Graduate assistantships are available in most University academic departments/schools, administrative units, and in the residence halls. The graduate assistant is assigned responsibilities that directly contribute to the individual's professional career. A graduate assistant receives a monthly stipend plus a tuition fellowship. For specific information related to eligibility criteria, hours, stipends, academic load, and tuition fellowships, see Regulation 1310 Appointment Criteria.
Graduate students must apply for an assistantship directly to the appointing unit. The Graduate School and Human Resources urge students to search and apply for graduate assistantships via www.eRecruiting.com. If you have questions about using this Web site, contact the Career Center at 438-2200 or .
The appointing unit will make the assistantship offer in writing. The potential graduate assistant should accept or deny the offer in writing as well. Special conditions of the appointment should be noted in the offer letter (e.g., hours to be worked when classes are not in session). Department Chairpersons/School Directors, as part of the appointment procedure, need to inform International Admissions of any assistantship offers for international students including financial details. Assistantships affect an international student’s declaration of finances needed to issue an F-1 visa. Download either a sample domestic offer letter or a sample international offer letter.
At the time of the offer, the appointing unit will request that the graduate assistant (GA) complete the Health Insurance Certification Form by the 15th calendar day of the Fall/Spring term and the eighth day of the Summer term. This form educates GAs on insurance options if they are not automatically assessed that fee. The appointing unit will have the student complete a Health Insurance Certification Form for each appointment period, and retain the form for one year. Download the Health Insurance Certification form.
The appointing unit is responsible for completing the necessary appointment paperwork, which includes:
1. Personnel Action Form (PERS 900)
2. Employment Eligibility Verification INS Form I-9
3. Course Load Waiver (PERS 938), if applicable
Any change to a graduate assistant appointment that affects stipend, percentage of time, change in length of appointment or funding source must be initiated by the appointing unit on the Personnel Action Form (PERS 910). Graduate assistantships are not considered continuing appointments and the PERS 910 must be initiated for each successive appointment period.
Compensation for services rendered by a graduate assistant on an irregular or one-time basis is considered extra pay. A graduate assistant can receive a maximum of one such payment each semester. The paperwork submitted to Human Resources to generate this payment is the PERS 916 (also, read instructions on completing the PERS 916).
Each initial PERS 900 and succeeding PERS 910 must be signed by the Departmental Chairperson/School Director or Unit Supervisor, the College Dean or Area Director and the Other Fund Coordinator, when applicable, before being forwarded to Human Resources for final approval and data entry. Three copies of the appointment notification, when one is required, will be sent to the appointing unit. The appointing unit is responsible for obtaining signatures and returning the signed Graduate School Copy of the appointment notification to Human Resources, Campus Box 1311, within two weeks from the date of the appointment notification OR two weeks after the beginning date of the appointment, whichever is later. Those appointment notifications not received in Human Resources within the specified timeframe may be terminated.
All foreign students with graduate assistantships who receive a temporary Illinois State University identification number from International Studies must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration before a paycheck can be issued. Upon receiving a SSN, the student must notify the following areas of the number to ensure their paycheck can be processed:
The appointing unit should verify that the student has notified the areas listed above of their SSN within the designated time frame and must notify Human Resources so the student’s appointment paperwork can be updated and a paycheck can be processed. If the student is unable to obtain a SSN in time to be issued their paycheck, the appointing unit can request an interest-free emergency loan from the Graduate School for up to 75 percent of the GA’s monthly stipend. To request a loan, contact the Graduate School at 438-2583.
For questions relative to Graduate Assistant appointments contact at 438-2134.
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