Student Accounts | Illinois State

1 | P a g e

Illinois State University

Graduate Assistant Handbook

Last Updated: March 2024

2 | P a g e 
 
 
Table of Contents 
Welcome and Introduction ................................................................................................................... 4 
Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship ................................................................................................... 5 
Responsibilities ..................................................................................................................................... 6 
Responsibilities of the appointing unit ............................................................................................................. 6 
Responsibilities of a GA ................................................................................................................................... 6 
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy ............................................................................................ 7 
Drug-Free Workplace ....................................................................................................................................... 7 
Accommodations .............................................................................................................................................. 7 
Types of Assistantships ........................................................................................................................ 8 
Classifications ................................................................................................................................................... 8 
Full-time equivalency (FTE) .......................................................................................................................... 10 
Eligibility Criteria ............................................................................................................................... 11 
General eligibility criteria ............................................................................................................................... 11 
Language proficiency requirement ................................................................................................................. 11 
I-9
 
verification .............................................................................................................................................. 12 
International students ...................................................................................................................................... 12 
Professional practice ....................................................................................................................................... 13 
Appointments .................................................................................................................................................... 14 
Acceptance of an appointment offer ............................................................................................................... 14 
Reappointment ................................................................................................................................................ 15 
Schedule and Hours of Work .............................................................................................................. 16 
Dispute resolution process .............................................................................................................................. 16 
Other Employment.............................................................................................................................. 17 
Summer Graduate Assistantships ....................................................................................................... 18 
Summer tuition waivers .................................................................................................................................. 18 
Exceptions to Minimum Academic Load Eligibility Requirement .................................................... 20 
PERS 938 Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load Request Form ............................................................... 20 
Resignation and Termination .............................................................................................................. 22 
GA Compensation Package ................................................................................................................ 24 
Stipends .......................................................................................................................................................... 24 
Graduate additional pay .................................................................................................................................. 25 
Tuition waiver ................................................................................................................................................. 25 
Partial mandatory student fee waiver .............................................................................................................. 25 
Loss of tuition waiver and partial mandatory student fee waiver ................................................................... 26 
Student health insurance fee reimbursement .................................................................................................. 26 
Student Health Insurance .................................................................................................................... 27 
Student health insurance fee and enrollment .................................................................................................. 27 
Certification of insurance coverage ................................................................................................................ 28 
Where to call ................................................................................................................................................... 28 
Payroll and Tax Implications .............................................................................................................. 29 
Income taxes ................................................................................................................................................... 29 
Employment taxes .......................................................................................................................................... 29 
Direct deposit .................................................................................................................................................. 30 
Emergency loans ............................................................................................................................................. 30 
Impact of tuition waivers and fee credits on student loans and income taxes ................................................ 30 
Tuition Waiver Taxation ................................................................................................................................. 30 

3 | P a g e

First year student sample taxation thresholds ................................................................................................... 31

Second+ year student sample taxation thresholds ............................................................................................. 32

Social security numbers .................................................................................................................................. 32

Student loan default ........................................................................................................................................ 32

Miscellaneous Items ........................................................................................................................... 34

Travel expenses .............................................................................................................................................. 34

Equipment ....................................................................................................................................................... 34

Immunizations and Certifications ................................................................................................................... 34

Childcare ......................................................................................................................................................... 34

Parking ............................................................................................................................................................ 34

Employee access to personnel records ............................................................................................................ 34

Contact List ......................................................................................................................................... 35

4 | P a g e

Welcome and Introduction

This handbook should provide you with answers to many of the commonly asked questions about

graduate assistantships at Illinois State University. You will learn how to apply for an assistantship;

whether you are eligible for an assistantship; the appointment and reappointment process; the

financial and educational benefits of an assistantship; and the expectations and rights of a graduate

assistant.

If you can’t find the answer to your question in this handbook, please use the contact list at the end

of this handbook to contact a staff member who can assist you. Many individual programs have

their own handbooks to supplement the information contained here. You should check with your

graduate coordinator if a program handbook is available.

University regulations and policies affecting graduate students are subject to changes and additions.

Such changes and additions shall be officially announced and/or posted to the Graduate School

website at http://grad.illinoisstate.edu/; this shall constitute actual notice to students. The changes and

additions shall become effective and binding at the date of such posting or official announcement.

Illinois State University offers graduate assistantships as a means of financial support to complete

graduate studies. Graduate assistantships are highly competitive and are intended to facilitate your

progress to degree. Assistantship policies, regulations and procedures promote these academic

objectives. Your satisfactory academic progress and time-to-degree are some of the important

factors in your initial and continued eligibility for an assistantship.

A graduate assistant (GA) has work responsibilities and consequently must be eligible for employment

at Illinois State University. First and foremost, a GA is a student and work assignments should

generally complement or contribute to your academic objectives and should not inhibit your

satisfactory academic performance or interfere with the timely completion of your degree.

If your progress to degree will suffer as a result of your work as a GA, then you shouldn’t accept

the graduate assistantship. Similarly, appointing units not in a position to contribute to the

student’s academic objectives shouldn’t offer a graduate assistantship.

