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Students must be admitted formally to a graduate degree program to be eligible for a graduate assistantship. All first-year students are offered funding and funding is available through 5 years for all students making good progress in the program. Assistantships are awarded based on actual or potential teaching ability, research and technology skills, or other special expertise. Fellows and graduate teaching and research assistants typically have their in-state and out-of-state tuition costs waived, but still pay for fees. To retain an assistantship, graduate assistants must be in good standing in the program, maintain a 3.0 grade point average, and enroll in 9 credits during the fall and spring terms, and 6 credits in the summer.
Stipends for fellows and trainees, who are expected to devote full time to their studies, are excluded for tax purposes. Stipends for all graduate assistants, graduate research assistants, graduate teaching assistants, graduate research associates, and graduate teaching associates are subject to withholding taxes. Graduate assistants who have part-time teaching or research duties may register for reduced study loads.
Teaching assistantships (55-75 TAs in the department each term): Teaching assistants (TAs) assist faculty instructors with teaching, grading, and developing course materials. TAs attend lectures, hold office hours, assist students with papers and exams, and give guest lectures. A teaching assistantship is the typical assignment for an incoming first-year student. Rates and conditions of stipends are determined by the department.
Graduate Instructors (10-20 in the department each year): The department requires every student to teach at least one class on their own, under faculty supervision, before finishing their graduate program. Students are not assigned as instructors until they have completed their Masters degree or Masters research equivalency. Graduate instructors develop course materials, prepare and deliver lectures and demonstrations appropriate to the audience and the course description, develop and evaluate exams and other assignments, and maintain office hours for at least two hours per week. Rates and conditions of stipends are determined by the department.
Research Assistantships (30-45 in the department each year): Research assistants (RAs) work closely with faculty on their research programs. Depending on the nature of the research, RAs may prepare for and administer experiments; recruit participants; learn laboratory skills; care for animals; organize, code and analyze data; and lead or participate in meetings of the laboratory staff.
Graduate Minority Fellowships: available to newly entering minority students who are U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents.
McKnight Foundation Doctoral Fellowships: available to newly entering African-American or Hispanic students who are U.S. citizens, deadline January 15. Information available from the Florida Education Fund at (813) 272-2772. Apply to:
McKnight Programs
201 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 1510
Tampa, Florida, 33602
TEL: (813)221-2772
Grinter Awards: available to newly entering graduate students who are U.S. citizens.
McQuown New Graduate Student Award: available to entering female graduate students who have research interests that relate to women or social issues.
Board of Regents Summer Program for African-American Graduate Students: available to newly entering African-American students who are U.S. citizens, students who enroll in this program must enroll as full-time students the following academic year and are eligible for other minority fellowships.