Assistantships

Overview

A limited number of assistantships are available in all graduate programs and can be awarded to fully admitted, degree-seeking students. Individual offices on campus also offer assistantship or student employment opportunities.

Offices That Hire Graduate Assistants  |  Offices That Hire Graduate Student Employees

Current Openings - Apply in Handshake!

Requirements & Eligibility

A student who is awarded an assistantship is required to be a degree-seeking graduate student at the College of Charleston currently enrolled full-time - at least six hours - in graduate courses.  Students must also maintain a satisfactory GPA of at least a 3.0 at the Graduate School.  Out-of-state students awarded an assistantship are eligible for abatement funding, which are funds that cover a portion of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.  Students enrolled only in continuous research credits (900s) are ineligible for institutional assistantships. 

Earnings & Workload

Graduate Assistants: The minimum earnings for a student awarded a full-time graduate assistantship are $12,600 for the academic year, or $6,300 per semester.  This amount is based on 300 hours of work a semester with roughly 20 hours of work per week.  Students awarded a half-time graduate assistantship may earn at least $6,300 for the academic year, or $3,150 per semester.  This amount is based on 150 hours of work a semester with roughly 10 hours of work per week.  Graduate assistants are paid for actual hours worked and should record their time accurately on their timesheet.

Research Assistants: The minimum earnings for a student awarded a full-time research assistantship are $12,600 for the academic year, or $6,300 per semester.  This amount is based on 300 hours of work a semester with roughly 20 hours of work per week.  Students awarded a half-time research assistantship may earn at least $6,300 for the academic year, or $3,150 per semester.  This amount is based on 150 hours of work a semester with roughly 10 hours of work per week.  Research assistants are paid for actual hours worked and should record their time accurately on their timesheet.  NOTE: This pay rate only applies to graduate students hired as research assistants NOT supported by a grant.  Graduate students hired as research assistants who are supported by a grant may have a different pay structure. 

Teaching Assistants: The minimum earnings for a student awarded a teaching assistantship are $13,500 for the academic year.  Teaching assistants tend to be in the sciences and typically assist with 2-3 lab sections for introductory courses.  Teaching assistants do not have to submit timesheets as their total earnings are divided evenly across the pay periods within their contract dates.

NOTE: Graduate students may only work a total of 20 hours per week in an assistantship.  If a graduate student already holds a full-time assistantship, and is offered on-campus employment that is not an assistantship, that additional employment cannot exceed 7-10 hours per week.  Graduate students may not work more than 30 hours per week between on-campus employment positions.  Requests for this type of dual on-campus employment is subject to review by the Graduate Dean.

To Be Considered for an Assistantship

  • Submit your completed application for admission by the priority deadline
  • Contact your program director for possible opportunities
  • Check the Career Center's employment portal, Handshake, to search for assistantship positions
  • Use the lists above to contact campus offices and departments for possible opportunities
  • Submit an assistantship application and a copy of your résumé to the Graduate School at gradstud@cofc.edu. Assistantship applications are kept on file in the Graduate School office for one year.

NOTE: Submitting an assistantship application does not mean you have applied to a particular assistantship.

Required Orientation for New Student Employees

New student employees must attend an orientation hosted by the Career Center before they can begin work.  Once their hiring paperwork has been received, students will receive an email from the Career Center with instructions on how to schedule this orientation.  More information regarding the required documents are available on the Career Center's Student Employment website.

Required Compliance Courses for Graduate/Research/Teaching Assistants

Students holding a GA, RA, or TA must complete learning modules located in the College's employee development portal, Cougar Ed.  Module topics include but are not limited to privacy and information security, personal safety, sex discrimination and harassment prevention, and FERPA.

Additional Resources