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Graduate Assistant Information

General Information

The University usually offers a number of graduate assistantships to qualified graduate students. Graduate assistantship appointments are for one semester or one academic year and may or may not be renewed. Graduate assistantships generally are not available during the summer months. Below you will find Graduate Assistant (GA) criteria, compensation, process and additional information.

Criteria

Graduate assistants must be formally accepted into a master’s program by the School of Graduate Studies of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

• Graduate assistants are required to be full-time graduate students and carry a minimum of nine (9) graduate credit hours per semester. Graduate assistants in their final semester may request to take a reduced course load, subject to approval by the Graduate Dean.
• Continuing students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Graduate assistantships are generally 20 hour/week assignments during the fall and spring semesters.
• Students with an assistantship may not accept any other employment without prior approval of the Program Director, Department Chair and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Graduate assistants must submit all of the required employment paperwork by the specified due dates.
• Graduate assistants must abide by all policies adopted by the UNCP Graduate Council regarding graduate assistants.

Compensation

Graduate assistantship appointments provide a stipend that varies according to the position but is around $3500 to $4000 per semester for 20 hours of work per week. Payment to graduate assistants are made through the payroll system/Central Payroll of the University with applicable tax deductions. Partial tuition awards may be given to Graduate Assistants, as available. Tuition award funds may not be used to pay University fees and the amount is not sufficient to cover full tuition. All payments (e.g., tuition, activity fee, insurance plans) remain the responsibility of the graduate assistant and are due and payable as scheduled.

If a graduate assistant resigns, is dismissed, or is otherwise unable to work the required number of hours, the stipend will be prorated, based on the amount of time worked. The tuition award, if applicable, will be rescinded. While assistantships may be renewed, all appointments end with the close of the spring semester each year. In general, graduate assistants are not offered employment during the summer months. Former GAs are not eligible for unemployment.

Process

Graduate students meeting the above requirements/criteria and desiring a Graduate Assistantship should seek available positions on Brave Opportunities.

• Go to the Brave Opportunities website, www.uncp.edu/career/students/employment/
• Read the information towards the bottom of this page pertaining to Graduate Assistants
• Click on "Brave Opportunities for Students"  (appears above Graduate Assistant information)
• Create an account
• Search and apply for appropriate positions

Contact the Career Center (910-521-6270) for assistance.

Position supervisors may request an interview or additional information from applicants before selecting the best candidate for the position.  If hired, students will complete several forms, all of which can be found at www.uncp.edu/hr/forms/:

• a W4 form (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate -- federal),
• an NC-4 (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate -- North Carolina),
• a Student Assignment Agreement (completed by GA and supervisor)

All of the above paperwork must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office (124 Lindsey Administration Building) as soon as the student is contracted to be hired. Additionally,

• an I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) must be completed within three days of commencing work.    The I-9 must be filled out and signed in front of a designated employee (check with your GA supervisor). 
• the applicant's information from the I-9 form will be submitted by the hiring department through E-Verify to both Social Security and Homeland Security to ascertain if the applicant is authorized to work in the United States then the I-9 and E-verify must be submitted to the Graduate office WITHIN THE THREE DAY window.

Additionally, a UNCP Direct Deposit form (with voided check or deposit slip) is to be submitted to the Payroll Office in 151 Lumbee Hall. 

Additional Information

Graduate Assistants (GAs) are expected to produce quality work in a timely manner.  Days and hours of work are to be determined and maintained by the GA supervisor.  GA appointments generally begin with the first day of classes and end with the last day of classes for the semester. 

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