Assistantships and Awards

• Eligibility for an assistantship is limited to graduate students who are officially accepted into a degree seeking program and who are registered full-time in graduate level courses for the fall and spring terms.
  • Full-time enrollment is considered nine (9) credit hours of graduate level courses for masters students, six (6) credit hours of graduate level courses for doctoral students.
  • In special circumstances for students graduating at the end of a term, a reduction in class load may be approved. An Assistantship Criteria Exception Form will be required detailing the reasons for not being enrolled full-time. For the summer term only, the Assistantship Criteria Exception Form is waived for reduced enrollment.
• All graduate assistants are required to uphold a 3.0 cumulative GPA to maintain their award.
• Graduate assistants are typically not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week in all combined assistantship and student positions at UNF. Support, A&P, and faculty staff are not allowed to hold an assistantship position. Students who have been awarded assistantships are strongly discouraged from obtaining full-time employment outside the university.
• As required by Florida Statute 1010.35, the University of North Florida will collect additional information from applicants seeking research or research-support (Graduate Research Assistant) positions prior to an interview or an offer of employment. This information is not used in the evaluation of qualifications for the position. Your hiring department will provide you with the Graduate Foreign Influence Review Form link.
• Students registered with the DRC are encouraged to contact the Graduate School for information about how accommodations and exceptions may impact eligibility.
• Graduate Teaching Assistants are required to enroll in the Graduate School Canvas GTA Orientation or a department led GTA orientation.

To be eligible for the waiver(s), students must meet the all of the requirements for each waiver:

• In-state tuition waiver (awarded to select graduate students; not all positions are eligible)
  • Be an active degree-seeking graduate student
  • Hired at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a graduate assistant, graduate teaching assistant, or graduate research assistant 
  • Position must meet minimum stipend requirements
• Out-of-state tuition waiver
  • Be an active degree-seeking graduate student
  • Be classified as an out-of-state resident for tuition purposes
  • Hired at a minimum of 10 hours per week as a graduate assistant, distance learning coach ggraduate assistant, graduate teaching assistant, or graduate research assistant.

• Waiver is only applied towards graduate level tuition
• ​​​​​​​Fees* are not covered
  • *Portion of the out-of-state financial aid fee is covered with an out-of-state waiver
• Students are liable for tuition not covered by the waiver(s), and fees
• In-state tuition waiver is determined from the position hours and is pro-rated based on enrollment of up to nine (9) graduate credit hours
• Waiver is only good for the semesters during which the student is employed
• Eligibility requirements must be maintained throughout the semester
• If the position is terminated or the student withdraws from courses before the final deadline to withdraw from the term in which the position is held, the waiver will be adjusted accordingly. This may result in an outstanding balance being owed. Refer to the Academic Calendar for the final withdrawal deadline.
• Student's are required to contact us if enrollment changes after the date the waiver was applied

Waivers are processed when the electronic Personnel Action Form (ePAF) is received and approved by the Graduate School. An email notice is sent to the student when the waiver is processed. It takes 1-3 business days for the waiver to credit to the student bill. Students who are expecting a waiver should consider a payment plan if it has not posted within 3-5 business days of the payment deadline.

Each college's Dean's Office will notify the Graduate School which students are in-state tuition waiver eligible. Please speak with your hiring department if you have questions regarding your in-state tuition waiver eligibility.

Out-of-state tuition waiver does not require college notification and will be applied to all students that meet the above eligibility requirements.

• Graduate Assistant
  • Performs general educational administration duties, and has no research and teaching responsibilities.
• Graduate Assistant DL Coach
  • Duties include, but are not limited to, communicating with the instructor, posting announcements, assisting students with technical questions, participating in discussions, and documenting student comments, questions, and concerns.
• Graduate Research Assistant
  • Involved in faculty-supervised research, but has no teaching responsibilities.
• Graduate Teaching Assistant
  • Performs teaching duties under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member or administrator of a State University. This person may be the instructor of record for a course or a portion of a course.

• A minimum admission GPA 
• Essay 

• Letter(s) of recommendation  

Students are advised to contact their graduate program director no later than April 30 for further details on being nominated for this award.

• Application deadline TBA