Recommendations for the appointment of teaching, research and administrative assistants are made by individual departments or programs. Assistantships are awarded with the expectation that service will be provided by the recipient. Appointment Letters and position availability are initiated by the hiring department.
See the Graduate Assistants United (GAU) contract for additional benefits information. It’s recommended aspiring teaching, research and administrative assistants also familiarize themselves with disability services for students.
Have questions? Submit an inquiry form. For available assistantship positions, please contact the program directly.
Eligibility & Benefits
Those receiving an Administrative, Teaching, and Research assistantship appointment must be enrolled in a graduate degree program, be registered for 6-to-12 graduate credits or 3 graduate credits for approved ABD Status (ABD status is not automatic and the student must apply for this status. Click here for a FAQ and application.) and be in good academic standing.
All graduate assistantships, regardless of full-time or half-time appointment, are billed at the full-time rate, with the exception of ABD approved status.
IMPORTANT: Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance is a contractual benefit and it cannot be waived. If you currently have health, vision, or dental insurance, your existing insurance could be classified as secondary insurance.
Have questions? Submit an inquiry form. For available assistantship positions, please contact the program directly.
VIEW GAU CONTRACT ENROLLMENT SERVICES TUITION & FEES
2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR
Full-time (20 hours/week) Assistantship Waivers
- 100% Tuition Waiver (Full-time rate based on residency)
- 30% Standard Fees Waiver (Standard fees are Registration Fee, Health Services Fee, Technology Fee, and Student Services Fee)
- 100% Acc/Sick (Health) & Vision Insurance Fee Waivers(cannot be waived)
- 75% Dental Insurance Fee Waiver(cannot be waived)
- 100% Parking Permit Fee Waiver
Half-time (10 hours/week) Assistantship Waivers
- 50% Tuition Waiver (Full-time rate based on residency)
- 100% Acc/Sick (Health) & Vision Insurance Fee Waivers(cannot be waived)
- 75% Dental Insurance Fee(cannot be waived)
- 50% Parking Permit Fee
Breakdown Costs for the 2024-2025 AY will be available in June.
2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR
Full-time (20 hours/week) Assistantship Waivers
- 100% Tuition Waiver (Full-time rate based on residency)
- 25% Standard Fees Waiver (Standard fees are Registration Fee, Health Services Fee, Technology Fee, and Student Services Fee)
- 100% Acc/Sick Insurance (Health Insurance) Fee Waiver(cannot be waived)
- 75% Dental Insurance Fee Waiver(cannot be waived)
- 100% Parking Permit Fee Waiver
Half-time (10 hours/week) Assistantship Waivers
- 50% Tuition Fee (Full-time rate based on residency)
- 100% Acc/Sick Insurance(Health) Fee(cannot be waived)
- 75% Dental Insurance Fee(cannot be waived)
- 50% Parking Permit Fee
Click on the image below to view the cost breakdown for the 2023-2024.
Stipend & Levels of Pay
| 2024-2025 Stipends | |
|---|---|
| 2024-2025 Academic Year Full-time Graduate Assistants (20 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $22,370.00 $23,030.00 $24,105.00 |
| 2024-2025 Academic Year Half-time Graduate Assistants (10 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $11,185.00 $11,515.00 $12,052.50 |
| One Semester (Fall 2024 or Spring 2025) Full-Time Graduate Assistants (20 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $11,185.00 $11,515.00 $12,052.50 |
| One Semester (Fall 2024 or Spring 2025) Half-time Graduate Assistants (10 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $5,592.50 $5,757.50 $6,026.25 |
| 2023-2024 Stipends | |
|---|---|
| 2023-2024 Academic Year Full-time Graduate Assistants (20 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $21,480.00 $22,255.00 $23,290.00 |
| 2023-2024 Academic Year Half-time Graduate Assistants (10 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $10,740.00 $11,127.50 $11,645.00 |
| One Semester (Fall 2023 or Spring 2024) Full-Time Graduate Assistants (20 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $10,740.00 $11,127.50 $11,645.00 |
| One Semester (Fall 2023 or Spring 2024) Half-time Graduate Assistants (10 hrs/wk) | |
| Level I Level II Level III | $5,370.00 $5,563.75 $5,822.50 |
Contract Letters
Appointment Letters and position availability are initiated by the hiring department. For available assistantship positions, please contact the program directly.
Process Information: Assistantship contracts take time to process and graduate assistants (GAs) will not receive late charges towards assistantship waivers. As long as the hiring department activated the job record, payroll will not be affected.
