The ICS department offers a number of Graduate Assistantships each year to help students meet the costs of graduate school. There are two types of graduate assistants: teaching assistants (TAs) and research assistants (RAs). Both TAs and RAs receive a tuition waiver and modest stipend in exchange for 20-hours/week of service. We strive to support all full-time Ph.D. students as either TAs or RAs. Masters students may also receive TA or RA assignments (although Ph.D. students have priority).
Teaching Assistant
TAs help in large classes and assist in courses with labs. The responsibilities of TAs vary widely depending on the needs of the supervising professor. Responsibilities can include anything from grading exams to conducting lab sections of undergraduate introductory core courses. TA experience is valuable for anyone hoping to pursue an academic career since it provides teaching experience. The Graduate Chair, in consultation with the Undergraduate and Graduate Committees, makes TA assignments each semester. TAs are evaluated by the supervising professor, and continued TA support depends on satisfactory performance. TA appointments are for 9 months, but a small number of TA positions are sometimes available in the summer. If you are interested in being a TA, please complete the ICS Financial Aid Application and upload it with your admission application (prospective students) or email it to the Graduate Chair (continuing students).
Research Assistant
RAs work with professors who have extramurally-funded research projects. Often, an RA will be part of a lab group, but they may also work independently. RAs will usually be expected to collect, analyze, publish, and present research results related to the project. As such, RAs often build significant publication and application development portfolios. RAs often wind up carving out a part of the funded research project as their own thesis or dissertation work.
Because individual professors hire RAs with their own grant funds, applying to be an RA involves connecting with professors and expressing your interest in working with them. A professor may identify a potential RA from a new student application, from the performance of a student in a course, from recommendations of colleagues, or from being approached by a student. Professors often announce the availability of RA positions in the graduate seminar. RAs are usually appointed on 11-month contracts and should expect to work on the research project in the summer.
Achievement Scholarship
Graduate Division offers a limited number of merit-based Achievement Scholarships which may be used to offset tuition costs. To apply for an Achievement Scholarship, please complete the ICS Financial Aid Application admission application and upload it with your application (prospective students) or email it to the Graduate Chair (continuing students).