Graduate assistantships are awards given to students who are working toward a master's degree that provide for tuition waiver as well as a stipend of $11,575. In return for this financial assistance, graduate assistants work for the department or the university for 20 hours per week.

When a student applies to the Graduate School, they should state their desire to be considered for an assistantship. Students are advised to have their application into the Graduate School and the department by February 1 prior to the academic year in which they desire to enroll.

Other forms of financial aid, such as summer scholarships for graduate assistants and grants-in-aid, are available from the International Financial Aid or the Graduate School under Tuition and Financial Aid.

Assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis based upon the following criteria:

• Intellectual ability and past academic performance
• Promise of future academic performance, as shown by letters of recommendations and GRE scores
• Proficiency in communication skills
• Maturity and motivation
• Preparedness, including mastery of prerequisites
• Fit to the needs of the Department
• Undergraduate area.

Assistantships are awarded in the first semester (fall) of the academic year for a period of one year. Award decisions are typically made in March of that year. Thus, students wishing to be considered for an assistantship must apply by February 1 of the year. Renewal is predicated upon adequate performance during the initial year of support.