Assistantships are paid employment opportunities for graduate students that promote the professional development of the student while supporting the instruction, research, and extension efforts of programs within CHES. The academic and administrative units within the college award numerous teaching and research assistantships with competitive stipends. Assistantship appointments that are quarter-time (25%) or higher include, in addition to the monthly stipend, full non-resident tuition waiver, partial resident tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs)
GTAs provide services that are directly related to the teaching mission of the department/unit that employs the assistant. The GTA has direct involvement with the students enrolled in the offered course; examples include instructing classroom courses or laboratories, grading, and general classroom/laboratory assistance to the instructor of record of the course.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs)
GRAs provide services that are directly related to the research activities of the department/unit that employs the assistant. Examples include working on an externally-funded research project under the direction of a faculty member and research funded by the academic unit that is intended to be professionally disseminated.
Assistantship Work Effort
Assistantship appointments are usually half-time (50%) or quarter-time (25%) for designated time periods. Half-time graduate assistants work 20 hours per week, while quarter-time graduate assistants work 10 hours per week. Time allocations may vary by assignment and department.
Graduate assistants are not expected to work on officially designated University holidays. Otherwise, they are expected to be on duty throughout the appointment period.
Accepting an assistantship brings with it a professional obligation to fulfill all of the responsibilities associated with the assistantship assignment. Included in this professional obligation is the expectation that students who have accepted an assistantship will diligently pursue their degree to completion in the department or school providing the assistantship.
Stipends, Tuition Waivers, and Benefits*
Funding and support GTAs and GRAs for the 2008-2009 academic year:
| MS Degree Program
&
25% Appointment | MS Degree Program
&
50% Appointment | PhD Degree Program
&
25% Appointment | PhD Degree Program
&
50% Appointment |
Monthly Stipend | $595.50/month | $1,191/month | $681.75/month | $1,363.50/month |
Non-resident Tuition Waiver | Full waiver | Full waiver | Full waiver | Full waiver |
Resident Tuition Waiver – Fall and Spring Semesters | If enrolled in 9 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 6 hours, receive 6 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 9 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 6 hours, receive 6 hours of resident tuition waiver |
Resident Tuition Waiver – Summer Semester (note - beginning summer 2009) | If enrolled in 3 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 3 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 3 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver | If enrolled in 3 hours, receive 3 hours of resident tuition waiver |
Individual Health Insurance Premium | OSU pays | OSU pays | OSU pays | OSU pays |
*Students on 25% appointment must be employed 170 during fall/spring semester and 85 hours during summer semester; student on 50% appointment must be employed 340 hour during fall/spring semester and 85 hours during summer semester. Students must also be enrolled in the necessary number of hours to receive tuition waivers and health insurance benefits.
Each year the College of Human Environmental Sciences awards multiple scholarships and fellowships to graduate students. Applications for these scholarships and fellowships are available in November and are due in January of each year. Awards range from $500 to $5,000 and are presented during the Celebration of Excellence awards banquet in April. All recipients and their families are invited to attend.
Scholarship/fellowship recipients must be majoring in a graduate degree program in the College of Human Environmental Sciences and currently enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours during the period of the scholarship award. Criteria vary for each scholarship/fellowship, but usually include scholastic record (GPA), college and university leadership activities, professional goals, etc.
For more information, please see CHES Scholarships for graduate students.
CHES Travel Support for Graduate Students
Modest support for graduate student travel is available from the CHES Research & Graduate Studies office for attending professional meetings/conferences. Download the CHES travel request application form.
GPSGA Travel Assistance
Travel assistance is also available for current OSU graduate students through the Graduate & Professional Student Government Association. GPSGA travel awards are meant to assist in the costs associated with travel for students presenting their own research at a state, regional, national, or international meeting/conference, etc. For more information, please see GPSGA travel assistance.
Go to the following web sites to access information on additional funding opportunities for OSU graduate students, including scholarships, fellowships and loans.
National Scholarships Opportunities for Graduate Students
The OSU Graduate College provides information regarding competitive national scholarship opportunities.
Competitive National Fellowships Programs
The OSU Graduate College provides information regarding competitive national fellowship programs. Many of these fellowships fund dissertation research.
Other Sources of Financial Aid
The OSU Graduate College provides information pertaining to other sources of financial aid to fund graduate study.
OSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
Information and guides for students attending OSU.
Prospective Students 
