UNLV Graduate College

Info for Faculty/Staff

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistants play an indispensable role on campus, serving as research team members and augmenting classroom learning. UNLV currently provides graduate assistantships in a wide variety of disciplines; faculty who need assistance with research or course instruction may request GA positions. This site is designed to guide both faculty and staff on issues associated with budgeting, requesting, hiring, and working with graduate assistants.

How to Budget for an Externally Funded Graduate Assistant

The Graduate College encourages faculty to seek extramural funds to support graduate student research endeavors. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to writing GAs into grants and contracts. For more information about obtaining extramural funds, contact UNLV’s Office of Sponsored Programs.

Externally funded GRAs and GTAs must be appointed for a minimum of one semester (summer, fall or spring). All the same policies and guidelines that apply to state funded GAs also apply to externally funded graduate assistants. Please see the Estimated Costs for GRAs/GTAs for costs and other information. If you have additional questions, please contact the Office for Graduate Student Financial Services at 895-5569.

How to request a graduate assistant
Consult with your department chair and the Graduate College prior to requesting a graduate assistant. If both parties approve your request for a graduate assistant, continue the process by following these steps.

1. Review the instructions and complete the departmental graduate assistant request form (Note: For Faculty/Staff Use Only). Requests for graduate assistants must be initiated with the form.
2. If you are hiring a GA on a grant, review Estimated Costs for GRAs/GTAs.
3. Review GA Duties/Expectations. Do not begin working with a student before s/he signs a contract. You must make arrangements with the Graduate College and follow the processes in place before research can begin.
4. If a graduate assistantship is granted, the Graduate College will copy you on the official letter that it sends to the student.
5. Outside employment for GAs, both on and off campus, is discouraged; graduate assistants may request permission to seek outside employment through a request for additional employment form. Note: International students (F-1) are limited to a 20-hour work week during the academic year.
6. For updated GRA/GTA policy information, please see the GRA/GTA Policy Guidelines (PDF).

Deadlines for requesting a graduate assistant

• May 1 Deadline for requesting a graduate assistant for the fall semester
• Dec. 1 Deadline for requesting a graduate assistant for the spring semester
• NOTE: For students to be paid on time (at the end of the month), they must be officially employed as graduate assistants before the 10th of the month.

Summer contracts
Graduate assistant summer contracts must be for at least three months, and the student must be enrolled in at least three graduate-level summer term credits during any one of the summer sessions.

Twelve-month contracts
GAs on 12-month contracts must be enrolled in at least three graduate-level credits during any one of the three summer sessions of the 12 months of the contract.

Terminating Graduate Assistants
Graduate assistants may be terminated under certain circumstances, but the Graduate College must be consulted before action is taken. Please contact the Office of Graduate Student Financial Services for more information.