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Graduate Student Assistant Information
This document describes the different types of graduate student assistant positions.
Audience
- Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Forest & Wildlife faculty and academic staff; Hub staff
Overview
This document contains reference information for the different types of graduate assistant positions.
Assistant Categories and Definitions1
| Category | Definition |
|---|---|
| Teaching Assistant (TA) | A graduate student enrolled in a UW System institution who has been assigned teaching responsibilities in an instructional department under the supervision of an academic staff or faculty member. |
| Research Assistant (RA) | A UW-Madison graduate student whose work is performed primarily to further their own education and training. |
| Program or Project Assistant (PA) | A graduate student enrolled in a UW System institution who is employed to assist with research, training, or other academic programs or projects at the UW-Madison. Departments are required to recruit for new PA positions on the student job center website as well as on a department bulletin board. |
| Program Assistant - Reader/Grader (PA-Reader/Grader) | Graduate students enrolled at UW-Madison who are employed to assist with grading at the UW-Madison. |
| Fellow | A graduate student holding a fellowship which provides freedom to devote full-time to obtaining an advanced degree. |
1 Adapted from https://admin.cals.wisc.edu/offices/hr/recruiting-appointment-info/student-employment/
See also: https://hr.wisc.edu/policies/gapp/
Applies to All
Tuition Remission
- Eligibility - must hold a 33.3% or greater appointment for a fall or spring term to receive remission of full tuition: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/tuition-remission/
- Segregated Fees are not included with tuition remission. This must paid by the student.
- The department handles submitting the tuition remission. Students do not need to take any action in the process of submitting tuition remission.
- During the summer semester, tuition is remitted to graduate students.
Maximum Appointment Levels
Grad School maximum appointment levels policy: https://kb.wisc.edu/gsadminkb/page.php?id=33322
| Position Type | % Maximum | Spring/Fall Semester | Breaks - Spring, Summer, Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Assistant | 50%3 | 75% with no more than 50% being the RA appt | |
| Teaching Assistant | 75-100%3 | 75% | 100% |
| Project Assistant | 75-100%3 | 75% | 100% |
| Lecturer SA | 75-100% | 75% | 100% |
| Fellowship | See Fellowship Policy | ||
3 Only able to go above 75% during semester breaks.
| Position Type | % Maximum | Spring/Fall Semester | Breaks - Spring, Summer, Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Assistant | 50% | 50% | 75% |
| Teaching Assistant | 50% | 50% | 75% |
| Project Assistant | 50% | 50% | 75% |
| Lecturer SA | 50% | 50% | 75% |
| Fellowship | See Fellowship Policy | ||
- F1 and J1 students can't exceed the 20 hour limit.
- Fellowship policy: https://kb.wisc.edu/gsadminkb/page.php?id=33321
- Maximum appointment level including SH: https://kb.wisc.edu/gsadminkb/page.php?id=33323
Stipend Levels and Fringe Rates
- Minimum Stipend Levels: https://grad.wisc.edu/funding/graduate-assistantships/
- Locate “Assistantship Stipends by Program” and click the link for the current year rates.
- Fringe Rates: https://rsp.wisc.edu/rates/
- Locate “Fringe Rates FY2023” and then “Research Assistants, Project Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Pre-Doc Fellows and/or Trainees”
See Also
- How to Hire a Research Associate
- How to Hire a Research Intern
- How to Hire a Project Assistant - NOT a Reader/Grader
- How to Hire a Project Assistant Reader/Grader
Questions
- Please contact your department’s HR generalist.