Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships provide students with the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience while helping cover the cost of their education.
Many academic units and other administrative areas employ graduate students on a part-time basis as graduate assistants. Graduate assistantships are awarded and governed by the individual appointing units. For more information and resources on Graduate Assistantships please visit the Graduate College website.
Stipend Distribution
If you receive a Graduate Assistantship, you should be provided an offer letter from your hiring department and you must complete new hire paperwork with the Human Resources Office BEFORE you can begin working. Your hiring department (or the Shared Business Services Center on behalf of your hiring department) will send you instructions on how to complete your new hire paperwork. You cannot begin working and will not receive pay until your paperwork is completed and your employment has been verified.
Academic Year Appointments (Fall/Spring Semesters):
- Stipends are distributed evenly over 10 pay periods per semester.
- For those GAs appointed for both fall and spring, stipends are distributed evenly over 20 pay periods throughout the academic year.
12-Month Appointments
- Appointments beginning in a fall semester must align with the first payroll begin date/ePAF effective date on the fall semester calendar to establish QGA status.
- Appointments beginning in a spring semester must align with the first payroll begin date/ePAF effective date of the Spring semester calendar..
- Appointments beginning outside the 20 academic year pay periods may start on any biweekly payroll begin date designated as part of the Summer (SUM) semester on the biweekly academic payroll calendar.
Payroll Dates vs. Semester Dates
Each year, the Graduate College, in collaboration with Human Resources and Payroll Services, will publish payroll begin dates/ePAF effective dates that align with the stipend distribution schedule for each academic year. These payroll begin dates/ePAF effective dates will likely not correspond with the start and end dates of work related to the appointment. Instead, they ensure that the required assistantship stipend is distributed evenly over the semester or academic year preventing any gaps or fluctuations in pay.
Information for Payroll/HR Coordinators
Aligning GA Appointments with the Academic Payroll Cycle
GTA appointments must follow the academic pay period dates that span a full semester unless the appointment is only for a short course (i.e. a course that does not last a full semester). For example, a GTA appointed for the FA25 semester, should have an ePAF effective date (which is the payroll start date) of 8/9/25. If the appointment is only for the fall, then their last working date on the termination ePAF would be 12/26/25. If they will continue working in the spring, do not terminate or put them on leave; simply leave them in active status through the spring semester.
GRA appointments are not required to follow the academic pay period dates but should when possible. If a GRA has an offer letter appointing them for a semester and/or academic year then you should follow the academic payroll dates when submitting their ePAF.
