HIRING DEPARTMENT RESOURCES

GRAD STUDENT HIRING OPTIONS

Graduate Student Hiring Options

For the hourly pay rates please refer to the Enrollment Services current pay rates page.

Working Hours for the Academic year and Summer term:

  • 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 the Graduate Student Hourly Payroll tab for more 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.  
  • 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. 

Graduate Assistantships

Please reference the assistantship website for additional information. 

    • Pay rate: Stipend rate, depends on pay level. Contracts are per semester or full academic year appointments.  Includes Graduate Teaching (GTA), Research (GRA) and Administrative (GAA) as either Full-time (20 hours) or Part-time (10 hours).
    • Credit Requirements: Graduate student must register for 6-12 graduate credits unless approved for ABD status in which case must register for 3 graduate credits each semester
    • Benefits: Contract includes benefits.  Please reference the assistantship website for additional information. 
    • Additional Hours:
      • Additional 5 hours: Domestic students with a Graduate Assistantship or 20 hour/week URI student employment requesting to work an additional 5 hours during the academic year would need their Major Professor’s or Program Director’s approval.  Once approval is received (e.g. email acknowledgment), the hiring department may process as they normally would for hourly student payroll. Graduate School approval is not needed.  
      • Additional 10 Hours: Domestic students with a Graduate Assistantship or 20 hour/week URI student employment requesting additional 10 hours during the academic year (only available to graduate students on level III) require Graduate School approval.  Approval from the Graduate School must be received by completing the Additional 10 Hour Request & TA Overload Request Form.
      • Teaching Overload for Graduate Assistantships: If a graduate assistant is asked to teach a course beyond their assistantship, they must be paid on a teaching overload and not on hourly payroll.  Please reference section 6.4 of the GAU contract.  A PTF contract should not be used.  Approval must be received from the Graduate School prior to hiring the student to teach the course.  Approval from the Graduate School must be received by completing the Additional 10 Hour Request & TA Overload Request Form.

 

Graduate Student Hourly Payroll

  • Pay Rate: Step 2 graduate level pay range.  Reference the Enrollment Services webpage for current pay rates. 
  • Credit Requirements: Must register for a minimum of 4.5 graduate credits, exceptions below.
    • Approved Last Semester Status (LSS- Domestic Students), Reduced Course Load Status (RCL- International Students), and All But Dissertation Status (A.B.D) students are eligible for graduate student hourly payroll.
    • Students with a graduate assistantship (required to register for a minimum of 6 credits)
  • Benefits: Does not include benefits
  • Additional Hours:
    • Additional 5 hours: Domestic students with a Graduate Assistantship or 20 hour/week URI student employment requesting to work an additional 5 hours during the academic year would need their Major Professor’s or Program Director’s approval.  Once approval is received (e.g. email acknowledgment), the hiring department may process as they normally would for hourly student payroll. Graduate School approval is not needed.  
    • Additional 10 Hours: Domestic students with a Graduate Assistantship or 20 hour/week URI student employment requesting additional 10 hours during the academic year (only available to graduate students on level III) require Graduate School approval. Approval from the Graduate School must be received by completing the Additional 10 Hour Request & TA Overload Request Form.
    • Teaching Course for Non-Assistantship Students: Do not need Graduate School approval as a per course instructor.  The hiring department must reference the seniority provisions of the PTFU contract as it applies.  Graduate students cannot be hired if there is a senior PTF who is qualified to teach the course.  

  

Internal Payroll

    • Pay Rate: Reference the Enrollment Services webpage for current pay rates. If graduate level work is performed, step 2 (graduate rate) pay is required.  If non-graduate related work is performed, step 1 (undergraduate rate) or step 2 (graduate rate) pay rates can be used. 
    • Credit Requirements: Domestic Students with less than 4.5 credits
    • Benefits: Does not include benefits
    • Temporary positions (Non Students: Full time first 30 days then drops to 15 hrs after 30 days)

Levels of Pay

Guideline to determine graduate student pay level:

Level I: All graduate students without a master’s degree.
Level II: - Graduate students with a Master’s degree
- INCOMING (new to URI) graduate students who have 30 graduate credits
- Graduate students who have passed a PhD qualifying examination or departmental equivalent. Promotion to level II takes effect immediately upon the Graduate School receiving the exam results.
Level III:All Graduate Assistants who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program and have passed both the oral and written portions of the Ph.D. comprehensive examinations prior to the date of appointment. Promotion to level III takes effect immediately upon the Graduate School receiving both written and oral exam results.