Assistantship Information

2024-2025 Assistantship Information

This information does not apply to Graduate Student Hourly

Dates:Summer 24 05/26/24 to 08/31/24 [14 weeks]
 Fall 24 09/01/24 to 01/11/25 [19 weeks]
 Spring 25 01/12/25 to 05/24/25 [19 weeks]
 AY 24 – 25 09/01/24 to 05/24/25 [38 weeks]


Campus Minimum Hourly Rate

$36.67 per hour (effective 9/29/24)

Minimum Earnings for Tuition Credit

  • Summer 24 $4,572.40 (14 weeks)
  • Fall 24 $6,967.30
  • Spring 25 $6,967.30

Summer 24 Earnings between May 26, 2024 and August 31, 2024 in excess of $4,572.40 will be applied towards calculating Tuition Credit for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semester.

*Note: Summer Tuition credit is applied towards the per credit enrollment of Thesis or Dissertation only.

Tuition Credit is not eligible on UWW+ Course fees or UWW+ Registration fees during both the Academic Year and Summer Sessions.

Health Benefits

(GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS ONLY )

All qualified earnings between May 26, 2024 and May 24, 2025 will be used to calculate eligibility for the GEO cost-reduction of health fees for the AY 24-25.

  • $6,967.30 = 95% exemption of the Student Health Fee for that semester, 95% exemption of the Family Plan for that semester and a 95% exemption for both Fall and Spring Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). When earnings occur in Spring 25 the Fall (SHBP) will be retroactive and a refund will be issued in April.
  • $13,934.60 = 95% exemption of the Student Health Fee for Fall and Spring, 95% exemption of the Family Plan for Fall and Spring semester, and a 95% exemption for Fall and Spring Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). When earnings occur in Spring 25 the Fall 24 benefit will be retroactive and a refund will be issued in April.

Health Plans run

Fall Plan

  • Aug. 1 to Jan. 31

Spring Plan

  • Feb. 1 to July 31

Students who register for less than 5 credits or pay the Continuous Enrollment Fee or want to enroll in the family plan are not automatically enrolled for Health Insurance.  Students must enroll directly with UHS Patient Services on or before the end of Add/Drop period. 
Enrollment form can be found:  HealthPlanEnrollment_180-094_Feb 2021 (3).pdf (umass.edu)

Additional Student Health Benefits Package Cost & Coverage can be found on the UHS website here:

Coverage Dates and Cost | University Health Services | UMass Amherst

Dental and Vision Benefits (Administered by UAW/UMASS Health and Welfare Trust):

Graduate student employees who earn at least $6,967.30 in a GEO-eligible position are eligible to receive 12 months of dental and vision benefits. The dental and vision benefits plan year is 10/1 to 9/30 of each year. Electronic enrollment for plan year 2024-2025 starts on 8/15/24 and the online application is available at www.hwtrust.geouaw.org. This website includes a complete list of plan benefits, eligibility guidelines and enrollment procedures (there are five open enrollment periods). The first open enrollment deadline is 9/25/24. Contact the Health and Welfare Benefits Administrator for more information: uawdental [at] external [dot] umass [dot] edu.
 

Wellness and Childcare Benefits (Administered by UAW/UMASS Health and Welfare Trust): Eligible graduate student employees may be reimbursed for gym fees GEO Wellness | uawumasstrustfund (hwtf.org) and childcare costs GEO Childcare | uawumasstrustfund (hwtf.org) . For more information contact the Health and Welfare Benefits Administrator: uawdental [at] external [dot] umass [dot] edu.

1.0 GEO FTE = 760 annual hours. Examples: 20 hours per week for 19 weeks=380 hours=.5 FTE; 20 hours per week for 38 weeks=760 hours=1.0 FTE.

Vacation and Other Time Off

(pro rated if less or more than 1 FTE)

Vacation = 1 day per month

  • Example: For a 20 hour per week appointment, vacation time equals 4 hours per month. You can use the multiplier .0473 times the total number of hours to determine Vacation time. TAs and TOs must take vacation time during Winter break or Spring break unless agreement is reached with department head that an alternative schedule would be acceptable. RA’s and other graduate student employees may take vacation at any time, provided they obtain prior written approval from the supervisor. Vacation leave cannot be carried over beyond the contract period in which is earned.

Additional Time

  • (For religious observances, personal leave, illness) = 24 hrs. per semester for a FTE (fulltime) position or 17 hrs per 14-week summer session. For the academic year use the multiplier .063 times the total number of hours to determine Additional time during the semester. Example: For a 20 hr per week appointment, Additional Time equals: 20 hrs x 19 wk. x .063 = 24 hours/semester. For the summer session, use the multiplier .061 times the total number of hours to determine Additional Time during the summer. Example: 20 hr per week appointment during the summer, Additional Time equals: 20 hrs x 14 wk x .061 =17 hours/summer. Reminder: Additional Time cannot be carried over beyond the academic year or summer session in which it is earned.

Holidays

TAs and TOs who normally work on a day when the University is closed due to a holiday shall not be required to work on that day and shall receive pay for that day. However, when class days are switched (e.g. Monday is on a Wednesday) workdays will be switched as well. RAs and other graduate student employees who are required by their supervisor to work on a University holiday shall receive compensatory time off unless such requirement is part of the graduate student employee’s job description. The following days are considered holidays:

  • New Year's Day
  • Washington's Birthday
  • Memorial Day Labor Day
  • Columbus Day
  • Veteran's Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Patriot's Day
  • Independence Day
  • Juneteenth Day

Additional Info

Budget Office