Set a minimum stipend for graduate research and teaching assistants across the Institute and describe processes and responsibilities for setting stipends at or above the minimum.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, the minimum stipend level for each doctoral graduate research or teaching assistant shall be $2,291 per month, for any position one-third time or greater. The minimum stipend level for each master’s student who is a graduate research or teaching assistant shall be $1,184 per month, for any position one-third time or greater. Any exceptions to the application of this policy must be approved by the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education.
The policy applies to all graduate students enrolled in all degree-seeking programs.
Definitions
| Stipend | Compensation to the graduate student employee for teaching or research services provided. |
| Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) | Part time research job held by a graduate student. |
| Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) | Part time teaching job held by a graduate student. |
| Institute Level | |
|---|---|
| Setting the Institute Minimum Stipend | The Office of the Provost will determine a new minimum stipend level by January 1st of each year to apply to the following academic year. The revised minimum will take into account: (1) Georgia Tech’s projected mandatory and elective fees for the next year; (2) projected graduate student health insurance premium level; (3) current level of stipends on NSF fellowships; (4) state employee pay increase percentage; (5) other cost factors affecting graduate students; (6) available funding. This policy will be updated annually based on the Provost’s determination. |
| Reviewing Stipends Annually and Setting Minimum Stipend Increase Percentage | The Office of the Provost will set a minimum stipend increase percentage, if any, by August 1st of each year to become effective August 15 of the following year not to exceed the Office of Sponsored Programs’ recommended grant escalation factor. The Student Academic and Financial Affairs Committee (SAFAC) will serve an advisory role in reviewing graduate student stipend levels annually and making recommendations to the Provost’s Office for a minimum stipend increase percentage taking into account the factors considered in setting the Institute minimum stipend level. The minimum stipend increase percentage will apply to all GTAs and GRAs. The Institute will be responsible for funding this increase for GTAs. The funding units and Principal Investigators will be responsible for the budget to support the increase for GRAs. |
| Unit and Program Level | |
|---|---|
| Setting and Reviewing Unit or Program Stipend Levels | Each academic unit or inter-school degree program shall determine the stipend levels for its students. The stipend levels shall be determined by the following factors: (1) meeting or exceeding the Institute-level actions on minimum stipend levels and minimum stipend increase percentages (or equivalent stipend increase such as based on a two-year average); (2) peer institution stipend levels for individual disciplines, taking into consideration the tuition waiver policies and cost factors for peer institutions for comparability (peer reviews to be conducted by academic units); (3) the student’s progress toward their degree, including whether the student is a masters or doctoral student; (4) whether the student is asked to work one-third time or half-time, as determined by each department; (5) level of teaching or research work conducted by the student; (6) past experience and performance of the student in research or teaching; (7) for an international student, the estimated cost of living as determined by the Office of International Education through the I-20 form (http://www.oie.gatech.edu/); (8) available funding. |
| Reviewing Stipends Annually and Anticipating the Need for Raises | Each academic unit shall annually review the overall stipend levels for its students based on the factors considered when setting the Institute minimum and nit or program stipend levels. Raises for graduate assistants funded through sponsored funds should be anticipated through escalation factors in grant budgets. |
| Publishing Stipend Levels; Maintaining Equity | In order to maintain equity and transparency in stipend levels, each unit should publish its stipend levels in a publicly accessible location. Unit heads are responsible for maintaining equitable stipends in their units through regular review of the stipends being paid and supporting the rationale for any differences. |
Provost
Sets Institute-level minimum stipends; determines the minimum stipend increase percentage; and provides funding for the minimum stipend increase percentage for Graduate Teaching Assistants.
SAFAC
Provides an advisory review of stipends annually and makes recommendations on the minimum stipend and minimum stipend percentage increase.
Units and Programs
Set unit or program stipend levels; review them annually and raise them as appropriate; anticipate the need for increased stipend amounts and include them in unit and grant budgets; maintain equity in pay through regular review; publish stipend levels publicly.
Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
Reviews requests for exceptions to this policy. These requests should be approved by the hiring unit and the college.
The Institute reserves the right to address violations by raising the stipends of individual students to the minimum using the budget of the hiring unit.
| Revision Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| July 2024 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| July 2023 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| September 2022 | Provost Office | Updated policy to include add Institute level percentage increases, add units must meet Institute level minimums, include SAFAC. |
| February 2022 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| June 2021 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| May 2019 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| March 2017 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| May 2016 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| May 2015 | Provost Office | Updated Stipend Information |
| June 2008 | Provost Office | The policy set the minimum stipend effective August, 2008. |