Students have a portion of the bill they are responsible for (reference Eligibility & Benefits tab). Late fees will apply if payment is not made by the due date set forth by Enrollment Services. Once the assistantship waivers are posted, GAs are billed at the full-time rate, except if the student has an approved ABD status.
Sample GA Contracts
Contract letters are initated by the hiring department using Adobe Acrobat Sign.
Below are samples of the contracts:
Additional Hours
Academic Year: All graduate students can work up to 20 hours a week during the Fall and Spring term. Domestic students can work an additional 5 hours or 10 hours (level III students only). Reference below for additional information. Due to visa restrictions, international students can only work 20 hours a week during the academic year. International students should contact the Office of International Students and Scholars for additional information. Domestic students may receive employment outside of the university. International students may have restrictions, please contact the Office of International Students and Scholars for additional information. Academic Year & Summer Term Working Hours:
Summer Term: All graduate students can work up to 40 hours a week on hourly payroll during the summer term. Summer term begins the day after the commencement ceremony and ends the week before the Graduate Assistantship contracts begin.
Additional Working Hours
Forms & Resources
| Form | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional 10 Hour Request Form - Level III ONLY | ONLY FOR LEVEL III STUDENTS. Request for additional 10 hours on hourly payroll during the academic year. |
| GAU Contract | Collective Bargaining Agreement between Graduate Assistants United (URIGAU/NEARI) and the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education. |
| GradForms | Graduate School related forms |
| Graduate Assistant To-Do Checklist | Useful checklist for students to use when initiating their assistantship waivers and benefits. |
| Health & Dental Insurance | URI Health & Dental Insurance certificate of coverage and to self-enroll. (Health and Dental Insurance is a contractual benefit and it cannot be waived. Students who currently have health and dental insurance should use this benefit as secondary insurance.) |
| Human Resources Forms | Hiring forms needed: Bar of Claims Form, Drug Free Workplace Policy Acknowledgment, I-9 form, and SGA-1G/2G forms |
| Kingston Campus Map | View the map of the Kingston Campus which also indicates parking lot areas. |
| Off-Campus Housing Database | This service aims to connect students, faculty and other members of the URI community to local landlords to find off-campus housing. |
| Payroll Department | View payroll schedule |
| TAP Parking Permits | IMPORTANT: GA commuter students can only park in commuter lots (#4, #7, #25 & #26). Resident GAs must park in their assigned lot. GAs are NOT eligible to park in the Faculty/Staff parking lots. |
| Tuition and Fees, Enrollment Services | Annual tuition and fees for full-time, part-time (per credit) students. |
Have questions? Submit an inquiry form. For available assistantships, please contact the program directly.
Summer Research & Teaching Appointments
The summer term begins after the commencement ceremony and ends a week before the Fall semester begins.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, students must have held an assistantship during the 2023-2024 academic year (Spring or Fall) as either full-time or half-time in addition to the following:
- Research Appointments:
- Job assignment is research based
- Must work for at least 2 consecutive pay periods
- Must be hired for at least 10 hours/week and not more than 40 hours/week
- Will be paid at the effective Graduate Student hourly rate
- Teaching as Instructor of Record Appointments:
- Job assignment is Teaching at least one three (3) credit course for at least one term of summer session
- Teaching Assistant (Not Instructor of Record) Appointments:
- Job assignment is assisting in a Summer Session term for a minimum of ten (10) hours per week for at least one term of summer session
Additional Information:
- Union members will be deducted union dues.
- There are no fringe benefits beyond those accrued during the academic year assistantship.
- Registering for any credit-bearing activity during the summer is not required and there is no tuition remission during the summer term.
Summer 2024 Rates
Research Appointments graduate hourly pay rates:
Level I – $29.83
Level II – $30.91
Level III – $32.35
Teaching as Instructor of Record Appointments:
Summer 2024 Dates
Summer Sessions:
Session 1 (5/20-6/21, 5 weeks)
Session 2 (6/24-7/26, 5 weeks)
Session 3 (5/20-7/26, 10 weeks)
View In-House Payroll Schedule
Instructors of record shall be paid $1,575 per credit hour taught from Summer Session funds, unless it is not a summer session course, for at least one term of summer session.
Teaching Assistant (Not Instructor of Record) Appointments:
Shall be paid $1,575 ($31.50 hr) per summer term for a ten (10) hour work week from college, department or other non-Summer Session funds. The rate of pay for hours in excess of ten (10) is to be prorated at $1,575 ($31.50 hr) per ten (10) hours, not to exceed $6,300 per summer term at forty (40) hours per week.