Graduate Assistantships

Research and teaching assistantships are awarded to qualified graduate students by each program. SFOS students are awarded a research or teaching assistantship usually at the time they are admitted into their graduate program.

Masters students receiving a graduate research assistantships generally receive stipends of $19.67 per hour before candidacy and $21.34 per hour after candidacy, based on an annual rate of $27818.70 or $30183.30, plus benefits. Graduate assistants can be paid for a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session. Students with assistantships must be registered for at least nine credits during the fall and spring semesters (audited credits are not counted toward workload).

Ph.D. graduate research assistants generally receive stipends of $23.02 per hour before candidacy and $25.53 per hour after candidacy, based on an annual rate of $31,307.20 or $36109.20, plus benefits. Graduate assistants can be paid for a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session. Students with assistantships must be registered for at least nine credits during the fall and spring semesters (audited credits are not counted toward workload).

Teaching assistantships include a tuition payment by the university for no more than 10 credits to cover three courses during each semester if the workload is 15 to 20 hours per week. If the workload is 10 to 14 hours per week, no more than five credits will be included. No tuition will be included if the workload is less than 10 hours per week.

Research assistantships include a tuition payment by grants/contracts for no more than 10 credits to cover three courses during each semester if the workload is 15 to 20 hours per week. If the workload is 10 to 14 hours per week, no more than five credits will be included. No tuition will be included if the workload is less than 10 hours per week.

Tuition supplements may be used for tuition only. All fees are the responsibility of the student unless the department or grant makes other arrangements with UAF Business Office prior to registration.

Students who have a 10-20 hour per week research or teaching assistantship during the summer semester may apply for a Summer Tuition Scholarship. Students must have been registered for 9 credits (3 of which must be at the graduate level) during the preceding fall and spring semesters and be registered for 6 credits of research or thesis during the summer to eligible for this scholarship. Please see the Graduate School for further information or an application.

A graduate student with a GPA less than 3.0 for one semester will be allowed to petition to continue as a graduate assistant for the next semester. A maximum one-semester exception will be allowed per student. The student’s advisory committee chair, the department head and dean must approve the petition by the students.

Other Types of Assistance

A variety of funding sources are available to assist graduate students in accomplishing their educational and research goals while at UAF. There are sources within the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, at the Graduate School, and external to the University. Depending on the source, the funds may be used for living expenses (stipend or salary), tuition, equipment, supplies, or travel.

more information on scholarships

Graduate Student Stipends

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* summer benefit rates of 8.5%( as of 7/1/07) included in full-time rates for Fall 2008

Months	Rank	Regular Semester	Summer	Fall 2007	Fall 2008
12	M.S. before Comprehensive Exams	Half Time	Half Time	$18345.60 ($17.64 p/hour)	$20456.80 ($19.67 per hour)
12	M.S. after Comprehensive Exam	Half Time	Half Time	$19905.60 ($19.14 p/hour)	$22193.60 ($21.34 p/hour)
12	Ph.D. before Adv. to Candidacy	Half Time	Half Time	$21476.00 ($20.65 p/hour)	$23940.80 ($23.02 p/hour)
12	Ph.D. after Adv. to Candidacy	Half Time	Half Time	$23816.00 ($22.90 p/hour)	$26551.20 ($25.53 p/hour)
12	M.S. before Comprehensive Exams	Half Time	Full Time	$23990.40 ($17.64 p/hour)	$27788.70 ($19.67 p/hour)
12	M.S. after Comprehensive Exams	Half Time	Full Time	$26030.40 ($19.14 p/hour)	$30183.30 (21.34 p/hour)
12	Ph.D.  before Adv. to Candidacy	Half Time	Full Time	$28084.00 ($20.65 p/hour)	$33559.49 ($23.53 p/hour)
12	Ph.D. after Adv. to Candidacy	Half Time	Full Time	$31144.00 ($22.90 p/hour)	$36109.63 ($25.53 p/hour)

** Academic Year of 32 weeks plus 4 weeks at December holiday break and 16 weeks of Summer

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For more information on the UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, please contact Amy Voigt, SFOS Recruitment and Retention Coordinator at: amvoigt@alaska.edu, or 907-474-6786.