Graduate School

GA Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the eligibility requirements of a GA?
A: To qualify for a GA position, you must be clearly admitted into a degree-seeking program, be fully enrolled (9-12 hours spring and fall semesters), and maintain a 3.0 GPA. If at any time you do not meet all of these requirements your GA will be cancelled.

Q:           How many hours per week are GA allowed to work?
A:            10 hours for a half-time position, 20 hours for a full-time position. Some students with special needs may be allowed to work an additional 7.5 hours per week by submitting the Request for Additional Employment form to the Graduate School.

Q:           How many semesters may a student be a GA?
A:            All students are eligible to hold GA positions for two academic years. Thus if you are first hired as a GA in Fall 2008, the last semester you can be a GA is Summer 2010 (FA08, SP09, SM09, FA09, SP10, SM10 is two academic years).

Q:           Can a student be a GA during summer?
A:            The Graduate School funds GA for Fall and Spring semesters only so any student working for a summer semester must be funded by their department. The same qualification rules apply as in fall and spring semesters except full enrollment is considered 6-9 credit hours for summer.

Q:           What duties are GA expected to perform?
A:            GA are restricted to performing only the duties that pertain to their education. These would be the activities associated with teaching, tutoring, and conducting research. GA are NOT to perform general clerical office work such as filing, data entry, etc. that does not specifically pertain to a special project they are working on.

Q:           What should GA do if their department asks them to perform an activity they do not feel falls within GA appropriate duties?
A:            You are encouraged to contact the Graduate School whenever you have questions regarding any aspect of your position. It may be necessary for the Graduate School to contact your department to discuss applicable job details.

Q:           How do GA resign their positions?
A:            If you decide to discontinue your GA appointment for any reason, you must first inform your supervisor. You should then contact the Graduate School to provide the date of the last day you worked.

Q:           How much is a GA stipend?
A:            GA are awarded $5425 per semester for full-time, 20 hours/week positions and $2712.50 per semester for half-time, 10 hours/week positions. Some select departments have additional GA monies they might supplement the stipend with.

Q:           How are GA paid?
A:            A GA’s stipend is paid out via bi-weekly pay checks on the 15th and 30th of every month. A semester is typically 16 weeks so a GA who has been working the entire semester will receive 8 paychecks.

Q:           Is tuition taken from the stipend?
A:            Tuition is NOT taken from your stipend. Tuition is managed by the Billings and Collections office and is unconnected to GA funds. Tuition must be paid at the start of the semester or a payment plan must be arranged with Student Financial Services.

Q:           What might cause a GA not to receive a paycheck?
A:            Missed paychecks might occur at the start of the semester. There are 3 reasons you may not receive a paycheck:
                1.            You have not filed the appropriate payroll paper work with HR.
                2.            You are not eligible for a GA (lacking GPA, enrollment, or program).
                3.            Your Nomination form was not approved in time.

If you do not receive your first paycheck:
                1.            Contact HR to ensure you have filed the appropriate payroll paper work with HR.
                2.            Contact your Hiring Manager to ensure your Nomination was submitted.
                3.            Contact the Graduate Office to ensure you are eligible to be a GA.

Q:           Who receives tuition waivers?
A:            GA whose residency is defined as Out-of-State will receive tuition waivers for the difference between the in-state and out-of-state tuition. I.E: an out-of-state GA enrolled in 9 credit hours will receive a tuition waiver for $3447 per semester for the 09-10 academic year.

Q:           Why might an out-of-state GA not receive their tuition waiver?
A:            You will not receive a tuition waiver until your nomination is approved and you are fully enrolled 9-12 hours. If you are in your last semester, and do not have 9 hours left to take, you must contact the Graduate School to have you wavier applied to you account.

Q:           Are GA eligible to receive tuition waivers in the summer?
A:            Students may receive tuition waivers for summer classes without being assigned a GA position. In order to be eligible, the you must have been a GA for the two semesters prior, or have evidence that you will have a GA that fall (department letter will suffice). You must notify the Graduate School once you have registered for the summer.



