Graduate Assistantships

The Department of Biology supports graduate students via a limited number of teaching assistantships and research assistantships.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are offered on a competitive basis to any qualified full-time graduate student in the Department of Biology. Teaching assistantships are awarded to students in the thesis track. If all slots cannot be filled by thesis degree seeking students first, then a non-thesis student could receive a teaching assistantship. These assistantships include a stipend and a tuition waiver (all but $25 of in-state or out-of-state tuition is waived).  As a teaching assistant you are responsible only for student fees and health insurance.

Teaching assistants in our department teach laboratory sections for non-majors in General Biology and/or Environmental Biology.  A typical workload is four 2-hour labs each week, plus a prep meeting and grading of assignments.  Assuming satisfactory performance as a teaching assistant, assistantships are typically guaranteed for five semesters.  This includes a very limited number of summer assistantships should you request summer support.

To be considered for a teaching assistantship you must apply online directly to the Graduate College.  This application should be completed by the same deadline as a graduate application  (We recommend 1 March for fall admission and 1 October for spring admission.).  Follow the link for more information on assistantships and to find the online application.

Research Assistantships

Research assistantships are grant-funded and offered on an unpredictable basis by individual faculty members.  Research assistants carry out research-related duties in return for a stipend, and their tuition and fees are typically covered by the grant.  However, each research assistantship is unique and depends on the particular grant providing the funding.

To be considered for a research assistantship you should inquire directly with potential faculty advisors.  You also can ask the graduate program director about possible research assistantships in the department.

Other Support

In addition to assistantships, the department and university offer a limited number of competitive research grants and scholarships.  These grants and scholarships generally cover the direct costs of research or classes (e.g., books, supplies); they do not provide a stipend or cover tuition.

Last updated: 7/27/2021