Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Assistantships | University of West Florida
Skip to main content

Assistantships


Each academic year, funds are dispersed from the Provost Office and are allocated to the various graduate academic departments. The academic departments are responsible for awarding these assistantships to high-performing graduate students.

UWF Jobs Website

Graduate Assistant FAQs

A: There are 5 types of Graduate Assistantships:

  1. Graduate Assistant (9186): A GA is paid hourly and must submit a bi-weekly time sheet in MyUWF. A GA is tasked with duties that are not teaching or research-focused but still academic in nature and require more skill or knowledge than a regular student assistantship.
  2. Graduate Research Assistant (9182): A GRA is paid hourly and must submit a bi-weekly time sheet in MyUWF. GRAs are tasked with research-focused work and work directly under a faculty supervisor. GRAs may be working on University or grant-funded projects.
  3. Graduate Teaching Assistant (9184): A GTA is paid hourly and must submit a bi-weekly time sheet in MyUWF. A GTA is tasked with teaching-related duties such as developing teaching materials, giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.
  4. Graduate Teaching Assistant – Instructor of Record (9185): A GTA-IOR is salaried and does not submit a time sheet. The GTA-IOR is assigned as the Instructor of Record on a course. Eligibility requirements for this assignment differ from the general requirements for a GA position.
  5. Resident Hall Director (9189): An HD is salaried and does not submit a time sheet. An HD also receives an on-campus apartment and a meal plan. An HD works more hours than a typical GA, supervising Resident Assistants, providing assistance and support to student residents, and maintaining a safe and pleasant residential environment.

A: The eligibility requirements for a graduate assistant position are as follows:

  • The student must be an admitted, degree-seeking student in a Master’s, Specialist, or Doctoral program at UWF.
  • The student must be enrolled in at least 6 hours of graduate-level coursework in the Fall and Spring semesters and at least 3 hours in the Summer semester.
  • The student must be in Good Academic Standing (maintain a 3.0 GPA and not be on academic probation).
  • GTAs or GTA-IORs whose first language is not English must obtain a TOEFL Listening/Comprehension score of 23. English proficiency training is available through UWF International Affairs.
  • Additional requirements, such as references, a curriculum vita or resume, or writing sample, may be required by the hiring department.
  • Note that there are additional requirements for GTA-IORs, detailed in the GA Handbook.

Note: Faculty on sabbatical or leave are not eligible for GA support from department or university funds. However, a faculty member with appropriate external funding may be assigned a GA.

A: The minimum pay rate for Graduate Assistants as of the Fall 2022 semester is $15.00/hr. Departments may choose to pay more than the minimum.

A: A Graduate Assistant must work a minimum of 10 hours per week and can work up to 20 hours. Resident Hall Directors work 30 hours a week. If a student holds multiple GA appointments or if the department needs the student to work more hours, the hiring department may submit a Request for GA Appointment to Exceed 0.50 FTE form.

A: Graduate assistants are employed on a semesterly basis. The Fall and Spring semesters can be combined into one appointment but a Summer appointment must be processed separately. 

Appointments of all hourly paid graduate assistants are allowed to start one pay period prior to the start of classes. Regardless of start date, the ending date for Fall and Spring appointments is no later than the last day of the Spring semester. Appointments ending in the Fall should have an ending date of no later than the day before the Spring semester begins. Summer appointments can begin as early as the next day following the last day of the Spring semester and can extend as late as the day before the first day of the Fall semester.

Graduate Teaching Assistants - Instructor of Record (9185) are salaried and must follow the dates of the academic term and the model used for adjuncts.

GA appointments funded by grants may follow the start and end dates of the grant.

 

A: A matriculation waiver, also known as a tuition waiver, is an award which waives the student’s obligation to pay in-state tuition. This award only covers tuition. All graduate students are required to pay fees. A matriculation waiver is not a scholarship and cannot result in a refund of dollars back to the student.

A: An out-of-state waiver is an award which waives the student’s obligation to pay Alabama or out-of-state differential tuition rates. All graduate assistants who are classified as non-Florida residents receive this award. An out-of-state waiver is not a scholarship and cannot result in a refund of dollars back to the student.

A: Students are encouraged to reach out to their academic department to inquire about available graduate assistantships. Students can also search for graduate assistant positions on the UWF Careers webpage.

A: In the event of resignation or termination before the original end date of the GA appointment, the student is required to pay back a prorated portion of the tuition waiver. The prorated amount should be calculated by the department and communicated to the student and the Cashier’s Office. If the department determines the student should not be required to pay back the waiver, reach out to the Graduate Curriculum Coordinator for assistance.

Please review the Graduate Assistant Handbook or the GA Office Managers Handbook. You can also reach out to Allicyn Baldwin, the Graduate Curriculum Coordinator, with questions.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Orientation

This workshop for new graduate teaching assistants will cover classroom management, student engagement, university resources, professional roles and responsibilities, eLearning, and peer experiences. This orientation is offered before the start of the fall semester.

Graduate Assistant Resources

GA Handbook

Office Manager Handbook

GA Performance Evaluation Form