Graduate Assistantship Opportunities
Fall 2025 Assistantships will be posted by the afternoon of Wednesday, November 13, 2024
A Graduate Assistant (GA) within the context of the Master of Education in Student Affairs program is a graduate student who:
is enrolled in classes full-time and works in a department at Clemson University,
works a specified number of hours per week (20-28 hours) for either 9, 10 or 12 months,
maintains a minimum course load (9 hours per semester), and
fulfills specific job requirements as set forth in their GA contract.
Graduate Assistantships for M.Ed. in Student Affairs students are available in various divisions and colleges at Clemson University. The exact assistantship opportunities we post/recruit for change from year to year. Unless there are no significant performance issues, the expectation is to hold an assistantship role for two (2) years, which is the duration of the academic program.
PLEASE NOTE -
Assistantships for Fall 2025 will not be posted until the afternoon of Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
These opportunities are only for students applying to the M.Ed. in Student Affairs Program. If you are applying to another program, connect with faculty in that program for potential assistantship opportunities.
If you are applying and require a visa,
please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to understand parameters around campus employment as an international student (as an assistantship is considered campus employment). There are federal restrictions such as the number of hours international students can work per week and start dates.
supervisors will indicate in the position descriptions if they are able to adjust these things or not based on the job responsibilities and expectations
to support your planning as you explore different institutions' programs,
most of our assistantships require a start date before August 1 to ensure graduate assistants are trained and/or part of the role is to serve and support students during summer orientation and summer classes - there are a very limited number that start closer to the beginning of fall classes
half of the assistantships require the student to work 28 hours per week year round
We ask applicants do not contact assistantship supervisors to introduce themselves, ask questions about the role, apply for an assistantship, etc. Our process facilitates (1) informing supervisors of your interest in various roles and (2) incorporating intentional time to connect during the interview weekend. Thank you in advance for honoring our process. If you have any questions about the roles, email cugars@g.clemson.edu.
Information about CU-GARS Application
After you submit your academic application, applicants are required to complete the CU-GARS application. (We will provide a link to it on this page in late November 2024.) This application helps us collect initial information, so if you are conditionally admitted to the program, we can quickly prepare for your arrival to Tiger Town! To help you know what you will share with us, the CU-GARS Application will have you:
upload a resume' (pdf) that can be reviewed by our assistantship supervisors conducting the interviews
it can be but does not have to be the same resume you used with your academic application
this resume will go to all areas, so it does not need to be tailored to each assistantship that interests you
provide contact information for two references that may be contacted by various assistantship supervisors
rank your top 10 assistantship roles based on the positions posted
answer a few questions about attending the CU-GARS interview weekend that will help the Coordinating Committee and subcommittees planning (for example: if you would drive or fly, dietary restrictions or preferences, etc.)
SPECIAL NOTES
Deferment - If someone wants to inquire about the possibility of defer enrollment, the candidate must request and receive approval for such action from the program coordinator (Dr. Rachel Wagner, rwagne3@clemson.edu). While admission to the academic program may be deferred, prospective students must reapply through the CU-GARS process to secure an assistantship (assistantship positions are not held). Deferred students must: (1) put in writing to the program coordinator their intent to accept admission to the academic program, and (2) reapply with the CU-GARS application by the posted deadline and interview for assistantships available of the admission year. Admission for employees of Clemson University is subject to the same deadline requirements and department approval as all other applicants.
Rising 2nd year Students - The student affairs program expects students to serve in the same graduate assistantship (GA) positions for two years. While situations may arise that could cause for a possible change in assistantships, the expectation is two years of experience in one assistantship. The two year GA experience, along with practicum and internship experiences, give master’s students the necessary practical experience needed to be competitive in the job market. If a change in assistantship feels necessary, there is a process to follow before obtaining another assistantship:
1st step: A student would have a discussion with their academic advisor about reasons for leaving the assistantship. The conversation would include discussing how changing might affect personal, academic, and professional goals and potential financial implications if they cannot secure another assistantship.
2nd step: If approval is granted by the Program Coordinator and should the student decide to seek another assistantship, the student is required to do the following by Monday, January 30, 2023 by noon (eastern):
communicate intent to participate in CU-GARS to your academic advisor and current GA supervisor
sign up and complete the CU-GARS application
Please note, special considerations will not be given for rising 2nd year students in regards to the interview and selection process. Rising 2nd year students will go through CU-GARS with prospective master’s students.