Graduate Assistantships

Last updated May 2026

Most graduate students in the Astronomy Program are supported by Graduate Assistantships. A Graduate Assistantship (GA) is a form of financial assistance provided to graduate students through part-time academic employment. Some Astronomy students start as Teaching Assistants (TAs) on a 9-month appointment in their first year and then become Research Assistants (RAs) on a 11-month appointment in subsequent years, while others are RAs for their entire time.

Astronomy Graduate Assistantship appointments are on a part-time basis (0.50 FTE) and work up to 20 hours per week. Appointments are generally for one academic year, with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory performance both as a student and as a Graduate Assistant, and contingent upon available funds. Students need to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (B average) in order to hold a Graduate Assistantship.

For both types of appointments, the annual compensation is paid out in bi-monthly (twice a month) installments over a period of 12 months, and subject to both Federal and State income tax withholding. GAs who are full-time students are exempt from the FICA tax. GAs who work during the Summer without maintaining their full-time student status are subject to the PTS Deferred Compensation tax (7.5 percent of gross pay) and the Medicare tax (1.45 percent of gross pay).

Teaching assistantships

Teaching Assistants help teach the basic undergraduate astronomy classes. The work involved depends on the type of class. TAs for Lecture classes grade homework, quizzes and exams, and hold office hours to help undergraduates. They may occasionally teach classes and undertake other teaching-related duties. TAs for Lab classes help during evening observing trips in addition to grading and holding office hours. Teaching Assistantships are handled via the Department of Physics and Astronomy with the College of Natural Sciences rather than through the Institute for Astronomy.

Research assistantships

Research Assistants help IfA astronomers with their research programs. Their work may involve observing, data reduction, instrument construction, etc. Almost always, this work is linked to the Master’s [ASTR 699: Directed Research] or PhD dissertation research the student is doing. Research Assistantships usually derive from NASA or NSF grants to individual Faculty members and are handled through the Administrative Services office of the Institute for Astronomy.

Graduate Assistant tuition waivers

Graduate Assistants who are hired with a 0.50 FTE appointment will receive a 100% tuition exemption, but the student is required to pay student fees in full. In order to qualify for this exemption, the GA will need to be employed at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for at least 12 weeks of the semester (as defined by Graduate Division).

The Graduate Assistant Tuition Exemption Request online form (GATEX) must be submitted every semester for the Fall and Spring semesters and only applicable to courses taken at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. If you are enrolled at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Outreach College (extension terms) during the Fall, Spring, or Summer, please contact them at ochelp@hawaii.edu to request for a tuition exemption form. The same policies and guidelines apply in determining eligibility for an exemption.

GAs who resign or are terminated before serving their 12-week minimum employment must notify the Graduate Division (gradss@hawaii.edu) as soon as possible and are 100% responsible for paying for their tuition.

For a list of Graduate Assistant benefits please visit:

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/benefits/index.php

On-Duty period

Teaching Assistants must be on-duty during the Fall and Spring semesters for a minimum of 12 weeks per term as defined by the Graduate Division. TAs should report to their department supervisor the week prior to the start of the semester and end once grades are submitted and/or related duties have been completed and approved by their department supervisor. The on-duty start and end dates for Faculty as stated in the Academic Calendar may be used to guide this duty time. See Academic Calendar.

Research Assistants are on-duty throughout the year with a minimum of 12 weeks per term as defined by the Graduate Division. Actual start and end dates are based on source of funding.

Off-Duty Period and Overloads

Graduate Assistants may work up to 40 hours per week (1.0 FTE) during non-academic/off-duty period. During the non-academic/off-duty period GAs are allowed to take on an Overload appointment (based on availability of funds). Pre-approval to work more than 20 hours will need to be obtained via the online Kuali Build form in advance before Overload work is requested to start. No late work will be approved.

  • TAs on 9-month appointments have three months of off-duty time during the summer.
Table showing the annual time divisions for a Teaching Assistant
  • RAs on 11-month appointments have one month of off-duty time (to be scheduled at a time mutually agreeable to the GA and the Faculty supervisor) but have the option to work an Overload during the Summer, non-academic period.

*Summer 2026 Overload Procedures and Guidelines

New Campus Procedure

  • Per Interim Dean Graduate Division, Julie Maeda’s March 11, 2026, GA Updates and Reminders Memorandum, GA Pre-Approval Petition to Work More than 20 hours is required to be submitted by semester and for any period of non-academic time (i.e., between semesters, summer, off-duty).
  • Prior to this updated campus procedure, only overload requests during the on-duty period required review and approval by the Graduate Division. All overloads—on-duty, off-duty, and summer—must be pre-approved by the Graduate Division through the Kuali Build Petition to Work Over 20 Hours a Week.

New Internal IfA Procedure

  • Due to the new campus procedure requiring the Graduate Division to pre-approve all off-duty and summer overload requests, an internal IfA Google Form has been created to submit overload requests.
  • The purpose of this internal form is to review the details of each initial request in advance, helping to minimize potential questions or concerns from the Graduate Division and streamline the review process once the official Kuali Build Graduate Division form is submitted.
  • This process also aims to support the Graduate Division in managing the high volume of overload requests submitted across colleges/units campus-wide, ensuring that IfA’s submissions include all necessary information for a more efficient and timely approval.

IfA Summer Overload Procedures

Effective Immediately: Please engage with your Principal Investigator/Overload Supervisor to discuss and coordinate Overload dates.

  • Summer 2026 Overload Dates: 05/18/2026 – 08/14/2026
    • TAs: Not to exceed 2.5 months of Overload Salary
    • RAs: Not to exceed 1 month of Overload Salary
  • A Summer 2026 GA Overload Calculator is available for your convenience.
    • Please visit this page to calculate your overload salary; note that only highlighted fields are able to be edited.
    • Note: This calculator will be updated for the Summer 2027 rates by next April.

Deadlines

April 24Submit preliminary internal IfA Google Form Request
• To be reviewed by HR, Fiscal, and IfA Graduate Chair
• Approval needed on Google Form for Kuali Build Submission
• Description of work should be brief, yet informative (e.g., teaching-related– include Dept and number of course with credits and role of GA –instructor of record, grader, etc; research or other-related purposes, clearly state the work to be done by the GA).
• For research or other related purposes, clearly specify the outcomes for the period of overload work for the number of hours being requested.
April 27 – May 1Review of internal IfA Google Forms (by IfA HR, Fiscal, and Grad Chair)
• Once your internal form is approved, HR will reach out to you, cc’ing your PI and the Graduate Chair for awareness.
• After the form is approved, you are able to submit the Graduate Division Kuali Build form.
May 4 – 8Graduate Chair Kuali Build Form Submission
• Due to the new campus procedure, the Graduate Division will review all off-duty and summer Overload requests.
• To allow the Graduate Division ample time to review

Reminders

  • Please engage with your Principal Investigator/Overload Supervisor to discuss and coordinate Overload dates.
  • Once your internal form is approved, HR will reach out to you, cc’ing your PI and the Graduate Chair for awareness.
  • After the form is approved, you are able to submit the Graduate Division Kuali Build form.
  • Graduate Division Petition to Work Over 20 Hours a Week must be approved before any overload work begins.