What is a graduate assistantship?

A graduate assistantship is a paid position for current graduate students at NMU. GAs, as they're commonly referred to, can hold administrative, research, or teaching assistant roles. In addition to being paid for 20 hours/week during the academic year, GAs are also awarded a scholarship that covers their tuition and fees by the department in which they're employed. 

 

 

 

GA Supervisor Handbook

Graduate Assistant Benefits

  • Annual stipend of $11,690 or 18.26/hour (paid out bi-weekly while on-contract)
  • Full-tuition scholarships covering 100% of in-state tuition and fees (up to 8 credits/semester)
  • Complimentary faculty/staff parking pass
  • Access to the NMU Health Center
  • University issued laptop
  • 3 meals/week loaded on NMU ID

GA’s are paid on regular NMU paydays.

Types of GAships

Base-Budget GA 

  • Funded by university base budget, allocated annually through request process

Department Funded GA

  • Funded directly by academic or administrative departments

Grant Funded GA

  • Funded by research or program-specific external grants

Application and Position Overview

Graduate assistants are paid employees of the university. Their pay dates begin the first payday of the fall semester and end at the conclusion of the winter semester. As salaried employees, they have the same days off that faculty have during the year, which include holidays and semester breaks.

Note that accepting an NMU graduate assistantship makes the individual ineligible to work in any other position or additional hours on campus during your contracted dates.

Minimum Application Requirements

To be considered for a graduate assistantship position, the individual must meet the conditions listed below and the requirements of your specific position description.

They must:

  1. Be admitted to a master's level program without any conditions (graduate certificate and non-degree seeking students are not eligible for these positions)
  2. Have a 3.0 GPA or higher in all graduate-level coursework
  3. Follow any additional application instructions specified by the department
  4. Provide materials relevant to employment experience (such as resume, CV, etc.)

You may require that the individual also provide:

  1. The graduate assistantship application
  2. Three letters of recommendation
  3. A cover letter detailing your reasons for seeking the position
  4. Other job relevant information.

 

Additional Information

  • Graduate Student Worker positions (which are not graduate assistantships) will also be posted when available. See Career Services also for assistantships other employment opportunities. Note that the acceptance of a graduate assistantship makes you ineligible for most other NMU positions during your contracted dates.
  • International Students: International students are eligible for graduate assistantships once they are admitted to the university. They must abide by the rules and laws set out by their visa status. If a student is unsure about the guidelines of their visa, they should contact the International Education Services Office. 

GA Timeline & Process Overview

Recordkeeping Reminder: Departments are advised to keep detailed internal records of hiring processes, including job ads, selection criteria, interview notes, and communications

Graduate Assistant Request Form Sent to Academic Departments for Base-Budget GA Requests

  • Departments receive a GA Request Form from Graduate Studies.
     
  • Department Heads should collaborate with Graduate Program Directors to complete the form.
     
  • One form per academic department.

 Base-Budget GA Line Allocations

  • The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research meets with academic Deans to assign 77 available Base-Budget GA lines across departments.
     
  • Allocation is based on submitted forms and departmental needs.
     
  • Departments must meet both criteria below to be considered:
     
    • Submitted the GA Request Form.
       
    • Received official allocation confirmation via email.

Hiring Information Distributed

  • Graduate office will distribute GA hiring information campus-wide for both Base-Budget GA’s and department funded GA’s
     
  • Departments will work on creating position descriptions if the position is new and send it to Sarah Amidon for review and approval
     
  • Departments can start filling out the hiring form for returning GA’s (Keep in mind we will not be able to require students sign contracts until April 15th.
     
    • Departments will also start initiating background checks.  All GA’s must have a background check annually. 

Position Review, Preparation, and Posting

  • Departments may prepare: 
     
  • After Position Descriptions are finalized: 
     
    • Departments can request CGS&R to post position on their website
       
    • They can also be posted on Handshake, departmental websites, and departmental social media sites
       
  • Departments can start filling out the hiring form for returning/new GA’s (Keep in mind we will not be able to require students sign contracts until April 15th).
     
    • Departments will also start initiating background checks.  All GA’s must have a background check annually. 

Job Posting & Search Process Begins

  • Base-Budget GA lines are guaranteed only through June 1. 
     
  • Unassigned lines may be reallocated after this date. 
     
  • All NEW GA positions require a search. 
     
  • Job postings:
     
    • Graduate Studies GA Positions Page
       
    • Department-chosen platforms (e.g., Handshake)
       
  • Best hiring practices when performing GA search:
     
    • Determine who will be responsible for posting and interviewing
       
    • Define predetermined selection criteria
       
    • Accept application materials (resume, cover letter, etc.)
       
    • Conduct interviews for top candidates
       
    • Select candidates based on objective criteria

Hiring & Background Checks

  • Complete the GA Hiring Form
     
  • Initiate the Background Check Form
     
    • All GAs (returning or new) must complete a background check every 12 months (preferably every fall).
       
  • Upon background check clearance and completed hiring form:
     
    • Offer letter and contract sent to student.
       
    • Contract finalized by Academic Affairs and distributed to:
       
      • Student
         
      • Hiring department admin
         
  • HR, Payroll, College of Graduate Studies

 

Contract & Onboarding

  • All contracts should be signed and received no later than July 15 of each year.  This will allow enough time for stakeholders across campus to be informed and get the GA’s set up with payroll, benefits, etc. 
     
  • Students must:
     
  • Complete College Oath (new GAs only) – Contact Bree Butler (notary)
     
  • New GA’s must attend a GA orientation starting the Monday before classes start
     
  • Returning GA’s start the Wednesday before classes start
     
  • If a department is going to hire for winter semester they should work with CGS&R hiring process during these months. All new contracts should be sent before leaving for Semester break.