Last updated December 2022
Most graduate students in the astronomy program are supported by graduate assistantships. Some students start as Teaching Assistants (TAs) in their first year and then become Research Assistants (RAs) in subsequent years, while others are RAs for their entire time.
Astronomy graduate assistantships are half-time, and students are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week during the academic year. This is a point of university policy — assistantships are provided so students can support themselves while furthering their education, and a student working more than 20 hours per week generally does not have enough time to study. Students may work full time when classes are not in session; see the discussion of summer salary for details.
TAs hold 9-month appointments, while RAs hold 11-month appointments. Nonetheless, both receive their pay in 24 installments over a 12-month period.
Students need to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (B average) in order to hold a graduate assistantship.
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.
TAs are paid on a nine-month basis. This means that they are expected to work about 20 hours a week during the period from the “faculty duty date” in mid-August until the spring semester ends the following May; they have no duties during the summer. Teaching Assistantships are handled via the Department of Physics and Astronomy in Watanabe Hall rather than via 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) or PhD dissertation research the student is doing.
RAs are paid on an eleven-month basis. This means they are expected to work 20 hours per week. Research Assistantships usually derive from NASA or NSF grants to individual faculty members and are handled via the administrative office of the Institute for Astronomy.
Stipends
IfA graduate assistants are paid at step 14 on the pay schedule approved by the Board of Regents. Per annum, RAs work 11 months while TAs work 9 months, so the basic annual incomes for RAs and TAs are different. However, TAs are allowed one additional month of full time work during the summer, so annual incomes with summer “overload” are very comparable.
Stipends are subject to federal and state income tax, and these are deducted automatically before payments are made. Students participating in state health plans will have additional deductions.
Graduate Assistantship Stipends (2022)
| Research Assistant | Teaching Assistant | |
| Basic stipend | $28,026 | $23,028 |
| Summer overload | $5,095 | $10,234.67 |
| Total stipend | $33,121.64 | $33,262.67 |
Tuition waivers
In addition to their stipends, graduate assistants receive a full tuition waiver and are liable only for miscellaneous fees. A student who holds an assistantship for only part of a semester loses the tuition waiver if he/she works less than 12 weeks out of the semester. Students who do not hold assistantships or any other kind of tuition waiver are liable for graduate tuition.
Other benefits and conditions
- Graduate assistants are entitled to join the state employee health plan.
- Graduate assistants are technically not employees and do not accumulate vacation or sick leave. A description of off-duty time is included in the summer salary explanation.
- If travel necessitates absence from campus during the appointment period, written clearance must be obtained from the department or unit of hire. The request must include the planned itinerary with dates, the manner in which any assigned duties will be performed, and any provisions made for missed coursework.
- Students cannot hold an assistantship after the end of the semester in which they receive their degree.
More information is available in the Graduate Division webpages, or from the IfA Graduate Chair or the IfA Human Resources Manager.
