Benefits of an Assistantship

There are two main benefits to a Graduate Assistantship (GA):  a stipend paid in exchange for the work performed and a tuition waiver benefit.  These are each described below.

  • Graduate Assistants will receive a stipend. All Graduate Assistantship appointments must meet the minimum stipend amount set by The Graduate College. Graduate Assistantship stipend amounts may vary by department, work expectations, and/or funding source. The current standard stipend rates can be found here. Stipends are paid on the last business day of each month that the student serves as a GA. Stipends are taxed.

  • Graduate Assistants pay a special tuition rate of $25 per semester as mandated by BOR policy.  The maximum number of hours of tuition to be waived each semester is included on the contract that the student and hiring faculty member sign.

    Tuition and Fees Cost of Attendance

  • Graduate Assistants must carry a minimum of 3 graduate credit hours for each semester they serve as a graduate asssistant. Audited or undergraduate courses will not be counted toward the 3 credit minimum requirement.

    Failure to remain in 3 graduate credit hours will result in the termination of the Graduate Assistantship contract. An overload petition must be approved by the department chair and Graduate Dean for credit loads in excess of 12 credit hours.

  • Out-of-state graduate students who become Graduate Assistants will have the out-of-state tuition waived while under GA contract. It should be noted, however, that out-of-state tuition is waived only during the time you hold your assistantship. Hence, if you are no longer a GA, you will be considered an out-of-state student (and pay out-of-state tuition), unless you have applied for and received Georgia residency from the KSU Tuition Classification officer.  (https://fiscalservices.kennesaw.edu/tuitionclassification/)

    For more information on tuition, please see https://fiscalservices.kennesaw.edu/bursar/tuition-fees/tuition-fees.php

  • Please note that GAs in graduate programs that are subject to differential tuition will only receive a reduction in their tuition equal to the in-state standard state tuition rate for the number of credit hours indicated on the contract.
    • GAs cannot exceed 24 waived course credits in an academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer in that order).
    • GAs can have a maximum number of hours waived as are required for the degree as stated in the Graduate Catalog. For example, if the degree program requires 36 hours to complete, the student may not have more than 36 hours of graduate tuition waived while in that degree program at KSU. Prerequisite and foundational courses that are not part of the degree will not be covered. Only graduate courses that meet the stated requirements for the degree will be covered by the tuition waiver.
    • Tuition for graduate credit hours in excess of the number of credits indicated on the contract for each semester.
    • The cost of any undergraduate credits taken by the GA.
    • The cost of health insurance and any/all other fees.
    • Graduate student study abroad: If a graduate student chooses a study abroad course, the tuition waiver will cover only the usual KSU graduate tuition for courses in the student’s graduate program and will not cover other fees or costs, such as travel and lodging, related to study abroad.
    • Tuition and fees for audited courses: Courses taken on an audit basis do not count toward meeting the minimum course load. If a graduate student chooses to audit a course or to change registration from credit to audit on a course, then the costs of that course is the student’s responsibility. If the change is not caught until the end of the semester, the tuition waiver will be adjusted and the balance for the audited course will be the student’s responsibility.
    • Courses not required by the student’s degree/plan of study, with the exception of the GRAD 9001 course at the graduate program directors request.
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