Remuneration

Typically, a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) is paid from the Faculty Salaries category of the University budget, a Graduate Assistant-Salary (GAS) is paid from Instructional Funds (not the wages category), a Graduate Assistant Wages (GAW) is paid from the wages account, and a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) is paid from institutional grants awarded to certain faculty members and from outside university and faculty research contracts. See Graduate Assistant Pay Scales for details. Graduate Assistant pay is distributed on the 1st and 16th business days of the month or the first business day thereafter.

The categories for GA appointments include master's-level students and doctoral-level students. A student working directly toward a doctorate degree without earning a master's degree will be considered the same as a master's degree student until the student has earned 30 graduate semester hours. Mid-year adjustments in a graduate assistant's salary will not be made.

For the academic year, a full-time GA (GAS, GAW, GRA, GTA) is appointed for 0.50 FTE (Full-Time equivalency), which is defined as 20 contact hours (Full-Time) a week in direct support of instruction and requires enrollment in five (5) graduate semester credit hours. Employment less than 0.50 FTE is possible during the summer with an appropriate reduction in hours worked and pay received - see enrollment requirements below. 

Semester Enrollment Requirements - The minimum course load for which graduate assistants must be enrolled during long semesters is five (5) semester credit hours for both a .25 and .50 FTE (Full-Time Equivalency). Departments may require a greater minimum number of hours. For enrollments of less than five (5) hours, a request in writing via email from the academic component leader with a detailed rationale explaining the need for enrollment in fewer hours is required. Students in thesis, dissertation, professional paper, practicum, or internship/clinical hours may register for a minimum of three (3) hours. (Note: Students enrolled for less than 5 hours must pay FICA tax unless enrolled in their last semester.)

Summer Enrollment Requirements - The minimum course load for which graduate assistants must be enrolled for summer is five (5) semester credit hours for a 0.50 FTE (Full-Time Equivalency.) Students may be enrolled in three (3) semester credit hours with an FTE (Full-Time Equivalency) of 0.25, up to 0.49. Note: Summer enrollment includes enrollment any time during summer I, summer II, and/or summer III terms (6/1-8/31). Summer enrollment must be five (5) semester credit hours of graduate coursework.

Note: Graduate assistant appointment assignments for students who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be approved, and their assignment will be rejected and returned through Oracle to the academic component for appropriate action. 

An out-of-state graduate assistant is entitled to register by paying the tuition and other fees or charges required for Texas residents without regard to the length of time the assistant has resided in Texas if the following criteria are met:

  1. The graduate assistant is enrolled in a minimum of five (5) semester credit hours.
  2. The graduate assistant is employed at least one-half time (0.50 FTE = 20 hours = Full-Time).
  3. The graduate assistant is working in a position that relates to their degree program.

The student should digitally complete the Request for In-State Tuition Form for Graduate Assistants, signed by the component leader, and forward it to the Graduate School as an email attachment. The form must be submitted by the 12th class day of long semesters, the 4th class day of summer sessions, and the 2nd class day of the 13-week, 3-week, and 7-week sessions. Refer to TWU's Academic Calendars. The Graduate School will verify that the student meets the requirements for in-state tuition, approve the request for in-state tuition, and forward the request for in-state tuition form to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar's Office will make the adjustment to the student's account.