research assistant for phd student

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Research Assistantships employ graduate students to assist professors with their research. Duties could include data collection and analysis, grant writing, or general research support. Research may involve either a sponsored project or on a non-sponsored project, such as writing a book in the student’s academic area.  In either case, graduate research assistants’ work should produce generalizable knowledge.

GRAs should be under the direction of a faculty mentor and research training for them is on a one-on-one basis with the mentor.  The research conducted should be at a high level with the research resulting in generalizable knowledge with the student a likely contributing author of a published paper, report, book, etc.

Research Assistantship Role

• Compensation: All GRAs receive a monthly salary. Doctoral GRAs receive full tuition coverage to support their doctoral study. Master’s GRAs may receive tuition coverage at the department’s discretion.

Minimum Compensation Level 

Full Time Equivalent (FTE):

FTE 0.5 = 20 hours per week

FTE 0.375 = 15 hours per week

FTE 0.25 = 10 hours per week

FTE 0.125 = 5 hours per week

Compensation: All GRAs receive a monthly salary. Doctoral GRAs receive full tuition coverage to support their doctoral study. Master’s GRAs may receive tuition coverage at the department’s discretion.

Please note: For all appointments, the total pay listed below is divided into even monthly payments. Fall semester has four payments (September, October, November, and December). Spring semester has five payments (January, February, March, April, and May). Summer semester has three payments (June, July and August). Any irregular assistantship terms (e.g. six months) will have a salary prorated based on the number of months.

Minimum Master's Student Salaries: 

Minimum Doctoral Student Salaries: 

How Can I Become a Graduate Research Assistant?

Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) are appointed at the time of admission or selected by a faculty member. GRAs are limited and not available in all departments. If you are interested in a GRA, please reach out to your department to inquire about current availability. The Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships does not offer graduate research assistantships and cannot provide students with information about a department's current availability. 

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What Does a PhD Research Assistant Do? Duties and Responsibilities of Research Assistants

You may have heard about doctoral level research assistantship opportunities through your department or doctoral program and wondered if you should apply. There are many benefits to being a research assistant while you pursue your PhD — from tuition remission, to earning extra cash, to learning the ins and outs of your academic field and professional research. There are several different types of research assistantships that universities offer. You may assist a professor with his or her smaller scale research project or work with a team of professors and professionals from your field on a larger externally funded project.

This post is mainly for current and prospective doctoral students who want to learn more about the benefits of being a research assistant (RA). The ideas listed here are intended to help doctoral students decide if being a research assistant is worth their time and effort —and in most cases I think it is. For those of you applying to doctoral programs, find out which programs offer research assistantships. Use this information to help you decide which program is best for you and in developing a financial plan for paying for school.

This post was written by Stephanie A. Bosco-Ruggiero (PhD candidate in Social Work at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service) on behalf of Dave Maslach. This is part of the R3ciprocity project (Check out the YouTube Channel or the writing feedback software ). R3ciprocity helps students, faculty, and research folk by providing a real and authentic look into doing research. It provides solutions and hope to researchers around the world. Listen to what Dave has to say about the duties and responsibilities of research assistants in this video:

There are many benefits of having a research assistantship while pursuing a doctoral degree including financial and career development benefits. Here are what I think are some of the primary benefits of being a doctoral research assistant:

Stipends and Tuition Remission

Working as an RA may earn you a stipend and/or tuition remission. Some stipends may be small but better paying research assistantships can greatly alleviate the financial burden of getting a doctoral degree. A research assistantship funded by the university and offered through your department or doctoral program help universities help students fund their doctoral studies. It also helps them support research professors who need staff to assist them with important projects. The amount you get paid for a university sponsored RA may not be that that much, but an RA stipend or paycheck can mean the difference between being able to do your PhD program and not having enough resources do it.

A research assistantship can require anywhere from 7 to 21 hours of work a week. If the research assistantship comes as a package with a scholarship or other university support, you may actually get paid and have your tuition covered. I struck gold when I applied to my master’s degree program. Not only did I earn a paycheck for “21” hours of work per week (I did not do 21 hours of work every week) for a university based research institute, but I also received a family foundation scholarship that covered 100% of my tuition. All I had to pay for was room and board and food. Similar opportunities of course were offered to PhD students (but it was an amazing opportunity to have all of these benefits as a grad student). Investigate what kind of research assistant opportunities prospective program offer as you consider program because an RA could be your key to a fulfilling and financially feasible doctoral education experience.

Contributing to important research

Often there are multiple opportunities to work with individual professors in your department on their own personal research projects. These projects can be quite small and even unfunded, or they may have some university based or limited external funding. Professors often apply for small grants in some programs from their department or university to conduct small research studies. Professors go through a process to request and hire an RA to assist them with their research whether or not the research is funded by the university.

As a research assistant, generally, there are things you should and shouldn’t be asked to do. You should not be only grading papers or developing coursework materials. That is generally the job of a teaching assistant. You should not be doing administrative work. There are usually guidelines for professors to follow about what kind of work they can give a doctoral level RA. You should be doing research work that is sufficiently challenging for a doctoral student including gathering and analyzing data, developing research instruments, or co-authoring reports and manuscripts.

