Graduate Assistantships are available in a number of fields, involving duties such as instructor, reader, laboratory assistant and/or other teaching responsibilities. Other assistantships involve a variety of research functions, some of which are funded through various off-campus organizations for specific research purposes. Stipends vary depending upon tasks assigned and experience of the student; most assistantships also include tuition and fee reductions for all or part of the tuition costs. Incidental student fees are usually the student's responsibility.
Please review the Standard Administrative Policy and Procedure for Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships.
Students awarded an assistantship involving any type of teaching responsibility including labs, lectures, paper grading and interpretation to students are REQUIRED to successfully complete the one-time, mandatory Graduate Teaching and Learning Symposium PRIOR to assuming their duties. The Teaching Symposium is designed to introduce Graduate Assistants to principles and issues in college teaching. In addition to the orientation, the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning offers a seminar series in the fall and spring semesters for Graduate Assistant instructors as well as a credit course that provides graduate students with a broad introduction to the teaching profession. The University of Wyoming strongly encourages all Graduate Assistants to consult with their departments to define teaching responsibilities prior to attending the teaching orientation.
Departments will have exact dates, times and locations of the orientations. As they approach, orientation details will be displayed on the Graduate Education page as well. Failure to satisfactorily attend and complete this teaching seminar may result in the cancellation of the assistantship.
All international students who will serve in a graduate assistant teaching capacity at UW must successfully complete the English Oral Proficiency Exam without an exception. Departments cannot waive this exam. Failure to pass the exam may result in the cancellation of the assistantship. Students applying to graduate programs at UW may enroll in an online test prior to coming to campus. Visit the webpage for more details regarding the English Proficiency Exam.
Students completing the online exam prior to arriving on campus should submit the results along with other application materials.
Departments may require students on assistantships to pass the exam even if the student will not be teaching. International students who have obtained an advanced degree at an English language university and who have already successfully served as a teaching assistant are exempted. International students should consult with their department to learn whether teaching is a requirement of their graduate assistantship.
The standard graduate assistantship provides payment of a stipend to the student payable in installments over the academic year (September through May). Graduate students who receive a full stipend are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week for the stipend. A full-time doctoral level graduate assistantship is estimated to equal $33,717 (stipend: $21,762; tuition/fees/student health insurance: $11,955) and a full-time master’s level graduate assistantship is estimated to equal $27,517 (stipend: $15,642, tuition/fees/student health insurance: $11,955). Please note, the figures listed are based on the estimated set minimum amounts for one academic year. Departments may offer a higher amount if funding is available.
The tuition and fee reduction covers only the tuition and mandatory fees for courses in which the graduate assistant actually enrolls. A Graduate assistantship tuition and fee reduction funded by the School of Graduate Education (SGE) will cover up to 12 graduate credit hours of tuition and mandatory fees at the normal resident rate. Some non-SGE funded GAs may only cover up to 12 credit hours or sometimes more than 12 depending on the source of funding. Students should check with their department for individual coverage.
Graduate assistants are not entitled to the difference between the amount stated in an award letter and the actual charges for enrollment. If less than a full-time GA position is awarded, the tuition and fee reduction is adjusted down. For more details, please review the Graduate Fellowship & Assistantship Policy listed on the School of Graduate Education’s policies page.
UW Student health insurance will be paid for graduate students on graduate assistantships for the calendar year. If less than a full-time GA position is awarded, the student health insurance paid amount is adjusted down. For more details, please review the Graduate Fellowship & Assistantship Policy listed on the School of Graduate Education’s policies page. Students may refuse the university insurance. The insurance payment, in such cases, reverts to the university.
Please check with your department of interest for Graduate Assistantship availabilities. If you are a student and are interested in a graduate assistantship, please fill out the Graduate Assistantship Interest Form and return it to your program of interest.
