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.