Stanford
Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures

7.3.1 Assistantships: Policy

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Last updated on:
Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Summary

Assistantships are a form of student employment. Assistantships provide salary and full or partial payment of tuition in exchange for teaching or research service performed by the student as part of their training and education. This document presents the guidelines for the administration of assistantships.

Policy

Assistantships are a form of graduate student employment, earning a compensation package (including both salary and tuition allowance) for the performance of research or teaching services to the university as part of the student's academic and professional training and development. Matriculated graduate students may be appointed as a research assistant (RA) or as one of the categories of teaching assistant (TA). 

See Administrative Guide Memo 10.2.1, Graduate Student Assistantships, for detailed discussion of assistantships.

Authority: 

Applicability: 

All matriculated graduate students and programs. See GAP 7.4 Postdoctoral Scholar Support for guidance related to Postdoctoral Scholars.

Related Pages: 

7.3.2 Assistantships: Implementation

1. Definitions and Distinctions

Further discussion of the topics below can be found in the associated policies in this chapter of the GAP handbook and in the Administrative Guide.

Assistantship

Graduate student assistantships are a form of student employment, earning a compensation package including both salary and tuition allowance (TAL) for the performance of research or teaching services to the university as part of the student's academic and professional training and development. For the purposes of this policy “home department” refers to the academic program or department in which the student is enrolled; “hiring department” refers to the administrative unit in which the student holds the assistantship.

Distinctions from Assistantships

Fellowships

Fellowship stipends are financial aid, not salary. No service is expected in return for a fellowship; it is awarded on a merit basis to assist a student in the pursuit of a degree.

Open Assistantship

An assistantship is considered “open” when it is not committed to or allocated for a specific student or limited group of students, such as a PhD advisor’s own students or a group of students within a specific discipline. Most assistantships are not considered to be “open”.

Open assistantships are posted to (advertised on) a dedicated university website identified for this purpose. Posting on the identified university website does not preclude the use of other advertising and recruiting platforms.

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2. General Eligibility Requirements

Matriculation at Stanford

Only matriculated Stanford graduate students, or for research assistantships only, nonmatriculated students in the classification of Student of New Faculty (SNF), may hold assistantship appointments.

Enrollment

For autumn, winter, and spring quarters, students must be enrolled in at least 8 units to hold an assistantship appointment. This enrollment requirement is reduced to one unit during summer quarter.

Exceptions to this enrollment requirement may include students under at least one of the following:

  • on TGR status,
  • with an approved Graduate Petition for Part-time Enrollment,
  • enrolled for an approved Graduation Quarter,
  • on Honors Cooperative Program (HCP) student status, or
  • in an approved childbirth accommodation period.

English Proficiency for Teaching Assistantships

All international students are required to submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores as part of their Stanford graduate program application. International students must be approved for English proficiency before being appointed to any teaching assistantship (see English for Speakers of Other Languages). Students must pass the TA screening prior to their first teaching or course assistantship; retaking the TA screening is not required for subsequent teaching positions.

Whenever possible, TA screening should occur in advance of processing any teaching assistantship appointment for an international student; this screening should normally be accomplished at least one full quarter before the effective date of the teaching assistantship.

I-9 Eligibility to Work in the U.S.

By federal regulation, all individuals receiving salary through Payroll must demonstrate eligibility to work in the U.S. by filing Federal Form I-9. Stanford must verify eligibility for employment for all new employees, including students on assistantship, within three business days of hire. Departments must forward necessary paperwork to Payroll in advance of the student's first paycheck. For more information, see Student Specific Payroll Administration.

Social Security Number

A Social Security number (SSN) is required of all Stanford employees and must be on file with Payroll.

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3. Periods of Assistantship Appointments

Full-Quarter Appointments

Assistantships are made for a full quarter of three months. Standard appointment periods are:

  • autumn quarter: October 1 - December 31,
  • winter quarter: January 1 - March 31,
  • spring quarter: April 1 - June 30,
  • summer quarter: July 1 - September 30.

Note that these dates are different from the start and stop dates of quarters on the university’s academic calendar. This timing delivers continuous salary to students appointed for multiple sequential quarters, i.e., students on assistantships are paid during the periods between quarters.

Work before the start of the appointment period and after the end of the appointment period will also be included in the total workload for the quarter.

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4. Percentage and Scope of Assistantship Appointments

Autumn, Winter, and Spring Assistantship Appointments

Percentage of Time

During autumn, winter, and spring quarters:

  • Increments: The percentage of appointments must be in increments of 5% time.
  • 10% Minimum: The minimum assistantship is 10% time.
  • 50% Maximum: The typical maximum assistantship appointment is for a maximum of 50% time, allowing students on assistantship to make expeditious progress toward their degree. Assistantships totaling more than 50% are generally prohibited as they may impede academic progress.

An appointment of 40% may be combined with a 10% appointment to total 50%. Appointments of 45% are not allowed. Students may hold concurrent multiple assistantships, subject to the limits on hours of work above. Assistantships for more than 50% time during the academic year, two concurrent assistantships totaling more than 50% time, or enrollment in more than 10 units while holding a 50% appointment, require the prior approval of the student’s advisor, the department chair, and the school dean’s office.

