Employment and Funding

Graduate Assistantship Opportunities

The Department and School's Administrative and Human Resources teams organize the process for Graduate Assistant Applications in accordance to the Graduate Labor Union Contract. Students contracted to work as Graduate Assistants will receive an offer of a Graduate Research or Teaching Assistantship, a written job description and appointment form stating the duties and expectation of the assistantship, the terms (duration, pay, benefits), as well as the general expectations the program has of its Graduate Assistants. 

Go to the University of Minnesota Financial Aid basics page for general financial aid information. Information on the Graduate School's policies on Assistantships and employment can be found @ http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/qae/

Assistance positions and Financial Aid: https://humanresources.umn.edu/find-job/graduate-assistant-jobs 

School of Architecture Graduate Assistantships

Teaching and Research Assistantships assignments are based on multiple factors that include enrollment, availability of positions, faculty request and preference, academic merit, and past performance as an assistant. Any appointment for any semester does not guarantee that students will receive an appointment in subsequent semesters. Students and their faculty supervisor evaluate Teaching and Research Assistants each semester.

A Graduate student in Architecture must be registered for at least 9 credits per semester and is expected to have a GPA around 3.3 or special expertise in the subject area of the appointment to be eligible for Graduate Assistantships. Thesis students who continue their design phase into a second semester are not eligible for Graduate Assistantships.

Graduate Assistantships are typically 25% appointments (10 hours per week over the nineteen week semester), and receive a tuition discount as well as optional health benefits. A TA or RA is on payroll throughout the semester; beginning one week before classes start and ending a week after the exam period ends. Graduate assistants are paid hourly for their work.

Currently enrolled students with research or practice experiences, interest in teaching, or unique scholarly aptitudes should complete the application for an assistantship position in the Spring semester for the following year.  Graduate Assistant roles, such as Teaching and Research Assistant (TA and RA) positions are an essential part of the academic culture of our programs. Below is an outline explaining the conditions for how to engage with this process: 

1. Students with Positions Awarded during Admission: Complete this Google Form to provide materials and insight into how to align your interests with the Schools academic needs across undergraduate and graduate programs. Students with positions awarded as part of their admission's package do not need to complete the UMN portal application outlined below.

2. Students Seeking Employment: There are two types of positions outlined on the University's employment platform. Students that wish to be considered for open positions should apply to one or both postings linked below.

a. Graduate Research Assistant (Multiple Openings)

b. Teaching Assistant (Multiple Openings)

Applications will be reviewed starting by May 15 and employment offers for fall semester will be made by July 15. Rolling applications will be considered for spring semester appointments and aligned with Departmental needs. 

Student Responsibilities

Generally, the School of Architecture will assign the majority of the TA assistantships prior to July 15 before the next academic year. Students should evaluate other criteria before accepting the award; check your course schedules to make sure there are no conflicts; and consider the impact of employment experiences in relationship to your financial or professional goals. You must indicate your acceptance within 10 days of receiving this letter so that your assistantship can be processed prior to the start of classes. Adjusting scheduling conflicts to finalize assignments before the start of the semester could change your assignment. Once you have your assignment you should contact your professor to find out if any work is needed in preparation for the first day of class.

Students must sign and return a form to the department office. This is an agreement that you will be available for the designated period and that you will familiarize yourself with assistantship policies and guidelines found at: www.umn.edu/ohr/gao. The Graduate Assistantship Office provides a wealth of assistance and information pertaining to the policies, guidelines and benefits of employment as a graduate assistant.

Teaching Assistantships (TA)

Teaching Assistantships are the most common form of aid for architecture graduate students. Assistantships are available for courses with significant student enrollment and/or teaching-intensive courses, such as Design Fundamentals or History of Architecture classes. Teaching Assistantships require the recipient to work in support of teaching or research. If you are a first-time TA, then you must attend the New TA Orientation Program offered by the Center for Educational Innovation: https://cei.umn.edu/

Research Assistantships (RA)

Research Assistantships funded by faculty grants and funded research initiatives are periodically available and are filled by the professors who require assistance on scholarly projects, usually at the 25% per semester appointment. Students can identify themselves to a faculty member as having a particular research interest and expertise, or faculty may recruit a graduate student for the Research Assistantship.

Digital Assistantships (DA)

The Digital Assistant program's goal is to increase digital design literacy within the department by providing assistance to instructors and students via Digital Assistants who provide instruction and conduct small group digital design tutorials. Digital Assistants (DAs) are mostly graduate students in architecture who have experience using various digital design programs to produce high quality work.

Graduate Assistant Guidelines

If you are a graduate assistant, carefully review this section. If you have questions, contact Graduate Assistant Employment, Donhowe Building, Suite 200, 612-624-7070; fax 612-625-9801.

To hold an assistantship in Architecture, you must be registered for 9 course credits or thesis credits each fall or spring semester you hold an appointment. If you do not register in a semester, or if you cancel all your credits, your assistantship will automatically be terminated retroactive to the beginning of the semester, your job classification will change to a non-student title, (if appropriate) you will be billed for any tuition benefit received that term, health insurance benefits will change, and social security taxes will be withheld from your wages. ·

For information concerning exclusion from FICA tax withholding, contact Graduate Assistant Employment or see https://humanresources.umn.edu/.

If you are a graduate assistant with an appointment of at least 12.5 percent, you will receive a tuition benefit equal to twice the percentage of your appointment in the term of the appointment only. If you hold an appointment of 25 percent or more for an entire semester, you will receive a 50 percent tuition benefit. Note: Tuition benefits apply to the Graduate School 6-14 credit band. All or a portion of the University fee is included with tuition benefits (based on the percentage of appointment). If you work less than the number of hours the assistantship requires. you will be billed for tuition for that term, at the nonresident rate if applicable.

If you are nonresident student holding an assistantship of at least 25 percent for an entire semester, you will be assessed tuition at the resident rates. This is a semester-specific privilege that does not change your basic nonresident classification. If you have held an appointment for at least two semesters when your appointment terminates, you are eligible to pay resident tuition rates for the number of semesters you held an appointment (up to four semesters). If you do not complete a graduate assistantship (e.g., if you graduate midterm and resign the assistantship), you may be billed for part or all of the tuition waived for that semester.

If you are a nonresident graduate assistant with an appointment of at least 25 percent, your immediate family (defined as spouse or domestic partner, children, parents, or legal guardian or ward living in your household) is eligible to pay resident tuition rates during each semester of your appointment. These family privileges may be extended beyond the term of qualifying appointment if you have held the appointment for at least two semesters. Graduate Assistant Employment administers extended benefits, where all conditions of appointment are maintained. Students also qualify for an additional semester of resident status for each semester of resident status gained through fellowships. For example, a non-resident graduate student who receives two semesters of fellowships at 25% would receive resident status for two additional semesters of resident status. An exception: study abroad students do not pay tuition but a program fee, so tuition fellowships are suspended.

Work-Related Policies

Questions regarding what information to include on work-related policies should be directed to Graduate Assistant Employee Services in the Office of Human Resources.

Financial Aid

Scholarships and financial aid assistance is available at the One Stop Student Services Center. Financial aid includes scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. For a comprehensive list of University funds, as well as many other resources for gift aid, see https://onestop.umn.edu/finances. Be aware that most gift aid programs require you to submit a separate application.

Travel

Graduate students may apply for School travel funds to present papers, receive awards for design or paper competitions, or complete a research investigation. Funding is also available for travel related to Masters' Final Projects conducted by M.Arch students in their final year of study. For more information, see the DGS.