Flexible hourly appointments have no set hours to be worked each pay period. These appointments generally require the use of a timecard and may or may not run the full semester. Examples include paper grading, audiovisual equipment set-up, project/piece work, or other duties with intermittent hours.

Note about Tuition Benefits: A Flexible hourly appointment allows a department to provide a tuition benefit at the start of the semester by estimating the number of hours the student will work during the semester. If the student works less than the estimated hours (even by one hour), or does not work the minimum requirement of 98 hours per semester, the student will lose all or a portion of the tuition benefit. The student will be responsible for repaying the unearned portion of tuition benefits received. In addition, the student could lose a non-resident waiver if s/he works below the number of hours that the department first estimated. If more hours were worked than originally reported, the GAE office will adjust the tuition benefit, if applicable.

Fixed Hourly

This type of appointment has a set number of hours that are worked each pay period and does not require the use of a timecard. There are two types of fixed hourly appointments:

Single-semester: A single semester appointment is for one semester only and runs according to the official payroll semester dates. A student must be appointed semester by semester. It may be extended based on the needs of the hiring department, performance, and availability of funds.
Annual: An annual appointment runs for a 9-month academic or 12-month fiscal year.

Conditional Annual

This type of appointment is used as an alternative to fixed hourly appointment when a department anticipates that funding will be available for the academic year but is not certain. This appointment type is contingent upon the availability of funding for the position and may be terminated.

If the department determines there are insufficient funds to continue the appointment, a non-reappointment notice may be given to end the appointment effective the following semester. Should a notice of non-reappointment be necessary, a signed copy of the original Conditional Annual Appointment letter must also be attached (see Making the Hire below).

Teaching Assistantships

Appointments may be dependent upon minimum class enrollment. If minimum enrollment is not met, the appointment may be cancelled.

Determining Pay and Classification

Graduate assistant pay ranges are established each fiscal year by the University's central administration and approved by the Board of Regents. Each graduate assistant is appointed to a rate of pay within this range. Compensation paid to graduate assistants employed in the same or different departments may vary according to departmental criteria and must be monetary - neither course credit, resident-rate tuition, nor in-state tuition benefits can be substituted for graduate assistant pay.

In general, the title, rate of pay, percentage of time, and length of appointment may not be changed within the current contract period.

See Job Classification Descriptions for generic job descriptions of Graduate/Professional Assistant classifications. If you need assistance with determining the correct classification, call the Graduate Assistant Employment staff at 612-624-7070 or gaoinfo@umn.edu.

Recruiting Graduate Students

There are several options in recruiting graduate assistants:

Guaranteed Financial Support

Departments may offer a graduate assistantship as part of the student's admission and acceptance to a graduate degree program. These positions do not require posting by the department.

Internal Department Posting

Departments and/or colleges may post positions on a bulletin board, in a newsletter, via e-mail, or in other media departments use to inform their graduate students of current events and announcements.

Posting a Vacancy Campus-wide

Campus-wide postings are now completed online. Be sure to have the following information available before completing your posting online:

Classification title and number
Enrollment and registration requirements
Duration of appointment - start and end dates
Percentage of appointment OR average number of hours per week
Scheduled hours - if student is expected to work set hours
Hourly salary rate
Required and desired qualifications
Description of duties
Application deadline

To post a vacancy campus-wide, login in to the online employment system: Online Employment System

For assistance in using the system: User Guide for Hiring Authorities

Departments may restrict graduate assistant appointments or give priority in graduate assistant appointments to graduate students in their own degree programs. University departments must consider all qualified applicants for posted vacancies.

Student Eligibility Requirements

Students are eligible to hold a graduate assistantship (GA) if they are:

admitted to a graduate school degree program or a post-baccalaureate professional degree program AND
registered for a minimum number of required credits (exception: summer term) an assistantship is held.

Registration Requirements

Students with the following titles and classifications are required to register for at least six credits per term. Registration must be completed by the first day of employment and maintained for the entire semester. Audit courses do not fulfill the registration requirements.

Administrative Fellow 9531

Graduate Instructor 9515

Graduate project Research Assistant 9526

Research Assistant 9521

Teaching Assistant 9511

Advanced Masters or Ph.D. candidates are required to register for at least one credit per term.

Administrative Fellow - 9532, 9533

Graduate Instructor - 9517

Research Assistant - 9528, 9529

Research Project Assistant - 9527

Teaching Assistant - 9518, 9519

Note: Registration for GRAD 0999 does not fulfill the registration requirements. Exceptions to the six-credit registration requirement may be considered by completing the Special Graduate Assistant Registration Status (SGARS) (pdf) form.

Making the Hire

Upon hiring, the department should provide to the student:

A letter of offer (sample letters are available in the Template Letter Library)
Terms & conditions of employment (included in the sample letter)
Tuition benefits information (included in the sample letter)
A map to the building where the position is located

HRMS Information

Semester Appointment Dates

ACES entering data in HRMS: Be sure the effective dates for the end/suspend rows are correct.

Budget Guidelines and Pay

Calculate the estimated costs to your department for fall and spring semesters: Budget Guidelines and Estimates (Excel)
Calculate the estimated costs to your department for summer: Budget Guidelines and Estimates for Summer (Excel)

Note: Graduate students at the University of Minnesota are exempt from FICA withholding on University wages if they meet the enrollment tests described in IRS revenue procedure 98-16.

Fringe Rates Matrix

FICA Information

For a FICA exemption, a graduate student must register for a minimum of three credits OR one credit for Advanced Masters (8333) or PhD candidates (8444).

FICA Graduate Rules

Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

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