Teaching Assistant 1 (TA1)
GA duties do not include contact with students in scheduled meetings of classes and
laboratories. GAs working under this category work in support of instructional programs,
including such tasks as preparing examinations, grading papers, assisting in preparation
of lectures, maintaining class records, and tutoring students outside of formal class
and laboratory settings.
Teaching Assistant 2 (TA2)
GA duties comprise all of those listed under TA1 but may also include such assignments
as making presentations in laboratories or classrooms, conducting lectures, and leading
discussion groups provided that the GA is neither the instructor of record nor has
primary responsibility for assigning grades.
Teaching Assistant 3 (TA3)
GA duties comprise all of those listed under TA1 and TA2 but also include teaching
classes for credit as the instructor of record and/or as the person with primary responsibility
for assigning course grades.
Research Assistant (RA)
GAs working under this category will assist in conducting research.
Service Assistant (SA)
GA duties will include, but are not limited to, assisting scholarly journals housed
at LSU, conducting data analysis, assisting in library services, and other academic/professional
assignments.
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 semester hours in the fall or spring semester (a
minimum of six hours for graduate credit), or a minimum of 6 semester hours in the
summer term (a minimum of 3 hours for graduate credit).
- Students admitted and enrolled in good academic standing, maintaining a minimum cumulative
GPA of 3.00.
A full assistantship requires a student to work for 20 hours per week on average.
Students may or may not be required to report to work during school breaks. Departments
may also offer partial assistantships.
The assistantship compensation package offered at LSU includes:
- monthly stipend (paid monthly according to the university's salary payroll schedule)
- non-resident tuition fee waiver (if eligibility requirements are met)
- full tuition exemption (if eligibility requirements are met)*
* Not applicable to all assistantships. Consult with department offering the assistantship.
Tuition and Non-Resident Fee Exemption Requirements
- Student must be employed on an assistantship on or before the following dates in order
to get tuition waiver:
- Spring Semester: March 1
- Summer Semester: 1st Day of Class of 2nd Session
- Fall Semester: October 1
- 50% effort assistantship appointment (20 hours)
- Receives waiver for tuition, non-resident fee (if applicable), all other associated
fees with enrollment, and a 75% health insurance waiver.
- 25% effort assistantship appointment (10 hours)
- Receives a non-resident tuition fee waiver (if eligibility requirements are met).
- Student is responsible for paying additional fees & tuition.
The following benefits apply to you as a graduate assistant for the duration of your
appointment:
- 10% discount on supplies and book purchases at the Barnes and Noble on campus.
- Elect to pay University tuition and fees by payroll deduction. This option allows
you to have your total tuition bill deferred in full at the time of registration and
paid over a four-month period in equal installments (two months during summer session).
- Elect to defer half of your tuition by payroll deferment. This option allows you to
defer a maximum of 50% of your tuition and fees at the time of registration and pay
the remaining balance in full at a later time established by the University. There
is a service charge of $15.
- Non-resident students who hold assistantships are classified as residents for fee
purposes only, and only for the duration of the assistantship appointment.
Departments determine the stipend amount based on the student's qualifications and
experience, academic standing, the type of appointment, and availability of funds.
The minimum annual stipend amounts for a 25% effort (10 hours) appointment and a 50%
effort (20 hours) appointment are below.
- 25% effort appointment is $5,400.
- 50% effort appointment is $10,800.
Tax Information
All graduate assistantship stipends are considered as taxable income.
- Tax forms (W-4 and L-4 forms) must be filed within the first three days of employment,
and students will receive an email to complete these documents online.
- Some countries have tax treaties with the US in which all or some portion of earnings
may be tax exempt.
- Questions about tax information should be directed to LSU's Office of Accounting Services.
Pay Schedule
- All Graduate Assistants are paid once a month on the last business day of the month.
- If you have an academic-year contract (9 month graduate assistantship), your appointment
will start mid-August and end mid-May. The specific dates of your contract will come
from the offer letter from your employing department.
English Language Requirement
A graduate assistantship offer is contingent upon receiving and maintaining valid
visa status. International students holding teaching positions must meet the University’s
language requirements. Some colleges/departments require international students with
graduate assistantships to demonstrate additional English proficiency. You will get
more information at International Student Orientation and from your department.
- All international graduate students are evaluated in a 30-minute, one-on-one oral
interview.
- In order to be employed as a TA2 or TA3, you must have completed English 1051 or be
exempted from the course based on your oral interview.
- This must be completed before the appointment begins, and it is usually scheduled
during International Orientation.
- For more information about ESL Programs, you can visit the English as a Second Language (ESL) Spoken English Program for International Graduate
Assistants website or contact the ESL coordinator below:
Albert S. Camp
Allen Hall, 260-J
Phone: 225-578-3041
Email: [email protected]
