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Graduate Assistant

Graduate Assistant (GA) is a technical term used to describe a specific type of Lehigh University student employee. Duties are generally set by the department but certain conditions must be satisfied before a student can be classified as a GA. These include:

  1. Each GA must be a regular full-time Lehigh graduate student. This status normally requires registration for at least 9 credit hours per semester.
  2. A GA is a half-time position, and each GA provides services to Lehigh University of up to 20 hours per week. Quarter-time and eighth-time GA appointments are possible for full-time graduate students. Stipends and tuition remission are appropriately reduced for these positions.
  3. Each GA must be paid a specific stipend which is set for the academic year by the Dean's Office after consultation with the Director of Budget.
  4. Qualified GAs receive tuition remission for, at most, 10 credit hours in a regular semester. No GA may register for more than 10 credit hours. A student who is a GA during the preceding academic year is entitled to a maximum of three hours of research, or dissertation registration (not course credit) in the following summer without payment of tuition.
  5. Each GA is appointed by a process which begins with a formal letter of appointment issued by the appropriate department Chairperson. The appointment letter specifies standard University conditions, including stipend level, time of arrival, length of service, and satisfactory academic progress and performance of duties. The department Chairperson submits written notification of GA appointments to the Dean.
  6. Tuition remission for qualified GA is authorized by the Dean as part of the registration process.

The availability of an assistantship is based on the needs of the department. GAs are also employed regularly by the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs (105 University Center, 610/758-3890), the Dean of Students Office (University Center, 610/758-4156), the University Counseling Service (Johnson Hall, 610/758-3880), or the Office of International Education (Whitaker Laboratory, 610/758-4859).