Graduate Assistantships

• Eligibility and Requirements
  To be awarded a Graduate Assistantship, students must: 
  

  • Be enrolled as a full-time (9 credits for master’s; 6 credits for doctoral) degree-seeking graduate student for the term (fall/spring) in which the position will be held. Undergraduate students, including those in an accelerated pathway, and UNF employees are ineligible for an assistantship position. Summer enrollment is not required to hold an assistantship position.   
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 each term an assistantship position is held.   
  • Work no more than 40 biweekly hours in combination with all other UNF employment.   
  • GTAs are required to enroll in the Graduate School Canvas GTA Orientation or a department led GTA orientation.  
• Waiver Eligibility

  Tuition Waiver (awarded to select graduate students; not all positions are eligible)

  • To be eligible for the tuition waiver(s), GAs must: 
    
    • Be an active degree-seeking graduate student. 
    • Be appointed at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a GA, GTA, or GRA; tuition waivers are pro-rated based on the appointment hours, for enrollment of up to nine (9) graduate credit hours   
    • Receive the minimum stipend requirement ($2,500 per semester for GAs appointed for 10 hours per week; $5,000 for GAs appointed for 20 hours per week 

  Please speak with the department that appointed you to a GA position if you have questions regarding your tuition waiver eligibility.  

  Out-of-State Fee Waiver (awarded to all GAs meeting the criteria below, even if they do not receive a tuition waiver)

  • To be eligible for the tuition waiver(s), GAs must:
    
    • Be an active degree-seeking graduate student 
    • Be classified as an out-of-state resident for tuition purposes 
    • Be appointed at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a GA, GA-DLC, GTA, or GRA. 

  Tuition & Out-of-State Fee Waiver by Student Type for Standard Tuition Programs

  Tuition and Fee Type	Waiver per Credit (up to 9)
  Florida Resident: Tuition	$408.10
  Non-Florida Resident: Tuition + Out-of-State Fee	$408.10 + $524.51
  Florida Resident Exclusive Rate*: Tuition	$275.00
  Non- Florida Resident Exclusive Rate*: Tuition + Out-of-State Fee	$275.00 + $524.51
  Non-Florida Resident: Out-of-State Fee only	$524.51

  
  

  Students in the following non-standard tuition rate programs should go to the program webpage to calculate tuition and fees.

  • DPT-Doctor of Physical Therapy
  • DNP-Nurse Anesthesiology
  • DCN-Doctor of Clinical Nutrition
  • MS-ASL English Interpreting
  • MS in Nutrition
  • Post-MSN-Doctor of Nursing Practice

  
  Please see the Tuition & Fees webpage for more information. To calculate Tuition & Fees by total semester credits, use our Graduate Cost Calculator.

  *The Exclusive Graduate Tuition Rate is available to current and new graduate students pursuing a graduate degree or graduate certificate in standard-rate programs if they graduated with a UNF bachelor's degree within the past 5 years (15 consecutive terms, including summer).

• Waiver Information and Processing
  • Waiver is only applied toward graduate level tuition.  
  • ​​​Fees are not covered. 
  • Students are liable for tuition not covered by the waiver(s) and fees. 
  • Waiver is only good for the semesters during which the student is appointed as a graduate assistant. 
  • Eligibility requirements must be maintained throughout the semester. 
  • If a GA resigns from their appointment, withdraws from coursework during a term in which an award is received, or if the assistantship is terminated due to unsatisfactory performance or academic standing, the stipend will be prorated based on the period of service. Any associated tuition waiver will be adjusted or rescinded accordingly, which may result in the student being responsible for outstanding tuition charges. 
  • GAs are required to contact the Graduate School if enrollment changes after the date the waiver was applied. 
  • If the GA appointment is completed by the day before drop-add ends (typically Thursday if drop-add ends Friday), the waiver(s) will be applied by the end of day on the last day of drop-add. An email notice is sent to the GA when the waiver is processed. It takes 1-3 business days for the waiver to credit to the student bill.
  • If the GA appointment is not completed and the waiver is not posted by the last day of drop-add, the student must pay their bill or enroll in a payment plan. Waivers will be processed weekly on Fridays. If the tuition waiver is applied after the student has paid their bill, the student will receive a reimbursement.  
• Assistantship Types
  • Graduate Assistant 
    • Primarily completes educational duties under supervision of a faculty member that contribute to their program of study 
    • Provides support to a qualified undergraduate course Instructor of Record by facilitating breakout, discussion, clinical, or lab sub-section of a course, if the faculty member is teaching the primary lecture activity and closely supervising all aspects of the teaching and learning process 
      • In this type of teaching assignment, the GA delivers the material using a common textbook, common syllabus, common lab/classroom materials and procedures, and common exams and grading procedures as established by the Instructor of Record 
      • The GA may recommend a final grade to the Instructor of Record, who reviews the recommendation and takes responsibility for assigning final grades 
      • Students appointed to complete these duties must be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the discipline, provided regular in-service training, and provided with planned and periodic evaluations 
  • Graduate Assistant DL Coach 
    • Primarily completes educational duties for course(s) offered via Distance Learning under supervision of an instructor of record that contribute to their program of study 
    • Provides support to a qualified undergraduate course Instructor of Record by facilitating breakout, discussion, clinical, or lab sub-section of a course, if the faculty member is teaching the primary lecture activity and closely supervising all aspects of the teaching and learning process 
      • In this type of teaching assignment, the GA delivers the material using a common textbook, common syllabus, common lab/classroom materials and procedures, and common exams and grading procedures as established by the Instructor of Record 
      • The GA may recommend a final grade to the Instructor of Record, who reviews the recommendation and takes responsibility for assigning final grades 
      • Students appointed to complete these duties must be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the discipline, provided regular in-service training, and provided with planned and periodic evaluations 
  • Graduate Research Assistant 
    • Primarily completes duties that may be considered research  
    • Are involved in faculty-supervised research 
    • May be funded through faculty-led sponsored research rather than from university funding sources, and therefore may be accountable to additional compliance considerations, e.g. export control oversight or IRB training 
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant 
    • Assigned as the Instructor of Record for an undergraduate course
    • Treated as members of the UNF faculty for SACSCOC accreditation purposes, and are listed on the Faculty Roster provided to SACSCOC
    • Supervised by a faculty member experienced in the discipline
    • Provided regular in-service training
    • Provided with planned and periodic evaluations, including ISQ evaluations

FAQs

• How do I apply for a Graduate Assistantship? 
  • Graduate assistantships are offered by each college. More information is available as follows:   
    • Brooks College of Health  
    • Coggin College of Business  
    • College of Arts and Sciences
    • College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction: Please contact your graduate program director.      
    • Silverfield College of Education & Human Services
    • Other UNF Departments: Other offices may appoint GAs. Positions are typically posted on Student Workday.
• Are fees covered by the Graduate Assistantship waiver(s)? 
  • The out-of-state fee is the only fee waived for eligible students. No other fees are covered by the GA waiver(s). Students are liable for tuition and fees not covered by the waiver(s).
• How and when do I get my stipend?
  • The stipend is spread across the period you are hired, typically one semester. It is paid every two weeks. You do not need to enter hours worked. 
  • Additional questions regarding stipend payments should be directed to the department that appointed you to your GA position.
• Can I work multiple on-campus positions? 
  • While students may hold multiple on campus positions, GA positions are limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week or 40 biweekly hours.  
  • If a GA works another position, they may not exceed 29 hours per week or 58 biweekly hours. Their department will need to complete an Assistantship Criteria Exception waiver in this case.
• Can international students apply for a Graduate Assistantship? 
  • GA positions are open to both domestic and international students.