Thank you in advance for your interest in our program and reading how the process to apply to the academic program and assistantships works. Before contacting us with questions, we ask you review this website. If you still have specific questions, definitely let us know. Go Tigers!
While our faculty and students just started classes, we are already thinking about fall 2026! Welcome to Clemson and our CU-GARS website. This resource is intended to:
provide information on the field of student affairs and help you determine if a degree in this area will support your professional goals
help you determine if you want to apply specially to Clemson through info about our academic program, the university, and the overall student experience
and share information about our academic application and assistantship application processes and timelines
Thanks for reviewing the website! Be sure to check out the days/times we are providing virtual info sessions with our faculty and current students.
First Day of Classes - August 2025
First and Second Year Cohorts
Clemson University Graduate Assistant Recruitment and Selection (CU-GARS) for M.Ed. in Student Affairs
Each February, CU-GARS is hosted specifically for applicants who have received a conditional offer of admission into the M.Ed. in Student Affairs in Clemson University's College of Education. Obtaining an approved assistantship through this process is required to enroll in the academic program. Each year we have approximately 25 assistantship opportunities for the fall cohort to support high quality experiences, teaching, and advising (exact number varies).
IMPORTANT NOTE - Students from or seeking admissions to other graduate programs cannot participate in CU-GARS and should consult with faculty or their program coordinator about graduate assistantship opportunities.
Our in-person interview weekend begins the afternoon of Thursday, February 12, 2026 and concludes at 12:00pm (noon) on Saturday, February 14, 2026. The purpose of the interview weekend is to engage with Clemson's campus, faculty, assistantship supervisors, current students, and others interviewing for assistantships - who could be your future cohort-mates! Candidates are expected to attend all CU-GARS events in person unless they are studying or living outside of the continental United States or have a documented medical reason that prohibits them from traveling (these individuals will have to receive approval from the academic department chair if requesting to attend virtually). More details are on our "Steps in the Process" page and our "Frequently Asked Questions" page.
A signature component of CU-GARS is our PAW Pal program. PAW stands for "Peer Assisted Welcome." After candidates accept an invitation to CU-GARS, we pair them with a current student to serve as a point of contact and support candidates before, during, and after the interview weekend. For accommodations during the interview weekend, we ask in the CU-GARS application if candidates would like to request housing with a current student, if they plan to stay in a hotel, or if they live in the area. For candidates interested in staying with a current student, we make every effort to accommodate these requests. If candidates prefer a hotel, candidates would incur the cost. We can offer recommendations on where to stay at a variety of price ranges. Regardless of where a candidate stays, everyone receive a PAW Pal to help them navigate CU-GARS and Clemson University.
If what we have described about the assistantship interview process has sparked your interest, we encourage you to review this website and read our FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - page to learn more about the academic program and our interview process to determine if Clemson is a good fit for your personal, professional, and educational goals.
May 2025 Master's in Student Affairs Graduates
Deferment - Someone who was conditionally accepted and accepted an assistantship offer could be eligible for deferment for extenuating circumstances. If someone wants to inquire about the possibility to defer enrollment, the candidate must request and receive approval for such action from the program coordinator (Dr. Michelle Boettcher - mboettc@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 the posted CU-GARS application deadline:
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.