As an RA you should not only be given literature reviews to complete or data to enter; the work your professor give you should contribute to your professional development and build your research skills. You should be asked to participate in presenting research findings at conferences and meetings. You have an important role and the professor should consider you a vital part of the team.

Dave says, “Generally, as an RA, what you should be doing is research, and it should be getting you to 75% of where you should be as an independent thinker.” Here are more thoughts from Dave about what an RA’s duties and responsibilities should include:

1. Write reviews of papers.

2. Collect data or clean data.

3. Analyze data for a paper.

4. Perform interviews.

5. Write the bull-work part of a paper.

Here are Dave’s thoughts about what you should not be doing as a research assistant:

1. Laundry or personal tasks for the professor.

2. Things that don’t take advantage of your capabilities.

3. Things that are outside of your scope or responsibility.

4. Feeling like you are being taken advantage of.

I would also add that your boss should not be stealing your ideas or intellectual property. To hear what Dave has to say about what to do in the unfortunate event that someone steals your intellectual property, watch this video:

Working as a research assistant on a larger externally funded project

There may be opportunities at your university to work on large, externally funded grant project. You may work on a project temporarily as an RA with a limited contract (in terms of hours and duration) or you may hold the title of research assistant but not be a university based RA. Here is the difference: the university may provide the principal investigator of the project with an RA who receives a stipend and other benefits like a university based RA, or you may be hired directly by the grant funded project as a staff member. Often large projects employ both student RAs and doctoral students who work as staff. As a staff member you can earn a decent paycheck and perhaps even have full-time work. You may also be considered a full-time university staff member and be eligible for tuition remission and other university benefits.

Working on a large grant funded project can be the most interesting, challenging, and beneficial experience of your doctoral program. Professors who lead large externally funded research project are often the principal investigators of the project. They design and lead the evaluation or other type of study. You will learn about the role of a PI when working on a large grant and hopefully learn the ins and outs of a large research project. As an RA, you will assist the PI and research team and have an integral role in the project. You should be doing much of the same work described above, and more including attending professional meetings and conferences, project-wide meetings, collaborating with other universities, and preparing or site visits by the grantor.

As a research assistant for two federally funded grants prior to and during my time as a doctoral student I learned more about my field, and about research, than I did in any of my classes. Of course, coursework supplements your knowledge, but there is no replacing that real world, hands on, research experience that work on a grant funded project can give you. If you have an opportunity to work on a large government or foundation funded grant as a doctoral student, DO IT. You will not regret it.

Finding a mentor

Whether you work on a large federal grant, a smaller state funded grant, or with a professor on a smaller scale research project, you will hopefully gain a mentor who will show you what you need to know about research, your field, or your industry. Pay attention when you interview for a research assistantship. Do you feel like you could connect with this person on a professional level? Do they seem interested in your professional development, knowledge, and accomplishments as a student?

I had an amazing mentor when I worked on two federally funded grant projects. The match couldn’t have been better, and I had sensed a great opportunity when I interviewed for the job. You may not connect 100% with a project PI or a professor you work with, but if you have opportunities to learn from them, and like the work, that is fine too. You do not have to go out for beer together weekly; if it’s a good working relationships and you feel comfortable in your role and that you’re being sufficiently challenged, then stick with this person for as long as you can.

Meeting new colleagues and networking

Working as an RA should provide you with a host of opportunities to meet and work with new colleagues and network with professionals and/or academics in your field. You may have more opportunities to do so working on large grant projects. Often these projects span multiple universities and cities, and even countries. They also may employee multiple professors from your university and outside your university. You will have opportunities to attend conferences and professional meetings and meet key people in your field. You will also hear about inside opportunities to connect with experts in the field or to do additional research.

Take advantage of every opportunity to network whether you are working on a small or very large project. If you are working on a smaller project, ask the professor if she can introduce you to some of her colleagues in the field. Attend every meeting the professor invites you to. Learn about who the professor has worked with in the past and who she wants to collaborate with in the future.

Also, take advantage of opportunities to connect with fellow RAs whether you are working on a large or small project. This may be easier to do on a larger project which employees several doctoral RAs, but a professor may also be able to connect you with students working on similar projects even if he or she does not employ them directly. Attend doctoral student meetings and lunches at conferences and learn about scholarship and presentation opportunities for students in your field. Your professor should be able to connect you with these additional opportunities.

Some other things to consider about research assistantships

As you can see, I’m very big on RAs. Because of the research skills I learned as an RA I was well prepared to jump into advanced research projects as a doctoral student. I felt confident in my skills and had an insider perspective on what it is like to be a researcher in my field. The RA thing worked in my favor big time; but everyone has different circumstanced and there are a few things you may want to consider before assuming being an RA is the right path for you.