Graduate School Home Prospective Students International Students Apply to Graduate School Current Students Graduate Forms Assistantships & Awards GA Information GA FAQ Add'l Employment Request GAIN Portal Tuition & Fees Graduate Programs Graduate Catalog Graduate Council Faculty Information Graduate School Staff Graduate School SSB 310, CPO 68 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, KY 40475-3168 Telephone (859) 622-1742 (859) 622-1745 (V/TTY) graduateschool@eku.edu	GA Frequently Asked Questions Q: What are the eligibility requirements of a GA? A: To qualify for a GA position, you must be clearly admitted into a degree-seeking program, be fully enrolled (9-12 hours spring and fall semesters), and maintain a 3.0 GPA. If at any time you do not meet all of these requirements your GA will be cancelled. Q: How many hours per week are GA allowed to work? A: 10 hours for a half-time position, 20 hours for a full-time position. Some students with special needs may be allowed to work an additional 7.5 hours per week by submitting the Request for Additional Employment form to the Graduate School. Q: How many semesters may a student be a GA? A: All students are eligible to hold GA positions for two academic years. Thus if you are first hired as a GA in Fall 2008, the last semester you can be a GA is Summer 2010 (FA08, SP09, SM09, FA09, SP10, SM10 is two academic years). Q: Can a student be a GA during summer? A: The Graduate School funds GA for Fall and Spring semesters only so any student working for a summer semester must be funded by their department. The same qualification rules apply as in fall and spring semesters except full enrollment is considered 6-9 credit hours for summer. Q: What duties are GA expected to perform? A: GA are restricted to performing only the duties that pertain to their education. These would be the activities associated with teaching, tutoring, and conducting research. GA are NOT to perform general clerical office work such as filing, data entry, etc. that does not specifically pertain to a special project they are working on. Q: What should GA do if their department asks them to perform an activity they do not feel falls within GA appropriate duties? A: You are encouraged to contact the Graduate School whenever you have questions regarding any aspect of your position. It may be necessary for the Graduate School to contact your department to discuss applicable job details. Q: How do GA resign their positions? A: If you decide to discontinue your GA appointment for any reason, you must first inform your supervisor. You should then contact the Graduate School to provide the date of the last day you worked. Q: How much is a GA stipend? A: GA are awarded $5425 per semester for full-time, 20 hours/week positions and $2712.50 per semester for half-time, 10 hours/week positions. Some select departments have additional GA monies they might supplement the stipend with. Q: How are GA paid? A: A GA’s stipend is paid out via bi-weekly pay checks on the 15th and 30th of every month. A semester is typically 16 weeks so a GA who has been working the entire semester will receive 8 paychecks. Q: Is tuition taken from the stipend? A: Tuition is NOT taken from your stipend. Tuition is managed by the Billings and Collections office and is unconnected to GA funds. Tuition must be paid at the start of the semester or a payment plan must be arranged with Student Financial Services. Q: What might cause a GA not to receive a paycheck? A: Missed paychecks might occur at the start of the semester. There are 3 reasons you may not receive a paycheck: 1. You have not filed the appropriate payroll paper work with HR. 2. You are not eligible for a GA (lacking GPA, enrollment, or program). 3. Your Nomination form was not approved in time. If you do not receive your first paycheck: 1. Contact HR to ensure you have filed the appropriate payroll paper work with HR. 2. Contact your Hiring Manager to ensure your Nomination was submitted. 3. Contact the Graduate Office to ensure you are eligible to be a GA. Q: Who receives tuition waivers? A: GA whose residency is defined as Out-of-State will receive tuition waivers for the difference between the in-state and out-of-state tuition. I.E: an out-of-state GA enrolled in 9 credit hours will receive a tuition waiver for $3447 per semester for the 09-10 academic year. Q: Why might an out-of-state GA not receive their tuition waiver? A: You will not receive a tuition waiver until your nomination is approved and you are fully enrolled 9-12 hours. If you are in your last semester, and do not have 9 hours left to take, you must contact the Graduate School to have you wavier applied to you account. Q: Are GA eligible to receive tuition waivers in the summer? A: Students may receive tuition waivers for summer classes without being assigned a GA position. In order to be eligible, the you must have been a GA for the two semesters prior, or have evidence that you will have a GA that fall (department letter will suffice). You must notify the Graduate School once you have registered for the summer.