Students on assistantships do not report hours worked through the university systems used by regular staff. Instead, they are paid over the standard appointment period for an average number of hours worked per week throughout the appointment period. This permits students who are appointed for consecutive quarters to be supported continuously during the periods between quarters.

Summer Quarter Assistantships

Percentage of Time

In summer quarter: students may hold assistantship appointments up to 90% FTE (36 hours of work per week). 55% appointments are not allowed. Students must be enrolled for at least one unit in order to hold a summer assistantship. 100% appointments are considered temporary employment, and are not considered a student assistantship. 100% appointments are processed through HR, not through GFS, and do not provide any tuition allowance or Cardinal Care payment.

During summer quarter, many courses are shorter, and the between-quarters period is longer than in autumn/winter/spring quarters. A teaching or research assistantship may be offered for less than the full three-month period but must be at least two months in duration.

Summer assistantships must begin on the quarterly start-date (July 1), and the end date may be set at two months or later, rather than the full 3-month period. In these cases, the student on assistantship will earn the full tuition allowance and a specific salary per pay period (often, the degree program's standard semi-monthly salary). The student should be advised that the shorter work period will generate less total salary.

If a summer appointment has been offered and accepted for at least two months but less than the GFS-standard three months, the assistantship should be entered in GFS with the earlier end date noted as the "termination date." The full tuition allowance will be earned, and there are no negative implications of 'termination.'

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5. Tuition Allowance (TAL)

Tuition allowance payment (TAL) is a component of an assistantship compensation and represents a commitment to support a student's educational program through the payment of a portion of the student's tuition bill.

(1) Tuition Allowance (TAL) Funding for Research Assistantships

Tuition allowance (TAL) for research assistants is subsidized by the university or the school in which the research assistant is working and funded as follows:

  • For sponsored awards that pay the full Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate, Stanford contributes 55% to the tuition allowance amount.
  • For all other funding sources, Stanford contributes 40% of the tuition allowance amount.
  • TGR/Medical School Research Rate (MSRR) tuition is paid in full by the student’s associated assistantship. Students in TGR, graduation quarter, or MSRR tuition do not receive university or school tuition allowance.
  • The School of Medicine contributes 19% of the tuition allowance amount for research assistants funded by the school.
  • In the School of Business and School of Medicine, university general funds are used to pay the Stanford portion of tuition allowance for research assistants. The Schools of Business and Medicine contribute tuition allowance for research assistants from school funds.

(2) Tuition Allowance (TAL) Funding for Teaching Assistantships

  • In all schools except otherwise listed below, TAL for teaching assistants is funded by a university budget allocation to the schools/departments. Schools, departments or programs may also fund additional TAL for teaching assistants, beyond the university budget allocation.
  • In the School of Business and School of Medicine, the respective schools are responsible for contributing tuition allowance for teaching assistants working in these schools.

Students with an approved assistantship appointment will see TAL as a credit on their university bill at the start of the quarter.

A student with a 50% assistantship receives 10 units of TAL (or TGR tuition if enrolled in that status) and may not enroll in more than 10 units without prior approval. Students with smaller FTE appointments are required to enroll in at least 8 units in the quarter in which they hold the assistantship and will receive proportionally less TAL. Students with summer assistantships of greater than 50% FTE will receive proportionally less TAL as the appointment approaches the 90% limit.

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6. Amounts and Sources of Funding for Assistantships 

See Administrative Guide 10.2.1, Graduate Student Assistantships, and annual assistantship salary and tuition tables for further detail about the levels of support and funding sources for assistantships.

Salaries and Fringe Benefits

Minimum assistantship salaries are outlined on the Graduate Financial Support website. For assistantships covered by in the effective UE-SGWU collective bargaining agreement refer to the applicable agreement at Labor Relations & and Collective Bargaining. Degree programs may pay a student on assistantship than these minimums.

Teaching assistantships are normally funded by university, school, or degree program funds, and these sources are charged for the full amount of the student’s compensation, including salary plus a fringe benefit rate (to fund the Cardinal Care subsidy program).

Research assistantships are generally funded by research grants and contracts, although university, school, or degree program funds may also be used. These sources are charged for the full amount of the student’s salary, plus a fringe benefit rate (to fund the Cardinal Care subsidy program). Tuition allowance for RAs is subsidized by either university or school sources (see below).

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7. Work in Addition to Assistantship Appointment

To preserve the focus on the student's academic progress, Stanford formally limits the number of hours a student may be employed while also holding an assistantship appointment. Graduate students are expected to coordinate additional hourly employment with the assistantship appointment, and with their academic obligations, including course load, number of registered units, and the academic expectations of their program. Academic departments/programs, offices employing students, and funding sources may also impose employment limitations.

During break periods when classes are officially not in session, including between-quarter break periods and Thanksgiving break, Stanford does not limit the number of hours graduate students may be employed. Additional information about break periods is located in Administrative Guide 10.2.2 Graduate Student Hourly Employment.