First, do you have the time to commit to being an RA? Some RAs require as little as seven hours of work a week, but others require a much larger time commitment. Do you work full-time to support yourself or your family, in addition to going to school? It may be difficult to fit in an RA under these circumstances; but if there is an opportunity for say a seven-hour job that can be done at any time of day or night, go for it. You cannot, however, work full time and be on site at a university one or more days a week.

Also, if your main interest and talent is teaching, then apply for a teaching assistantship position. This type of doctoral level position will benefit you more, develop your teaching skills, and lead to many more teaching opportunities. It may pay just about as much as an RA as well. Know what your goals are and take a university-based position that is in line with your goals and talents. Finally, if you feel that you would be more productive doing your own independent research and pursing your own funding opportunities or scholarships, do that. I do think the experience an RA can give you is pretty unparalleled, but I am in the social sciences. You may be in a field where independent work is better for your CV and for you.

Ultimately, consider your opportunities carefully. Will an RA help you further your career and goals? Does your economic status and the amount of time you have to dedicate to research make an RA feasible? Do what feels right. If someone is telling you to do an RA just because “this is how we advance in this field” but it doesn’t feel like the right opportunity for you, listen to your inner voice and do something that feels more productive and comfortable for you.

Generally, you can get information about RA opportunities from your school’s Dean, the head of the doctoral program, or a professor. Some larger grant opportunities may even be advertised on the school’s human resources site. Keep your eyes open and something great will come your way if an RA is something that you think is right for you!

Check out these other recent posts from the R3ciprocity project:

20 Ways to Make the Most of your PhD Program

16 PhD Program Basics: 16 Things You Should Know Before You Do A Doctorate

10 Myths About Doing a PhD

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What is a Research Assistant?

• After a PhD

Research assistants are employed by research institutes to assist with academic or private research. The primary responsibility of a research assistant is to provide support to either a research fellow or a research team, through collecting, analysing and interpreting data.

Institutes which use research assistants include universities, research centres (e.g. the Russell Group) and private organisations. Research assistants usually operate on a temporary basis, though permanent positions exist. In an academic setting, research assistants work under the supervision of research fellows.

Research assistant roles are often undertaken by postgraduate students who are completing their PhD programme. This provides income for the doctoral student, but also prepares them for an academic career once their programme is complete.

What are the Typical Duties of a Research Assistant?

Duties of a research assistant can vary throughout the life of a research project. In the early stages, you may be required to look for grants or funding opportunities. Many research projects cannot be undertaken without funding from an overseeing body such as a government department, research council or private company. Research assistants can be asked to prepare supporting material and help develop a proposal to secure funding.

Research assistants may also be responsible for planning the research project, coordinating tasks, preparing surveys, scheduling interviews and identifying statistical models and analysis techniques to use. In the middle stages of the project, research assistants may collect, analyse and interpret data. To do this, they will use data analysation techniques and use graphs, tables and charts to present key findings.

Finally, towards the end of the project, they may need to prepare a written discussion of the findings and help produce reports or articles. The research team may need to present the outcome of the research project at a conference to the funding agency or any other interested parties. Research assistants commonly help prepare material such as presentation slides and posters for these conferences.

In summary, the core duties of a research assistant include:

• Preparing materials to support grant applications
• Reviewing published literature and producing literature reviews
• Data collection and storage
• Assist in lab work, ordering of materials, inventory management and preparation of samples
• Conduct analysis of data
• Statistical manipulation and graphical presentation of data
• Assist with the recruitment of staff and performing interviews
• Regular note taking (e.g. meetings, interviews, lab results)
• Attending internal project meetings, seminars and external conferences
• Supervision of undergraduate researchers
• Preparation of reports, presentations and posters
• Review of reports produced by others
• Presenting findings on behalf of research team
• Management of research project finances
• Liaison with funding agency
• Project correspondence and website management
• Development of research protocols
• Management of project programme
• Evaluation and development of new tools and practices

This is a non-exhaustive list, and there will be several day-to-day tasks specific to your job.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

What are the Benefits of becoming a Research Assistant?

Becoming a research assistant is a great way to get hands on experience and prepare yourself for a career in academia or applied research. You will get to experience many aspects of research life, and develop skills such as data analysis, communication and problem solving which can be applied to any industry. Being a research assistant allows you to ‘earn whilst you learn’ and is ideal for those who want to bring in additional income to support their studies.

Beyond this, the short-term nature of research assistant positions suits those looking for flexible working arrangements and those who want to get a taste of research life without committing to a full-time career. For this reason, many research assistants are recent Bachelor’s or Master’s graduates who are looking to experience a research project before deciding on whether a PhD is right for them.

Another advantage of this is that it allows researchers to move from project to project and get experience working in different environments and teams.

As a research assistant you will have the opportunity to become involved in publishing papers. If you have been involved in the research study and made a significant contribution, then you should be an author on the paper. As with all papers, if you lead the research and write up the manuscript, then you should also be the first author.

What is the Salary of a Research Assistant?

Due to the wide variety of environments research assistants can operate in, salaries are varied. That being said, the typical starting salary for research assistants in the UK is around £20,000 to £25,000. Funded PhD students usually receive a tax-free stipend as their salary, typically worth £15,000 to £20,000 .

