Graduate Assistantships
Dakota State University is pleased to award Graduate Assistantships to outstanding candidates. Assistantships give students an opportunity to work with faculty in course delivery, funded research, or as administrative assistants. Some students will provide programmatic support to offices such as Graduate Studies, International Programs, and Institutional Research. These experiences are rich resume-builders for our students. The assistantships also provide tuition benefits as well as monthly stipends for students. The number of assistantships is limited and may fluctuate from year to year depending on available funding.
Students may designate their interest in an assistantship in the space provided on the graduate program application. Appointments are based on skill (academic degrees/majors, previous training) and merit (GPA, GRE scores). In some cases, a Project Director may conduct interviews with candidates. Students are notified by email if they receive an assistantship appointment. Most assistantships begin in the fall term of the academic year. All students remain on an assistantship eligibility list until they receive an assistantship, or they have graduated. The duration of an assistantship may range from one semester to multiple years depending on funding. More students apply than there are assistantships available. Please make preparation to fund your graduate study that does not rely on graduate assistantships alone.
Athletics
Students applying for Athletic assistantships must follow all application procedures and meet program entry requirements. Sport specific coaches should be contacted about a students’ specific interests. Students receiving Athletics funded assistantships can be awarded up to two years.
Questions
Any questions about graduate assistantships can be made to DSU Graduate Studies at GradOffice@dsu.edu. Assistantship applicants should not contact DSU faculty or departments for assistantship information. All assistantships are managed by the Office of Graduate Studies.
Eligibility
DSU awards assistantships to graduate students with strong skills, abilities and record of performance. To be eligible for an assistantship, you must:
- Be a regular/admitted full-time student who can devote their full attention to the program.
- Be available to work on campus. Applicants must indicate they plan to study on-campus to be eligible.
- Be registered for a normal course load concurrent with the assistantship.
- Not be employed full-time outside of DSU. Graduate students with other full-time employment are ineligible.
- International students must hold an F-1 visa and have (or be in the process of obtaining) a Social Security number. Students with non-student visas are not eligible for an assistantship until they have obtained the F-1 visa.
Students with conditional or special student status are not eligible for assistantships until their status changes to regular admit.
How to apply
- Indicate your interest in a graduate assistantship in your admissions application and choose the Madison main campus for course delivery.
- Complete the GRE and request scores be sent to Dakota State University Graduate Admissions.
- Athletics assistantships do not require GRE scores
- Upload a current resume in the application portal after submitting the admissions application web form.
Graduate assistantship appointments are awarded after admissions decisions are communicated.
Types of assistantships
- Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): Teach or assist DSU faculty in teaching
- Graduate Research Assistant (GRA): Conduct research and assist DSU faculty with their research
- Graduate Administrative Assistant (GAA): Provide administrative assistance to various offices and programs on campus
Responsibilities and requirements
As a graduate assistant, you must:
- Work part-time (up to 19.5 hours per week) at DSU
- Maintain a 3.25 GPA, in order to have your assistantship renewed each semester
- Perform duties as designated by a faculty supervisor
Reduced Tuition
Many graduate students are eligible for tuition reduction, including South Dakota-certified teachers, members of the National Guard, state employees, and students who teach on campus as a graduate assistant.
Explore Reduced Tuition Programs