Limits on Hours for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are permitted to work an additional 8 hours per week in incidental hourly employment, unrelated to the assistantship (this additional work may not be in the form of another assistantship).

During autumn, winter and spring quarters, students on 50% time assistantships may not be employed more than an additional eight hours a week inside Stanford and/or outside of Stanford; those eight hours cannot be in other assistantship positions. During summer quarter, enrolled graduate students are limited to 36 hours of employment weekly, combining hourly employment and assistantship.

Limits on Hours for International Students

International students on F-1 or J-1 visas are subject to both university policies on employment and visa requirements that limit employment; in all cases, the more restrictive limitation will apply. International students are eligible for on-campus employment if they are maintaining their F-1 or J-1 status.

During autumn, winter and spring quarters, students on F-1 or J-1 visas are limited to a total of 20 hours of employment per week (except the break periods between quarters), including both hourly jobs and assistantship appointments), and including any off-campus employment that they may have been authorized to perform.

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8. Benefits

Time Off

Assistantship appointments do not accrue vacation leave.

Students with research or teaching assistantships will receive a lump sum of 40 hours of paid sick time per calendar year, which is available for use in any period of assistantship during the year. Sick time does not carry over from one calendar year to the next.

Arrangements for any variations in work hours, including time off for vacation, jury duty, illness, or related use of sick time should be made individually with the faculty sponsor. Requests for personal time off will be evaluated based on obligations attendant to a student’s work responsibilities, duration, and supervisor approval, and will not be unreasonably denied. To the extent possible, students are encouraged to make arrangements outside of their working hours and faculty sponsors are encouraged to offer flexibility in work hours.

Regular semi-monthly salary is paid during periods when sick time is used. When sick time is used, the student notifies Payroll using a Stanford Services & Support request. Sick time provided for an assistantship appointment is paid only when used to replace work hours during the course of employment as a research or teaching assistant. Otherwise, sick balances are not paid out. Graduate students who have student hourly employment, either concurrently or at different times of the year, will see a separate accounting of sick time accrued for the student hourly employment (see Administrative Guide Memo 10.3.1, Sick Time for Student Hourly Employees).

Students with research or teaching assistantship appointments may use sick time for themselves or a family member: for absences due to illness; for preventive care or diagnoses, care, or treatment of an existing health condition; or for purposes related to domestic violence, sexual assaults, or stalking.

Health Insurance

Students who are enrolled in the Cardinal Care insurance program, and who are appointed to at least a 10% assistantship, are eligible for a Cardinal Care subsidy as described in GAP 7.1 General Funding Guidelines and Definitions.

A fringe benefit rate is charged to the salary of all RAs and TAs to fund the Cardinal Care subsidy program. The rate is negotiated annually by the Cost and Management Analysis office (part of the Office of Research Administration).

Eligibility for a health insurance benefit is determined quarterly on the basis of assistantship and fellowship appointments approved as of the payroll deadline of each quarter. Graduate Students on assistantship are eligible for a health insurance subsidy as long as they do not waive Cardinal Care insurance or have their insurance paid fully by an outside source of funds.

The health insurance subsidy will be provided is as follows for eligible students on assistantship:

  • Students on assistantship appointments for 25% time or more per quarter will receive a subsidy paying 100% of the cost of the single-student Cardinal Care premium.
  • Students on assistantship appointments of less than 25% time per quarter will receive a subsidy paying 50% of the cost of the single-student Cardinal Care premium.

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9. Taxability of RA and TA Salaries

Student employee pay is subject to federal and state income tax withholding and is reported on Form W-2. Work performed in California is subject to withholding and reporting to California, regardless of the residency status of the student. Registered degree-seeking students do not pay FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes and California Voluntary Disability Insurance. 

Tuition allowance associated with assistantships is not subject to tax. 

For further guidance related to taxes, the student should consult the Student Services Office website.

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10. Mentor Teaching Experience for Fully Funded Students

In the circumstance where a graduate degree program requires its students to have teaching experience as part of their academic and professional training, and where that student is simultaneously funded at a level that meets or exceeds the defined assistantship minimum by another appropriate source of funding, the student may be engaged in a mentored teaching experience without appointment to a TA position. This policy also applies to graduate students supported on funding that meets the criteria above and for whom the faculty advisor or degree program strongly recommend a teaching experience as part of the student’s academic and professional training.

In providing mentored teaching experiences, degree programs should ensure that the same treatment is applied to all students in the program (regardless of work location) who are undertaking similar teaching assignments.

Some sources of external fellowship funding have defined restrictions on what the recipient of their support may do by way of additional employment or service to the university. In all cases, any student receiving external funding must comply with the requirements of the source of that funding.

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11. Open Assistantships

An open assistantship position is not committed or pre-allocated to an individual student or distinct groups of students. Assistantships are usually made without posting, including, but not limited to:

  • appointments to fulfill a commitment of support made to a graduate worker through departmental or program assignment;
  • in connection with advising relationships with faculty members;
  • through arrangements made between departments; or
  • as part of an existing or prior academic relationship between a faculty member and a graduate worker.

Open assistantships are listed and advertised on Handshake, in addition to existing practices.

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