Who are the Typical Employers?

The most common employer for research assistant positions are Universities. However, other employers include the NHS, charities and trusts, private research companies, and public/government research councils.

What are the Entry Requirements for a Research Assistant position?

Most research assistant positions will require you to possess a good (2:1 or above) undergraduate degree, preferably a Master’s degree, in a relevant subject. Some positions require candidates to either possess a postgraduate degree or be enrolled on a PhD programme. Regardless of the qualification requirement, you will need to have a thorough understanding of the subject area, and be able to show examples of research skills such as data collection and analysis.

Some universities run undergraduate research assistant programmes which allow undergraduates to engage in academic research with the support of university staff and prepare them for a career in academia. An example is the University of St Andrews whose scheme pays undergraduate students £54 for each 6-hour block worked.

Key Skills for a Research Assistant

There are several key skills employers look for when assessing the suitability of candidates for research assistant jobs. We have outlined these below and you should highlight them in your application to make you stand out.

What is the Typical Day of a Research Assistant?

The typical day of a research assistant will vary depending on the field of research you operate in and institute to work for. However, there are some things which most research assistants can expect in a typical day.

They are responsible for basic administrative tasks such as record keeping and account management. Since research assistants are likely to be working under the supervision of a lead researcher, they will be required to support their supervisor in their day-to-day tasks, and provide them with regular progress updates.

If working in a large research team, research assistants can be asked to check in with various members of the team, coordinate tasks and ensure progress is on track. Similarly, research assistants are responsible for planning and scheduling and may organise interviews and meetings on behalf of others.

Research assistants can expect flexible working hours, which vary greatly depending on the project they are involved in. Working hours tend to increase as the deadline approaches, and many research assistants frequently work on weekends.

Most research assistants will operate from either a laboratory or an office. Occasionally, they may go ‘onsite’ to conduct fieldwork.

How to find Research Assistant Positions

One issue with research assistant jobs is that they are not well advertised. The best place to start is to search our extensive database of PhD programmes to see whether there are any research assistant positions available, or browse the research section on the websites of the universities you’re interested in.

Beyond this you can speak to university staff who can advise you on the best course of action to take for applying to research positions within their department. Some organisations advertise on social media, so joining facebook groups and following twitter accounts (e.g. alumni and department pages) is a good idea.

Interview Tips for Research Assistants

Before attending your interview, have a good idea of the current state of knowledge in the field of research you are applying to. Has there been any recent breakthroughs? What are the current gaps in knowledge? What research is being undertaken and what is the direction for the future?

It is also an advantage to know the institution you are applying to. Specifically, how does the research department operate, what equipment does the lab have, is the department currently involved in any noteworthy search projects?

You should also expect to talk about your interest in the research field, your career plans and what makes you a suitable candidate for the job.

Some example questions you may face include:

• How does this research assistant position align with your long-term aspirations?
• Do you have any previous experience?
• What relevant skills do you possess?
• Do you have any skills beyond research? (For example, foreign languages)
• What was your dissertation or thesis title and what did it involve? (If you have done one)

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Doctoral handbook

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• Graduate Student Assistantships

Assistantships are graduate financial support (aid) in the form of student employment, earning compensation for the performance of research, teaching, or course support services to the University while students continue their academic and professional development. A salary is paid twice per month (i.e., bimonthly) through University Payroll. In addition, a tuition allowance is awarded that covers partial to full tuition depending upon the student’s level of employment (i.e., the total number of weekly hours worked).

The types of assistantship appointments available to graduate students are as a Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant, and Teaching Affiliate.

The assistantship level or percentage is determined by the amount of weekly hours worked. For example, a student who works 20 hours per week is a 50% assistant (i.e., half of 40 hours or 100% employment). Likewise, a student who works 10 hours per week is a 25% assistant. The most common assistantships are offered at the 25% and 50% levels, though there are variations. While enrolled in 8 to 10 units, Stanford students cannot exceed the 50% assistantship level during the regular academic year (Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters). This is a University-wide policy applicable to all graduate students. In summers, however, students can work up to the 90% assistantship level, which translates to 36 hours per week with a minimum course enrollment of 3 units. See the Summer Funding section for more details.

A University committee determines the policies, salary structure, and terms of graduate student assistantships. In addition, GSE reserves the right to clarify and augment these regulations.

In relation to the GSE guaranteed funding policy, a student’s work performance in assistantships will be part of the student’s yearly academic progress review. The review determines whether the student’s funding may continue, conditional upon satisfactory performance in research work, for another year.

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Roles and Responsibilities of Research Assistants

Responsibilities of the graduate Research Assistants must involve active research of some form, regardless of whether the research is the assistant’s own. This can involve employment for regular fieldwork, lab work, library research, data analysis, writing, curating of exhibitions, or any other activity that can be counted as research. Research Assistants are not significantly involved with teaching or primarily devoted to administrative functions, such as working as filing or reception.

