The Graduate Assistantships scholarship at Michigan State University is a valuable opportunity for graduate students. This program provides financial support in the form of a stipend and compensation in return for performing specific duties. Graduate assistantships are offered in three primary categories: research assistants, teaching assistants represented by the Graduate Employees Union, and teaching assistants not covered by the MSU – Graduate Employees Union Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Michigan State University boasts over 3,000 assistantships, offering a diverse array of roles for qualified graduate students. The university places a strong emphasis on the quality of the educational experience that graduate assistants receive. This commitment extends to teaching assistants who are also assessed based on the quality of their instruction to undergraduate students.
Programme
- Postgraduate
Targeted Countries
- International students
Location
- USA
Eligibility Criteria for the Graduate Assistantship
In order to be qualified for the Graduate Assistantship at Michigan State University, Candidates must meet the following conditions:
• Graduate assistantships are available only to graduate students who are in good standing and actively pursuing graduate degree programs.
• International graduate assistants must check in online with the Office for International Students and Scholars.
• Successful candidates must be registered each semester in which they hold assistantships as follows:
o Doctoral students with quarter-time or half-time assistantships must carry at least 3 credits (exceptions stated in chart). They may carry a maximum of 16 course credits (for a quarter-time appointment) or 12 course credits (for a half -time appointment), excluding 899/999 credits. Doctoral students who have passed comprehensive exams may enroll for 1 credit the semester after the student’s unit administrator submits the completed exam form to the appropriate college Associate Dean and the college sends the approval to the Office of the Registrar.
o There is a maximum of 36, 999 credits for all doctoral students.
o Master’s students with quarter-time assistantships or half-time assistantships must carry at least 6 credits. They may carry a maximum of 16 course credits (for a quarter-time appointment) or 12 course credits (for a half -time appointment), excluding 899/999 credits.
o Doctoral and master’s students with three-quarter-time assistantships must carry at least 3 credits. They may carry a maximum of 8 course credits, excluding 899/999 credits.
o During the summer session, graduate assistants must carry a minimum of 3 credits.*
o Visitor credits may count as part of a student’s credit load if approved in writing by the student’s department chair or unit director, college and the Dean of the Graduate School.
o Deviations from the minimum enrollment requirements listed above, except as noted for doctoral students, are permitted only during the semester in which the degree is granted, when students must enroll for at least the number of credits required to complete the degree or meet the University minimum registration requirement of one credit.
• Any deviation from the maximum credit requirements must have the written approval of the dean of the student’s college before registration.
• Graduate enrollment must be in courses recognized as being of graduate level unless the student’s department, school or program has granted written permission for course work constituting an exception to this policy.
• Graduate assistants must achieve and maintain satisfactory academic records. This means a 3.00 or higher grade point average. Appointing units or colleges may establish additional or higher required standards.
• Recommendation for appointment as a graduate assistant must be made by the department chairperson or school/program director.
• Lifelong Education students and College of Law students (except if dually enrolled in an MSU graduate program) are not eligible for graduate assistantships. Dually enrolled bachelor’s/master’s degree students are not eligible for graduate assistantships until the minimum number of credits required for a first bachelor’s degree is completed.
Benefits of the Graduate Assistantship
1. Tuition fees waiver
2. Health Insurance.
3. Graduate Assistant Bi-weekly Stipend. Visit the official webpage below for more information.
4. Parking Permit
5. spousal benefits
6. Exemption from out–of–state resident tuition
7. Eligibility for treatment at Olin Health Center.
ASSISTANTSHIP LEVELS
GRADUATE ASSISTANTS, LEVEL I.
Graduate students who hold a bachelor’s degree and have less than one year of experience working as graduate assistants or receiving full-support fellowships are responsible for conducting research, carrying out administrative assignments, and performing supervised tasks like reading and grading papers.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTS, LEVEL II.
Graduate students who possess a master’s degree or its equivalent, along with at least one year of experience working as graduate assistants or receiving full-support fellowships within the appointing department or a related unit, as determined by the department or school chairperson, are tasked with conducting research, grading papers, and handling administrative responsibilities under moderate supervision. Typically, the transition from Level I to Level II is a standard and expected progression.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTS, LEVEL III.
Graduate students who have successfully passed their doctoral comprehensive exams, as determined by their respective department, and have gained experience as graduate Research Assistants or Teaching Assistants at Michigan State University, or an equivalent experience, are eligible. The required minimum number of semesters for this experience is four, five, or six, depending on the department’s regulations. The definition of equivalent experience as a Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant is at the discretion of the unit’s chairperson, but it is expected that only research-focused assignments will contribute to the six-semester requirement as a Research Assistant. Furthermore, it’s important to note that, in line with current practices, 1/4 time and 3/4 time appointments are considered equivalent to 1/2 time appointments, and summer semesters are considered on par with fall and spring semesters.
How to Apply
For more information about the Graduate Assistantship application process, kindly CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage.
Scholarship Deadline
31st October, 2023.