Fully Funded International Graduate Assistantships in USA 2023

Although the United States is considered one of the best countries for graduate studies, it is also one of the most expensive. So, international students planning to pursue high education in the country are forced to look for ways to cater to the cost of study. One of the well-known ways is through scholarships and grants. The other less-known way is through graduate assistantships. Graduate assistantships allow students to work on campus for a number of hours per week in exchange for a partial or 100% tuition waiver and a living stipend.

If you are wondering which universities offer fully funded international graduate assistantships in the United States, worry no more. This article reveals those universities, including the links for more information about their graduate assistantships. Read on to learn more.

1. Eastern Michigan University Graduate Assistantships

Eastern Michigan University is one of the universities in the United States that offers graduate assistantships to international students pursuing a postgraduate degree (masters). This award includes up to 9 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver per semester (18 graduate credit hours of tuition waiver in each academic year). International students who hold a graduate assistant position also qualify for a financial stipend.

How much is the stipend at Eastern Michigan University?

The university offers a $9548 stipend in the first year and $8274 in the second. Besides the financial stipend offered during the study period, Eastern Michigan University also offers $3500 for the summer between the two years. The award also includes financial support for research travel and aid for presenting research at an academic conference.

For more information about Eastern Michigan University graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website.  

2. Illinois State University Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships offered by Illinois State University include a 100% tuition waiver and hourly wage or monthly stipend. Beneficiaries of graduate assistants also receive a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a spring or fall appointment

More than 40% of graduate students are offered graduate assistantships, including graduate research assistantships, graduate teaching assistantships or pre-professional assistantships.

How to Apply for a Graduate Assistance at Illinois State University

All available graduate assistantships are posted on the University’s Human Resources website. Any admitted student pursuing a graduate program can apply for open graduate assistantships offered by the university.

For more information about Illinois State University graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website.  

3. The University of South Florida Graduate Assistantships

Various departments and colleges at the University of South Florida also provide graduate assistantships to international graduate students. Beneficiaries of these awards may assist professors in conducting research, teaching or assigned various responsibilities that contribute to their professional development.

All graduate assistants at the University of South Florida work under a contract negotiated by the USF Board of Trustees and Graduate Assistants United (GAU).

How much is the stipend at the University of South Florida?

All graduate assistants at USF get a stipend of up to $3,900 per academic semester, usually paid bi-weekly. Students who achieve high academic standing during the first year of study might have their stipend increased to $7,800 per semester.

For more information about University of South Florida graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website. 

4. West Virginia University Graduate Assistantships

West Virginia University annually awards more than 1,800 graduate assistantships to local and international graduate students. These awards are open to both incoming and continuing graduate students. Information about open graduate assistantships offered by WVU is available from the WVU Career Services Center, assistantship supervisors, students’ programs and other sources.

You must be accepted into a graduate degree program to qualify for the university’s graduate assistantships. You must also be enrolled full-time in the graduate program you are pursuing.

How much is the stipend at West Virginia University?

Besides a full tuition waiver, graduate assistants also receive a minimum stipend of

$7,125 per semester ($14,250 for each academic term). This is for graduate assistants who work an average of 20 hours per week. The university also offers partial graduate assistantships for students who work an average of 10 hours per week, equivalent to $3,562 per semester.

For more information about West Virginia University graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website. 

5. State University of New York Graduate Assistantships

The State University of New York offers both full-funded and partial graduate assistantships to international students. Graduate assistants who are offered full assistantships must work at least 20 hours per week. They assist faculty members in laboratory and classroom assignments while concurrently pursuing graduate studies.

How much is the stipend at the State University of New York?

State University of New York University offers a negotiated minimum stipend to full-time students. The compensation for graduate assistantships ranges from $120,203 to $174,835 per year.

For more information about State University of New York graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website. 

6. the University of New Orleans Graduate Assistantships

The University of New Orleans offers a limited number of fully funded graduate assistantships to local and international graduate students. These graduate assistantships are available for both incoming and continuing graduate students. All the beneficiaries of graduate assistantships offered by UNO must be enrolled full-time and not have a full-time job off campus. Applicants should indicate whether or not they wish to be considered for a graduate assistantship.

How much is the stipend at the University of New Orleans?

Besides tuition waivers, graduate assistants also get a living stipend of around $5,500 per academic year.

For more information about the University of New Orleans graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website.  

7. the University of Arkansas Graduate Assistantships

Various departments at the University of Arkansas award graduate assistantships to local and international students pursuing master’s and postgraduate studies. Fully funded graduate assistantships offered by the University of Arkansas include a 100% tuition waiver and a living stipend. The universities also offer partial graduate assistantships, including a 50% graduate assistantship which requires students to work on campus for 20 hours per week and a 25% assistantship which requires students to work on campus for 10 hours a week. Graduate assistantships can range from 9- to 12-month appointments.

How much is the stipend at West Virginia University?

Graduate assistants get a monthly stipend from $800 to $1,100. Graduate assistantship opportunities also include additional benefits such as health care, housing, meal plans, parking permits, and professional development money.

For more information about the University of Arkansas graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website.  

8. The University of Houston Graduate Assistantships

The University of Houston, in partnership with the UH Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, offers various graduate assistantships for incoming and continuing graduate students. These graduate assistantships are available to students pursuing master’s programs full-time. Most of these awards come with a partial or full-time tuition waiver and a living stipend.

How much is the stipend at the University of Houston?

The University of Houston offers a $600 monthly minimum stipend for graduate student assistants pursuing a masters degree. The minimum stipend for students pursuing a doctoral program at the university is $700 per month for a 50% appointment.

For more information about the University of Houston graduate assistantships, including how to apply, visit the official website.  

Frequently Asked Questions about Graduate Assistantships in the US

What are some universities offering graduate assistantships to international students in the USA?

US universities that offer graduate assistantships to international students include Illinois State University, West Virginia University, University of South Florida, Eastern Michigan University, State University of New York, University of New Orleans and Penn State University, among others.

What is a graduate assistantship?

A graduate assistantship is an employment opportunity for students pursuing a graduate program. Graduate assistants work a number of hours per week performing some duties, including research, teaching or any other responsibilities that contribute to the student’s professional development. In exchange, those graduate students receive a partial or 100% tuition waiver and living stipends paid weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

What is a research assistantship?

A research assistantship is one of the graduate assistantships offered to students who want to help a professor with their research work. Research assistantships are designed to help their instructors/professors’ workload and enable graduate students to get first-hand research experience.

What is a teaching assistantship?

Teaching assistantships are designed for graduate students who want to assist professors in teaching. Teaching assistants do not perform actual teaching but assist in teaching areas such as coursework preparation, leading discussion sections, assisting faculty with classroom instruction, meeting with students during office hours, delivering guest lectures, and conferencing with students individually or in small groups, among other duties.

How can I get a graduate assistantship in the USA?

The process of obtaining a graduate assistantship in the United States varies between universities. The typical process may include applying for graduate admission, submitting an essay, a face-to-face interview and/or applying for an individual graduate assistantship position.