The duties of Research Assistants vary considerably, but may include:

• Searching for and reviewing published literature on a research topic
• Helping to develop a project methodology
• Assisting with lab work
• Taking notes
• Attending team or project meetings
• Assisting in developing resources for project management
• Collecting data
• Entering and analyzing data
• Supervising undergraduate research assistants or other personnel on research-related tasks
• Assisting with manuscript or grant development
• Preparing reports or presentations
• Corresponding with funding agencies

In all cases, the exact responsibilities of the Research Assistant depend on the nature of the work and assignments made by the supervisor. However, work assigned should be related to research, even if it involves the least glamorous parts of research, such as organizing and storing data or managing correspondence with collaborators.

Work assignments should not include personal assistance to the supervisor or others, such as running personal errands for the supervisor’s family. If the work is primarily clerical or pedagogical, the Graduate Assistant might be more appropriately appointed as a Project Assistant or Teaching Assistant instead.

Research assistantships are offers of employment based on merit, or as part of a recruitment package to attend UWM. Assistants should not be asked to pay additional fees to work as an assistant, beyond the routine fees associated with studying at UWM.

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What is a Research Assistant?

Roles and Responsibilities of Supervisors

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Assistantships.

Full-time Ph.D. and research master’s students may be awarded assistantships, which fall into four general categories: teaching assistant (TA), research assistant (RA), graduate assistant (GA), and graduate research assistant (GRA). These awards are administered by fields and departments. 

Assistantships are an arrangement in which financial support is given to a graduate student who engages in teaching and/or research in furtherance of the university’s academic mission, as well as his or her graduate education. 

Students on full assistantships receive the following:

• a full tuition credit at the research degree rate , and
• Cornell individual student health insurance.

Some fields may supplement the stipend and/or make summer appointments.

See also:  University Policy on Assistantships

Assistantships are awarded by departments, fields, and Principal Investigators. There is no separate application for assistantships. The assignment is usually in your major field or a closely-related one.

Teaching Assistants (TAs)

A teaching assistant is an academic appointment in support of the teaching of a course. Teaching assistants may assist in teaching a section of a course, lead discussions, and/or lead laboratory sections. Teaching assistants spend 15 to 20 hours per week, averaging no more than 15 hours per week, for the base stipend as established by the Board of Trustees.   

Special information for incoming international students: 

International students who come from countries where English is not the first language and who will TA in their first year at Cornell should visit the Center for Teaching Innovation’s International Teaching Assistant Program webpage for language assessment information.

See also:  On-Campus Work

Support and resources for TAs: 

The Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI) offers a central place where teaching assistants can go for insight and assistance with their teaching responsibilities, including programs and workshops for teaching assistants with all levels of experience. 

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs)

A GRA is an academic appointment focused on thesis or other degree-related research of a type that is required from all candidates for the degree. The research project for a GRA directly supports the student’s thesis or dissertation. Because a student devotes considerable time to thesis or dissertation research, the time spent is connected with the project.  

Research Assistantships (RAs)

A RA is an academic appointment for research that is not directly thesis-related. RAs spend 15 to 20 hours per week, averaging no more than 15 hours per week. For example, a RA appointment might include data analysis on a faculty research project not directly related to the student’s dissertation topic. As with other assistantships, there is no separate application. Students are appointed by departments, fields, or individual faculty.

Graduate Assistantships (GAs)

A GA is an academic appointment requiring 15 to 20 hours per week, averaging no more than 15 hours per week, for the base stipend as established by the Board of Trustees. For example, a GA appointment might include assisting a faculty member in developing and coordinating an academic conference. 

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• Research Opportunities

Graduate students are encouraged to speak directly with faculty members at their particular school to inquire about positions.

Research Opportunities for Undergraduates:

• Paid Research Assistant Positions: Search the Jobs Database for these paid positions.  Though we try to streamline, not all faculty members or departments use the SEO Jobs Database to post positions, so you may want to visit individual academic department websites to see if positions are posted there or contact a faculty member directly.
• Independent Research: Pursue an independent research project with a Harvard faculty member as a research mentor and apply for funding to support your endeavors. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships for more information and consult the Funding Database to learn of specific grants.
• Research for Class Credit: Discuss this option (often as a 91R) with your academic advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Radcliffe Research Partnerships   post undergraduate research assistant positions for a wide variety of projects. Visit their website or the jobs database for  a list of open opportunities. 

Faculty Aide Program

Interested in just getting started with research? Have a specific professor to work with in mind? Learn about the Faculty Aide Program . This program provides funding to faculty members who want to hire student researchers.

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Research Assistantships

TGS recommends guidelines for relationships between faculty and their RAs. See  best practices for graduate Research Assistants (RAs).

Research assistantships are awarded to students who assist faculty members on research projects either at the university or in the field while continuing the University’s academic mission and their own academic development and training.

Requirements

If the assistantship is funded through a sponsored agreement, then the graduate student must be conducting activities necessary to the sponsored agreement.

The work performed as a research assistant is not only part of the faculty member’s research project, but also supports the student’s dissertation research (or preparation for that research) while satisfying a degree requirement.

