GRADUATE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT: A student may not be employed more than 50% time (20 hours per week) in any combination of titles during the academic year. During quarter breaks and the summer a student may work full-time. If an exception needs to be made (this is very rare), a memo must be forwarded from the Graduate Adviser or Chair to the Graduate Dean prior to the appointment being made. Full time career employees are an exception to this rule. Career employees are also eligible for the Employee Reduced Fee Program. Two thirds of the University Tuition and Student Services Fee are credited. For more information go to http://hr.ucr.edu/publicationsanddocuments.html
Eligibility requirements:
1. Graduate Student Status - Serving as a TA, Assoc in__, Teaching Fellow or GSR, requires the appointee to be a registeredgraduate student enrolled in 12 units. In the summer before a student begins the program, he or she may be appointed as a GSR beginning July 1 only if the student has been formally admitted to a program. New incoming students for Fall are not eligible to be in teaching title codes in the summer prior to entering their degree program. A student on Filing Fee status does not register for units or pay registration fees, and therefore, cannot hold any of the above employment titles except Reader and Tutor.
2. Incomplete Units - No more than seven units of Incomplete grades are allowed. No exceptions are approved.
3. Grade Point Average (GPA) - The minimum GPA for GSRs, teaching titles (TAs, Associate In__ & Teaching Fellows) and Readers is 3.00. Exceptions are not made for those in teaching titles. If a student does not meet the above minimum requirement for a GSR or Reader, an exception may be requested. The Graduate Advisor must write a memo of support to the Graduate Dean prior to appointing the student. Normally, only a one quarter exception is approved. Students are expected to raise their GPA to the required minimum after that quarter. All requests and justifications must come directly from the Graduate Advisor or Department Chair.
4. Time Limits to Degree
1. Master's students
All students should complete their program of study in six quarters (seven quarters in the case of Botany/Plant Sciences & Earth Sciences, eight quarters for the MBA program, nine quarters for the MFA in Dance)
2. Ph.D. students
Advancement to Candidacy - All students should take their oral qualifying exams and be advanced to candidacy within 12 quarters
Students Advanced to Candidacy - All students should complete their degree within the program's acceptable progress limits (normative time to degree plus one year)
If a student exceeds these time limits, a timetable to completion (or timetable to exams) must be approved by the Graduate Dean.
5. English Language Proficiency
Any student who was born in a country where English is not the official language (or is born in the US but indicates on their application that English is not their first language) must pass an English language competency exam before performing duties as a TA. This includes not only international students but also citizens and permanent residents. This exam is normally the SPEAK, TSE or TOEFL iBT.
Those who score a conditional pass can be appointed as a TA but are required to participate in the appropriate English language classes at Extension and retake the test. Only the first quarter of ESL instruction at Extension will be paid for by Graduate Division.
Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs)
are students who perform research related to the student's degree program in an academic department or research unit under the direction of a faculty member or authorized Principal Investigator. Graduate students may be employed during the academic year on a part-time basis not to exceed 50% time. These appointments are awarded by academic programs. Appointees serving at 25% time or more for the full academic quarter receive the payment of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan Fee ($1,200.55) as well as a remission of the Tuition ($3,814) and Student Services Fee ($376). An appointment of 45% time or more will include payment of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee ($5034) if another source does not pay that fee. The other miscellaneous fees, such, as the Student Center Fee, the Rec Center Fee, GSA Fees and Student Tech Course Materials Fee are typically paid by the student.
GSRs must work the entire quarter to be eligible to receive the fee remissions. If the entire quarter is not completed the student will be responsible for repaying the fee remissions. If a student waives out of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan they are not eligible to have the $1,188.06 that would have been remitted paid to them.
Additional regulations and minimum standards can be found at http://graduate.ucr.edu/GSR_Regulations.html . Note, taxes are withheld on appointments.
Academic Student Employees (ASEs)
are Teaching Assistants (TAs), Teaching Fellows, Assoc _Ins, Readers, and Tutors. Graduate students may be employed during the academic year on a part-time basis (up to, but not exceeding 50% time) as a Teaching Assistant (TA), Associate In_, or Teaching fellow. These appointments are awarded by academic programs. Appointees serving at 25% time or more for the full academic quarter receive the payment of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan Fee ($1,200.55) as well as a remission of the Tuition ($3,814) and Student Services Fee ($376). The other miscellaneous fees, such, as the Student Center Fee, the Rec Center Fee, GSA Fees and Student Tech Course Materials Fee are typically paid by the student. A California nonresident would also be responsible for payment of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition ($5034)
Students receiving these fee remissions must work the entire quarter to be eligible for this benefit. If the entire quarter is not completed, the remissions will be revoked and the student will have to pay that amount. If a student waives out of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan they are not eligible to have the $1,200.55 that would have been remitted paid to them.
Additional information on regulations, minimum standards, teaching duties, etc can be found at http://graduate.ucr.edu/teaching.html. Note, taxes are withheld on appointments.
Fees, Fee Remissions and Graduate Student Health Insurance (Gship)
The Graduate Student Health Insurance ($1,200.55) is paid for all GSRs and ASEs employed 25 percent time (10 hours per week) or more. They also receive a remission of the Tuition ($3,814) and Student Services Fees ($376). GSRs are eligible to have the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition ($5034) remitted when they are appointed as a 45% GSR for the full quarter if they are not receiving other forms of support that pay the fee. Note, these remissions are not applied towards a student's bill until they are enrolled in 12 units. Therefore, if a student has a hold on their registration the remissions will not apply until that is removed.
Students receiving these fee remissions must work the entire quarter to be eligible for this benefit. If the entire quarter is not completed the student may have to pay that amount.
If a student waives out of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan they are not eligible to have the $1,200.55 that would have been remitted paid to them.
Employment Resources for Departments
Departments should go to http://graduate.ucr.edu/Empl_Info_Staff.html to find sample letters , salary scales, the Graduate Division's Graduate Student Employment Manual - A Guide for Hiring Graduate Students has all of the detail departments need to employ graduate students.