Financial Aid

Financial Aid & Funding

Graduate Student Appointments

Research Assistant – Appointment as a Research Assistant (RA) is the most common type of appointment in the department. RAs are normally for a 12-month period with compensation established on a university-wide basis each year.  Research Assistantships generally involve half-time appointments. RAs are required to carry a full graduate load of at least eight credits per semester and two credits during the summer session.

Teaching Assistant – Some half-time Teaching Assistantships (TA) are available in the Department of Agronomy for assignment to Agronomy 100, Agronomy 300 and Agronomy 770. The TA assists in classroom instruction under the direction of a faculty member with duties including the preparation of instructional materials, directing labs, grading lab exercises and exams, etc. TAs are paid on an academic year basis at a rate established university-wide.

Program / Project Assistants – A graduate student may be employed to assist with research, training or other programs and projects undertaken by the funding professor, not directly associated with his/her thesis project. Payments made to program and project assistants are fully taxable and taxes will be withheld from monthly paychecks.

External Funding information can be found on the UW Graduate School website.

For information on all current rates please contact the department.