Students pursuing their Research Assistantship also need to review the   Regulations Governing Recipients of University Assistance .

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Teaching & Research Assistantships

“Academic Apprentice Personnel” is the term applied to registered graduate students who have fulfilled the University’s established criteria for appointment (no more than 50% time) to teaching or research assistantships and for which they are compensated at rates approved annually by the Regents of the University of California. These apprenticeships are intended to provide qualified students with relevant training experience for academic and academic-related careers in teaching and research and to augment limited resources from within the University for graduate student support. As a matter of University policy, apprentice personnel in both the teaching and research series are considered primarily as students being professionally trained.

Graduate students who are recipients of teaching and research assistantships must meet all registration and enrollment criteria established by the Graduate Council and the department. They must also maintain satisfactory progress throughout their appointments. Please contact the department for details.

Appointments

Teaching Assistants

Teaching assistants are selected on the basis of scholarship and promise as teachers and serve an apprenticeship under the tutelage and supervision of regular faculty members who are responsible for curriculum and instruction in the University.

Applicants whose first language is not English: Please see information on the Test of Oral Proficiency .

Research Assistants

Research assistants are appointed to the title Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and are selected on the basis of scholastic achievement and promise as creative scholars and serve an apprenticeship under the direction and supervision of a faculty member.

Special Readers

Special readers are advanced graduate students who assist faculty members with the reading and grading of students’ papers and exams, under the guidance and direction of faculty members. Special readers must have taken and received at least a B+ in the course for which they are reading.

For more information or if wish to be considered for one of the above appointments, please consult with your department.

Medical Insurance and Fee Offsets for Academic Apprentice Personnel

Eligible graduate students who serve in teaching assistant, graduate student researcher, tutor, reader, and special reader titles for at least 25% time for an entire academic quarter are eligible to receive paid medical insurance coverage. They are also eligible to receive 100% of the student services and tuition portions of the mandatory fees paid by the University. Qualified GSRs in appointments of at least 45% time for an entire academic quarter may be eligible to receive nonresident tuition remission.

Research Assistantships

Serving as a research assistant (RA) is an important part of the professional development and training that Tufts offers graduate students.

The skills and training acquired as an RA depend on faculty mentoring, feedback, and assessment. Faculty members supervising RAs should clearly define assistants' responsibilities at the beginning of the assistantship and provide feedback on how those responsibilities are being met.

All RAs receive a stipend as part of their training.

RA Orientations

Gsas research assistant (ra) orientation (virtual).

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | 10 - 11:30 am (Eastern)

This orientation will include important information and resources for research assistants. All incoming students who are holding a Research Assistantship, as well as returning students who are holding their first Research Assistantship and have not attended RA orientation in the past should attend. Registration information coming soon.

SOE Teaching and Research Assistant Orientation

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | 9:30 - 2:00 pm (Eastern) | Location to be announced

School of Engineering TA/RA training has in-person and online components. Online training will open on Canvas on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. In Canvas, there are 3 modules that TA/RAs need to view and pass to be eligible for payment. Training must be completed with passing grades by September 10, 2024. All SOE students who are in a new position as a TA or RA are required to attend orientation and take all training. 

AIT Academic Integrity Training for graduate students. A link to the training will be sent to your Tufts email. You are required to complete the training before you matriculate into your graduate program.

Register for SOE Teaching and Research Assistant Orientation by August 12th

• Academic Integrity Policy
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• Data Processing Resources  (PDF)
• Graduate Advising Topics and Expectations (GATE) Worksheet  (PDF)
• Graduate Research Excellence at Tufts Program
• Graduate Student Research Competition
• Graduate Student Research Symposium
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
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• University Research Policies

Research Assistant (RA)

A Research Assistant (RA) must be a graduate student working toward a master’s or doctoral degree. Research Assistants are UW–Madison graduate students who are given stipends to support their own education and training. RAs should not be given work assignments unrelated to their own educational pursuits – graduate assistants with significant duties unrelated to their own course of study should be appointed as a PA rather than an RA.

The program will give consideration for an RA appointment based on information provided in the application for admission or, in some cases, in a specific program application form. Research Assistants will receive a letter of appointment or reappointment each semester or year they hold their assistantship. If appointed students have not received such a letter, they should contact their payrolling office.

Note that the RA appointment percentage is merely a mechanism for setting the stipend amount, and does not correlate to any particular requirement for hours of work. The maximum appointment percentage is 50%. However, to account for the potential that RAs may occasionally perform duties that are not directly related to their course of study, the university has deemed an RA appointment to entail 5 hours of compensated employment per week. In no event may an RA be asked to perform more than 5 hours per week of work unrelated to their course of study, regardless of percentage of RA appointment.

Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures (GAPP) outlining employment-related practices for graduate student research assistants are available from the Office of Human Resources .

See  Enrollment Requirements ,  Maximum Levels of Appointments

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Is a research assistantship considered full-time employment?

For something I'm applying to, I need to know if I'm considered a student, a part-time employee, or a full-time employee.

