Graduate assistants, or GAs, have the unique dual role: they are both graduate students and research or teaching assistants who contribute to the academic mission of the university. Graduate students awarded these competitive positions receive a stipend and benefits package for their work in the classrooms, offices, and laboratories of the university.
If you've reviewed the duties, expectations, and benefits associated with graduate assistantships and are ready to apply, simply follow these steps:
Contact your academic department to learn about available GA opportunities.
Apply for a graduate assistantship. Complete and submit an application through the Grad Rebel Gateway.
Wait to hear from your academic department and the Graduate College regarding an assignment. Academic departments are responsible for recommending and assigning GAs, and you may receive word of an assignment from your department; however, your official offer will be made via electronic letter from the Graduate College and can only be accessed through your Grad Rebel Gateway account.
Please contact your academic department regarding the status of your application.
While deadlines vary by department, the Graduate College recommends that you submit your application by Mar. 1 for the fall semester and by Nov. 1 for consideration for the spring semester. Visit your academic department for more information.
Please note the following in the Grad Rebel Gateway:
- Action Required: In the “My Funding” tab of the Grad Rebel Gateway, you will notice links under “Action Required” that correspond with the status of your GA application. Here you can find the necessary information to take the next steps in the GA application process.
- Offer Accepted: After accepting your GA offer, view next steps.
- Offer Expired: If a GA offer is not accepted by the deadline date indicated in your GA decision letter, the offer will be automatically rescinded. If you would still like to be considered for the expired GA offer, please have the hiring department contact the Graduate College via email at gradfinancialsvc@unlv.edu to request that the offer be reinstated.
- Offer Declined: If you declined your offer in error, or have changed your mind about your decision, please contact the hiring department. If the GA position is still available, the hiring department should contact the Graduate College via email at gradfinancialsvc@unlv.edu if they would like to request that the offer be reinstated.
Graduate assistants may express interest in their placement of choice, but are ultimately assigned to one of two categories:
- Research GAs conduct cutting-edge research alongside faculty members.
- Teaching GAs instruct undergraduate-level courses.
UNLV abides by the Council of Graduate Schools April 15 Resolution. Students being offered funding, including graduate assistantships, as part of their fall semester admission package are under no obligation to respond to offers prior to Apr. 15.
Learn about contracts requirements, reporting dates, and payday procedures in the Graduate Assistant Handbook.
Graduate assistants are appointed by the university to conduct work in exchange for a stipend package.
All new international students who are first-time graduate assistants will be required to take the Duolingo English Test. This includes all graduate assistants who will be advising or teaching students as an instructor, teaching assistant or lab supervisors. Research assistants and graduate assistants with other professional duties are also required to take the Duolingo English Test.
Duolingo Test
The Duolingo English Test must be taken before the start of the semester the GA intends to work at UNLV. As of Jul. 15, 2019 the minimum test score required is 110. The last day to take the Duolingo English Test will be the Monday before classes start.
If you are required to take the English Proficiency Test it will be indicated on your Graduate Assistant Offer Letter. Please use the link and access code provided on your GA offer letter to access the practice test and/or the actual Duolingo English Test.
Duolingo Test Exemption
Returning international graduate assistants and new graduate assistants from countries where English is both the national and home language will be exempt from taking the Duolingo Test. Other exemptions include new international graduate assistants that scored a minimum of 22 on the TOEFL IBT speaking component, a minimum of 6.5 on the spoken English portion of the IELTS exam, or international students who have received a bachelor’s degree or higher from an English speaking institution. All scores must be officially reported to UNLV. Self-reported scores will not be accepted.
