a driver's license and Social Security Card or a passport.
Graduate Assistant Reappointment
Reappointment to an assistantship is contingent upon prior performance, departmental research and teaching needs, and available funds. The number of years a student may hold a graduate assistantship depends upon the level of the degree program of the student. For a student at the master's level, the maximum number of years will be three. For a student at the doctoral level, the maximum number of years will be six. Only under extenuating circumstances may an extension of an additional semester or year be granted at the request of the head of the student's component leader. Ensuring academic success is of the highest importance. Provisionally admitted students on probation and students lacking progress may be removed from an assistantship.