I am a graduate research assistant with a yearly stipend. No other employment is allowed. 20 hours a week of research is expected according to the contract.

• research-assistantship

• P.S. If you don't like my question, instead of downvoting let me know so I can delete it. (I don't like downvotes.) –  James Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 2:59
• 3 Considered for what purposes ? –  Noah Snyder Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 3:02
• Hmm... I assumed it would be the same for whatever I was applying for. In this particular case, it is for a condo. However, this question has come up a few times in other places as well. –  James Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 3:04
• In my program, a teaching assistantship is "technically" paid an hourly wage with the TA supposed to work 12 hours a week. This would make it part-time work. –  user4383 Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 3:07
• 1 For non-academic purpose, 20 hours is of course part time. If you call it full time, how do you call 40 hours? Overtime job? –  Nobody Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 3:31

3 Answers 3

I don't have citable information to give you but being a doctoral student and usually being on a research assistantship, anecdotally, I can tell you that in the United States, if you are a full time MS/PhD student and are on a research assistantship then it is not considered a full time job. Your full time job is that of a "student".

This was confirmed by an HR representative of my university because I asked her this exact question.

For your purposes, I would use either "full-time employee" or "student," depending on which answer gives you the most benefit. Because you aren't allowed other employment (the legality of whether that is enforceable is disputable), your position is full-time because it implies that the other 20 hours a week of 40-hour a week employment* will be spent on studies. You can certainly claim to be a student, as I assume you have a student ID that demonstrates that.

*if you make it through graduate school working only 40 hours a week, you're either brilliant, or not working hard enough, or both.

• 1 Haha, certainly not. I think 2 all-nighters a week makes that point very well. I guess 40 hours is the "official" amount though. –  James Commented Apr 19, 2013 at 4:45

The answer could heavily depend on the country you are located in.

The following is obvious:

• do you have a proper work contract with the university? If yes, then check your contract and see what kind of employee you are;
• are you officially enrolled at a university as a student? If yes, the program you are enrolled in tells you what kind of a student you are.

Now to the non-obvious part. As pointed out by others, in some countries you would be a either a full-time, or a part-time employee, but despite that, for many purposes (grant applications, student fellowships, conference registration, etc.) you could be considered a full-time student. This is the case for Germany (among others) where your contract would stipulate an amount of hours you are paid for, but you would be nevertheless expected to work full-time as a PhD. student and the university would have no problem issuing a certificate about your "studentship" for you. So to tackle your question, the first instance to consult is your supervisor/adviser, and the second one would be your department/faculty administration.

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We have 46 research assistant PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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research assistant PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Digital literacy for workers in ageing health workforces, phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Exploring Adult Well-Bring After Childhood Traumatic Loss Through a Comprehensive Retrospective Study

Competition funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but potential funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Exploring and understanding inclusivity of LGBTQIA+ recreational athletes in the UK

Self-funded phd students only.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Responsible virtual assistant for effective marketing communication

Phd opportunities in art, media arts and design, funded phd programme (uk students only).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Arts Research Programme

Arts Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Understanding the attribute framing effect in risk communication

Racist hate speech: how bystanders become upstanders when witnessing derogatory remarks, low carbon marine propulsion systems using hydrogen and hydrogen carrying fuels, hydrogen integration for accelerated energy transition, competition funded phd project (european/uk students only).

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

Identifying optimal treatment for pain in older adults: Evidence synthesis and network meta-analysis

What drives social pedagogy, driving phenotypic plasticity and metastasis in small cell lung cancer, defining the rate limiting steps of differentiation tempo through deterministic forward programming, phd mathematical sciences, funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

China PhD Programme

A Chinese PhD usually takes 3-4 years and often involves following a formal teaching plan (set by your supervisor) as well as carrying out your own original research. Your PhD thesis will be publicly examined in front of a panel of expert. Some international programmes are offered in English, but others will be taught in Mandarin Chinese.

PhD Opportunities in English, History and Performance

Humanities research programme.

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

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The New School News

• In the Headlines

Celebrating Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Recipients at The New School for Social Research

The New School for Social Research (NSSR) recently recognized seven students with Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards, honoring their work as Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows during the 2023–2024 academic year: Armando Alvarez, a PhD Economics student; Krishna Boddapati, a PhD Philosophy student; Julián Gómez-Delgado, a PhD Sociology student; CJ Healy, a PhD Clinical Psychology student; Andrew Moon, a PhD Anthropology student; Heleen Raes, a PhD Clinical Psychology student; and Jochen Schmon, a PhD Politics student. The students were celebrated at NSSR’s welcome reception, receiving a certificate and an honorarium for their achievements. 

“It is an honor to celebrate some of our extraordinary graduate student teachers and the significant contributions they are making inside and outside the classroom to advance research, scholarship, and learning at The New School,” said President Joel Towers. 

