Graduate assistants play an indispensable role on campus, serving as research team members and instructors and augmenting classroom and laboratory learning. UNLV currently provides graduate assistantships in a wide variety of disciplines. Faculty who need assistance with research or course instruction may request GA positions through their department and academic dean.

This site is designed to guide both faculty and staff on issues associated with budgeting, requesting, hiring, and working with graduate assistants.

Please review the GA hiring process one-sheet and flowchart for the steps to hire a GA at UNLV, and review the information below.

The Graduate College encourages faculty to seek extramural funds to support graduate student research endeavors. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including but not limited to writing GAs into grants and contracts. For more information about obtaining extramural funds, contact UNLV’s Office of Sponsored Programs

Externally funded GRAs and GTAs must be appointed for a minimum of one semester (summer, fall or spring). All the same policies and guidelines that apply to state funded GAs also apply to externally funded graduate assistants. Please see the 'Budgeting for a GA' Calculator and Budgeting for a GA Using Departmental or Grant Funds page for costs and other information. If you have additional questions, please contact the GA office or email us at gradfinancialsvc@unlv.edu.

Beginning fall 2015, the Graduate College will enforce maximum time limits for state funded GAs. Please review the State GA Funding Policy for the details of the policy regarding maximum time limits for state funded GAs, and its enforcement. Please be sure to advise your graduate students accordingly.

Consult with your department chair regarding the availability of funds to support a state funded GA or with OSP to verify funds to support a GA on a grant or contract

  1. Have candidates for your GA position apply via the available through the Grad College website.
  2. Work with your graduate coordinator or department office to appoint (or decline to appoint) your student applicants in the Grad Rebel Gateway. All appointment information is contained in the Grad Rebel Gateway, and each department has one or more trained users who can access the system and work with you on GA appointments.
  3. If you are planning on hiring a GA on a grant, review Budgeting for a GA Using Sponsored Program Funds.
  4. Review GA Duties/Expectations. Do not begin working with a student before s/he signs a contract; GAs may not begin work before the start date on their signed contract. You must make arrangements with the Graduate College and follow the processes in place before GA teaching or research may begin. New international GAs may not participate in any teaching or work with undergraduates until s/he passes the required SPEAK Test of spoken English.
  5. Outside employment for GAs, both on and off campus, is discouraged; graduate assistants may request permission to seek up to 10 hours a week of outside employment through a request for additional employment form. If the GA is on an LOA at an NSHE institution, please contact the Grad College GA Office at 895-3970 or 895-2921. Also, please note that International students (on an F-1 visa) are limited to a 20-hour work week during the academic year and are therefore ineligible for additional work beyond their GA appointment.

  • Fall Semester and Fall/Spring Semester Contracts: May 15 - Deadline for requesting a graduate assistant for the fall semester, or for the fall/spring academic year. The only exceptions to the deadline are replacement appointments (if you appoint a GA and they decline your offer) and new, externally funded GAs (for faculty/staff who receive funding after the appointment deadline but have funds to hire a GRA or PDGRA).
  • Spring Semester Contracts: Dec. 15 - Deadline for requesting a graduate assistant for the spring semester. The only exceptions to the deadline are replacement appointments (if you appoint a GA and they decline your offer) and new, externally funded GAs (for faculty/staff who receive funding after the appointment deadline but have funds to hire a GRA or PDGRA).
  • Summer Session Contracts: May 15 - Deadline for requesting a graduate assistant for the summer session. The only exceptions to the deadline are replacement appointments (if you appoint a GA and they decline your offer) and new, externally funded GAs (for faculty/staff who receive funding after the appointment deadline but have funds to hire a GRA or PDGRA).

The Graduate Student Financial Services Team processes GA appointments, contracts, tuition waivers and handles other aspects related to the GA program. Our team is available to help you budget and plan for your graduate assistants.

This webpage provides information about GA appointment terms, minimum stipend amounts, doctoral stipend increases, and GA payment schedules. When questions arise about GA processing, policies, and procedures feel free to reach out to our team via email.

The Graduate College supports the outlined by the Council of Graduate Schools. Graduate Assistantship offers for the fall semester published before April 1st will therefore have a deadline of April 15th. All GA offers published after April 1st will have a two week acceptance period. All GA offers not accepted by the deadline published in the GA offer letter will be rescinded.

  • Graduate students who want to apply for summer GA funding must submit an application in the Grad Rebel Gateway separate from their spring or fall GA application.
  • You may appoint for the first half of summer — mid-May until June 30th — or the second half of the summer — July 1st until mid-August — or for the full summer.
  • State GA funds cannot be used for summer GA appointments
  • GAs appointed during the summer are encouraged to enroll in summer credits. Please note GAs who do not enroll in summer classes can be subject to higher taxes on their paycheck
  • The Graduate College will provide a waiver of non-resident tuition for summer GAs
  • Summer GAs must enroll in a minimum of 1 graduate level credit during summer session I, II, or II. Departments can request an exemption to this policy.
  • Please review this document to find the minimum stipend for your summer GA, and the summer pay schedule (please note that the number of paychecks does not influence the total stipend amount paid, it only impacts whether the student is paid their stipend amount in 1, 2, or 3 paychecks, per UNLV payroll schedules)
  • Please remember that students sign their GA contracts prior to beginning their summer GA assignment. Once a GA accepts their summer GA offer in the Grad Rebel Gateway, they will receive an email from gradfinancialsvc@unlv.edu to arrange a time to complete their required paperwork.