English-Speaking Countries Exempt from Testing
- Antigua
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Barbuda
- Belize
- British Guyana
- British Virgin Islands
- Canada (except for Quebec)
- Dominica
- Irish Republic
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St. Kitt & Nevis
- St. Vincent & Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- U.S. Virgin Islands
Passing Score and ESL 580x
Students must receive a score of 110 or better on the Duolingo English Test in order to pass. Students who fail to reach the score of 110 must be enrolled in ESL 580x. This is non-negotiable. Results from the Duolingo English Test are forwarded to the Graduate College after they have been evaluated. Failure to attend ESL 580x will result in the termination of the GA contract. The required score of 110 is a hard 110 and is non-negotiable. Any score below a 110, no matter what it is, is not considered passing and the student must enroll in ESL 580x. Students must receive a "B" or better in ESL 580x. This is non- negotiable. If a student fails ESL 580x then he or she may lose their GA or be required to repeat the course.
Retesting
Retesting of the Duolingo English Test may occur up until one week before the ESL 580x class begins. Once ESL 580x begins, there will be no further testing offered until the following semester. ESL 580x start dates are posted in the academic class schedule. Retesting is at the student's own expense and must be paid for at the time of testing.
ESL 580x Overview
Two sections of ESL 580x/380 will be offered in parallel each fall semester and one section during the spring semester. The course will be scheduled on Friday mornings and will be offered in a 10-week modular format, which begins three weeks after the start of the regularly scheduled classes. Again, students are required to earn at least a "B" in order to pass the course.
Revocation of GA Duties
Any international GTA who does not receive a passing score of 110 on the Duolingo English Test cannot be assigned to any duties that involve teaching or advising students. This includes teaching courses, instructing lab sessions, and holding office hours. Normal teaching duties can be reinstated once a passing score of 110 is received on the Duolingo English Test or ESL 580x is successfully passed with a grade of "B" or higher.
How do I prepare for the Duolingo English Test?
The Duolingo English Test is an assessment of real-world language ability and measures real world usage. No one particular method is recommended to prepare for the test. You can take the free quick practice test to estimate your score before taking the Duolingo English Test.
Duolingo English Test Resource
Where can I see a sample of the Duolingo English Test?
Once you have logged into the site, you can click on the “Quick Test” section to estimate your English fluency on questions in the same format as the Duolingo English Test.
State-Funded and Externally-funded (Grants and Contracts) Positions
Graduate assistants are appointed by the university to conduct work in exchange for a stipend package. Both Graduate College state-funded and extramurally funded graduate assistants will receive a stipend. All GA appointments must meet the minimum stipend amount from the student’s academic department. Graduate assistants awarded state-funded positions are under contract and receive a minimum stipend of $11,250 at the master's level for an academic year. MFA and Doctoral Graduate assistantship stipend amounts vary by department.
Externally funded GA stipends must meet the minimum state-funded GA stipend amount for the student’s home department.
Mandatory Student Health Insurance
All graduate assistants are required to have health insurance while employed. Graduate assistants will be charged for the student health insurance plan offered by UNLV. It will be up to each student as to whether or not to waive out of the UNLV Student Health Insurance by proving that he or she has acceptable coverage at the beginning of the semester in which they sign their contract. All state-funded graduate assistants and most extramurally funded graduate assistants enrolled in the UNLV Student Health Insurance will be given a stipend that will go toward a portion of the premium. Visit the Student Health Center to learn more about student health insurance.
Out-of-State Tuition Waiver for Non-Nevada Residents
Out-of-state graduate students who become graduate assistants are not required to pay out-of-state tuition while under GA contract. It should be noted, however, that out-of-state tuition is waived only during the time you hold your assistantship. Hence, if you are no longer a GA, you will be considered an out-of-state student (and pay out-of-state tuition), unless you have applied for and received Nevada residency, as defined in the residency regulations established by the Board of Regents.
Note: State-funded graduate assistants under contract in the spring semester and upcoming fall semester can take up to three summer term credits at a reduced rate.
GA Loans
Graduate assistants can apply for a GA loan of up to $500 per semester. These loans must be repaid by the end of the semester in which they are granted; recipients repay the loans through monthly payroll deductions. Please note that the loan is first applied to any unpaid university bills, with the remaining amount provided to the student. GA loans are not available in May, December, or summer months. To receive access to the online GA emergency loan application please email gradfinancialsvc@unlv.edu. For more information, call 702-895-4273.