Speaking on the important role serving as a teaching assistant played in her own development as a scholar, Provost Renée White stated, “As a graduate student, I had the good fortune to be a TA for a brilliant feminist scholar named Jualynne Dodson. Her work inspired me, but her course covered subject matter that forced me to stretch myself as her TA. Most of us aren’t naturally talented lecturers or instructors but learn by doing. That’s what being a TA affords you. Having the chance to observe and support someone who was so good in the classroom was a gift. I was feeling unsure about my own work and whether I belonged in the classroom. I learned so much from her about how to structure a lecture, prepare good assignments, and facilitate class discussions. My experience with her instilled in me more confidence about my future as a professor.”

NSSR has presented this award since 2015, recognizing honorees for their ability to guide students through thought-provoking discussions, connect complex topics to students’ experiences, and create a supportive, engaging, and compassionate learning environment. 

“The seven recipients stood out for their ability to find new ways to explain complex topics in the classroom, during office hours, and by email; to help students further develop their research skills and offer thoughtful, personal feedback on their work; and, more than ever this year, to guide honest and respectful discussions related to the social sciences and philosophy,” said NSSR Executive Dean Alex Aleinikoff in a message to the community. 

The honorees were selected from more than 45 graduate Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows nominated by students and faculty from all schools across the university. 

“Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination; you have helped make this award an important and personal way to honor our graduate Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows,” said Aleinikoff. “And a very special thank you to all TAs and TFs for all of your hard work and critical contributions to student learning at The New School.”

About the 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Recipients

Armando Alvarez, PhD Economics student

“Armando’s mentorship has been invaluable. Without his exceptional teaching and unwavering support, I cannot imagine achieving the level of success and comprehension that I have today.” — Nominator from NSSR

Krishna Boddapati, PhD Philosophy student

“He taught a demanding course on early modern philosophy in an accessible way that allowed the students to engage with complex problems and apply them to contemporary issues. Krishna is an outstanding teacher, capable of motivating his students to continue their works.” — Nominator from NSSR

Julián Gómez-Delgado, PhD Sociology student

”One of Julián’s greatest virtues is in helping students understand how they can navigate the practical demands of the moment and locate ways to resume their learning without losing sight of their intellectual goals.” — Nominator from NSSR

CJ Healy, PhD Clinical Psychology student

“CJ teaches with integrity, inclusivity, and passion. They made coming to class an exciting event to look forward to, as every week I expected nothing less than the liveliest discussions and most inspiring sentiments. Thank you, CJ, for introducing me to the world of psychology—I’ll never forget it!” —Nominator from Parsons

Andrew Moon, PhD Anthropology student

“From day one, Andrew has been exceptionally detailed in supporting our learning process individually and collectively. His ability to every week be sharp and connect our ideas in our biweekly papers, with the arguments discussed in every class and cited authors has been invaluable. He embodies what care and rigor mean within the academy.” — Nominator from NSSR

Heleen Raes, PhD Clinical Psychology student

“Heleen was the nurturing teacher I needed to be back in college after several years. She integrated personal experience and grounded it with research. Her passion for social justice shone through in how she talked about vulnerable groups with compassion.” — Nominator from the Schools of Public Engagement

Jochen Schmon, PhD Politics student

“He teaches with much passion and understanding of the material and the students, making complex theoretical frameworks accessible for everyone to understand. He is genuinely one of the best professors I’ve ever had, and I as well as other students can testify to his skill and profound impact.” — Nominator from Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts

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Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

At michigan state university, frib hosts msu museum exhibit, ’one fun guy’s trash is another fungi’s treasure’.

FRIB is hosting “One Fun Guy’s Trash is Another Fungi’s Treasure,” an exhibit from the MSU Museum . While the museum is closed for an 18-month renovation project, it continues to serve students and faculty through new educational initiatives, outreach programs, and offsite exhibitions, such as the exhibit at FRIB.

Marc Friedman, a graduate student, and Alassane Sow, an undergraduate research assistant, both working under Dr. Gregory Bonito in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at MSU, created the exhibit. The exhibit illustrates how various species of fungi could help alleviate food waste.

From the exhibit creators:

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) , retailers and consumers in the United States waste approximately 31 percent, or 133 billion pounds, of the overall food supply. The food waste, which ends up in landfills, decomposes in environments low in oxygen and generates methane gases that account for approximately 14.1 percent of total methane emissions. Municipal landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, according to the USDA. But there is a way to combat these problems—converting food waste into edible fungi. Many cultures revere some species of fungi for their nutritional and medicinal components, namely because they break down dead plant material and absorb their nutrients. “This project will culminate in aesthetically unique living sculptures made of edible and medicine fungi decomposing food waste in real-time,” said Dr. Bonito’s team in the exhibit abstract. “We hope to change the public's negative opinions of fungi by visibly presenting both the beauty and utility of this magnificent Kingdom of organisms.”

The exhibit, which displays edible and medicinal fungi, such as oyster and reishi mushrooms, growing on food waste like banana peels and coffee grounds, will run through the fall semester. The display is located at FRIB, in the common area outside of 1300 FRIB Laboratory. Students, faculty, and staff can view the exhibit through the window of FRIB’s easternmost office tower, across from the MSU Law College.