Graduate Assistantships
Everything you need to start and maintain graduate assistantships in your department.
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University of Maine Graduate Workers Union
how to initiate an assistantship appointment
Step 1
ADVERTISE THE POSITION AND SEARCH FOR APPLICANTS
The hiring process for graduate assistants varies by department. Here is the template you should use for building the job description for the assistantship. You can post the job listing to CareerLink, your department’s website, and our funding opportunities page (email the description to Amanda Rose at amanda.rose@maine.edu). Feel free to advertise the position via email if you wish.
Step 2
REQUEST AN EXCEPTION*
Units must use the exception request form for any new graduate admissions for students who will be receiving financial offers from external sources. Note that not all assistantships require exception approval. Contact Ally Davis (allyson.davis@maine.edu) with any questions about the exception process.
Step 3
MAKE AN INITIAL OFFER
Assistantship offers, both initial appointments and reappointments, are completed by submitting the initial offer form. Upon submission, an email will be sent to the student with basic information about the assistantship, including the stipend, tuition, and insurance benefits. Students may accept electronically. Notification of acceptance will be sent automatically to the hiring unit as well as the graduate program coordinator for the student’s program. The formal award letter will follow in step 4.
Step 4
SEND A FORMAL OFFER LETTER
The student should receive an award letter that includes their stipend, tuition and insurance benefits, and a job description. We recommend that you use an award letter template to ensure all required information is included:
SEt UP THE APPOINTMENT
The steps to set up an appointment depend on the funding source: Department or Grant-Funded Assistantships, Federal Work-Study Assistantships, or Graduate School-Funded Assistantships.
DEPARTMENT OR GRANT-FUNDED ASSISTANTSHIPS
If your department or grant is funding an assistantship, please fill out the Graduate Assistant Appointment Form (GAAF). Please note that you cannot save your progress on the form.
WARNING
Payroll MUST receive appointment information by the 15th of any given month in order to process a check for that month.
This means that all approvers must approve the form before the 15th. Form preparers are responsible for following up with approvers.
FEDERAL WORK-STUDY ASSISTANTSHIPS
These positions are only available to domestic students who have completed the FAFSA and are eligible for work-study. Please note these positions are available to a select number of departments. If you have any questions regarding student eligibility and the nomination process, please reach out to Sam Sternitzky, the Student Employment Coordinator in the Student Financial Services at samuel.sternitzky@maine.edu.
GRADUATE SCHOOL-FUNDED ASSISTANTSHIPS
To set up assistantships that are funded by the Graduate School, please email Allyson Davis (allyson.davis@maine.edu) with the student’s name, ID, and the number of the position that the student will take. The Graduate School will complete the GAAF and, if desired, can send you a copy of it for your records.
REVISIONS & TERMINATIONS
Appointments that have not been processed by the Graduate School can be edited on Smartsheet.
For appointments that have been processed by the Graduate School, please see the links to the additional compensation form as well as the revision form. Reach out to Allyson Davis (allyson.davis@maine.edu) with any questions.
Budgeting for an assistantship
Effective July 1, 2026, all Graduate Assistants must be paid at least the minimum stipend rate. Please see below for the new minimum rates for a 20 hour/week appointment. Graduate Assistants working less than 20 hours/week, and/or more or less than 9 months, must receive at least the minimum stipend prorated accordingly.
Standard Minimum 9-Month Stipend for Doctoral Students
Standard Minimum 9-Month Stipend for Master’s Students
Tuition per Credit Hour
INSURANCE PREMIUMS
Note: The GA health insurance plan is required for all graduate assistants unless they already have adequate coverage. Click here for more information about insurance. The amounts below are for the AY25-26 plan year (effective 8/1/25-7/31/26). The updated costs for AY26-27 will be added when available.
Full Year Insurance
Fall Insurance Only
Spring & Summer Insurance Only
Summer Insurance Only
types of assistantship
The Graduate School categorizes assistantships into the following three types:
Teaching Assistantship (TA)
TAs are assigned to specific undergraduate courses for which they teach, grade, and answer general student inquiries.
Research Assistantship (RA)
An RA’s job is primarily to conduct and assist with research.
Graduate Assistantship (GA)
A catchall term for assistantships that don’t fit into the other two categories. A student in this category might be working on general administrative tasks, answering emails, secretarial work, etc.
hours, responsibilities, and requirements
Students on assistantships usually work 20 hours/week. Domestic students can work up to 30 hours/week during the academic year, and international students can only work 20 due to visa restrictions. Both domestic and international students can work up to 40 hours/week during breaks (spring, summer, and winter).
Work responsibilities vary widely according to the type of assistantship and what is needed for the role. It is important to provide a job description in the offer letter that outlines general responsibilities. Students should not be asked to complete tasks outside the scope of their original offer unless it is agreed to in writing. Students should never be asked to complete personal tasks for their supervisors.
Students are required to be enrolled full time during the semester(s) they are on an assistantship. For fall and spring semesters, this means at least 6 graduate-level credits. For summer, only 1 credit is required. If a student has applied for graduation and/or if they are a doctoral candidate, only 1 credit is required for any semester.
fellowships vs. assistantships
Fellowships, like assistantships, provide a monthly stipend and tuition and insurance coverage. The main difference between fellowships and assistantships is that fellowships don’t come with work requirements – the student is supported by the funds to complete their research or other academic projects.
Because fellowships aren’t considered employment income, they are paid via Strategic Procurement instead of Payroll. Students will receive paper checks by default but have the option of receiving direct deposit via Zelle (instructions here).
Use the Fellowship Appointment form to initiate a new fellowship. This fellowship letter template can be used for the student’s award letter.
resources
Teaching Assistantship Handbook
This handbook is directed toward TAs and contains useful information and strategies for students in teaching positions.
Graduate School Financial Award Nomination Information
This page contains information about Graduate School-funded awards, which include shared TAs, teaching assistantships, and fellowships.