5 | P a g e

Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship

Graduate assistantships at Illinois State University are highly competitive and sought after. As of the

Fall 2023 semester, fewer than 35% of all Illinois State University graduate students held a graduate

assistantship. Under the guidance of a faculty member or other academic employee, graduate

assistants serve important roles at Illinois State University, such as mentoring undergraduate

students, serving as an instructor in a class or laboratory, assisting faculty outside the classroom, and

supporting faculty in their research. In return, graduate assistants learn transferable and career

specific skills, engage in professional development and networking, and partake in experiences that

make them competitive in the job market.

During the term of their appointment period, all ISU graduate assistants receive a compensation

package that is competitive with the compensation at peer schools (public R2 research universities

located in the Midwest US Central Bureau region) and is in addition to any scholarships, grants, or

loans received by the student. This compensation package includes the following:

• a monthly stipend benchmarked with peer schools;

• a full fall and spring semester tuition waiver;

• a full summer tuition waiver for the summer after a fall or spring assistantship;

• reimbursement of the student health insurance fee if enrolled in the plan; and

• a partial waiver of mandatory student fees up to 9 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters.

• 15% waiver Spring 2024

• 25% waiver Fall 24 and Spring 25

• 30% waiver Fall 25 and Spring 26

Details regarding this compensation package can be found in the GA Compensation Package

section of this Handbook.

In addition to this compensation package, graduate assistants have the opportunity to participate in

the University’s 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan. Other benefits vary by unit and the classification

of the assistantship, such as access to services within the Center for Integrated Professional

Learning; teacher training and orientation; and access to lab or studio resources.

All graduate assistants are, first and foremost, students, and a graduate assistantship is primarily

co-curricular training that provides both financial support to graduate students and the

opportunity to learn career-specific knowledge and skills, engage in professional development

and networking, and partake in other experiences that make them more competitive in the job

market for their intended future career, including the opportunity to:

• gain valuable professional experience working with other students, faculty, and staff;

• learn the professional culture, language, and ethics of your academic discipline;

• gain experience as a mentor and leader;

• learn to manage your time and assignments; and,

• make professional bonds that will serve you throughout your time in the program and

often well beyond.

For many students, their time as a graduate assistant at Illinois State University ranks as the high

point of their graduate experience!

6 | P a g e

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the appointing unit

Appointing units are responsible for providing appropriate supervision, training, working

conditions, stipends, and sufficient resources for GAs to perform their assigned duties.

Performance assessment is also an important part of the assistantship process and should be

shared by the supervisor with the student.

Responsibilities of a GA

As a GA, you are expected to perform your assigned duties in a satisfactory manner and to

abide by all Graduate School, unit/department, and/or University policies.

Academic freedom and academic responsibility

The policy and procedures articulated in Policy 3.3.13 define your academic freedoms and

academic responsibilities. Academic freedom is not unlimited. As a graduate student, your

freedom to conduct research, to teach, and to express yourself creatively may be at tension with

another student’s freedom to learn or to form independent judgments. This tension forms an

important dimension of the scholarly process and requires a constant examination of your rights

and responsibilities.

Teaching responsibilities

Graduate teaching assistants may be an instructor of record for a course or helping a faculty

member in a course, both under the supervision of a faculty member. Instructors should organize

and teach courses in a manner that is consistent with the intent of the course as described in the

university catalog and provide a written syllabus that is closely followed for each course taught.

Grades and evaluations of papers, projects, and examinations should be returned to the student

for inspection and discussion in a timely manner. Final exams, term papers and other academic

products should be returned to the student and/or retained for one term, permitting the

opportunity for student review with the instructor if the student desires. It is expected that the

instructor will collect sufficient data on the performance of students to justify the final grade.

Graduate teaching assistants should speak with their supervisor and/or their departmental

graduate coordinator regarding any additional specific expectations related to instruction.

Research integrity

The source of funding for an assistantship may place restrictions on your access to, as well as your

right to use, data collected during your assistantship. Every profession and discipline as well as the

University has ethical guidelines and policies and procedures which address the ownership of data,

including such things as authorship and data use. You should discuss these issues with your

supervisor before you begin work.

Any research activities conducted by any student must meet ethical guidelines established by the

federal government. This includes research with human subjects or animals. Federal and state

regulations also guide health and safety for university research activities. Any questions about

issues of potential misconduct in research should be directed to the Research Ethics and

Compliance Office.

7 | P a g e

Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy

The University will not practice discrimination against any employee, including graduate

assistants, in a manner which would violate any applicable laws because of race (i.e EEO

Ethnicity and Race Categories), religion, color, national origin, sex (including sexual

harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking), sexual

orientation, order of protection, gender identity and expression, ancestry, marital status, age,

disability, pregnancy, genetic information, unfavorable military discharge, status as a veteran,

arrest record status, or citizenship status. You should familiarize yourself with Illinois State’s

Anti-harassment and Non-discrimination policy. Complaints involving discrimination or

sexual harassment shall be reported to and exclusively handled by the University’s Office of

Equal Opportunity and Access. For more information, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity

and Access.

Drug-Free Workplace

Illinois State maintains a Drug-free Workplace policy. Please familiarize yourself with the policy

before you begin any assistantship appointment.

Accommodations

The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure equal

employment opportunities and access to University academic programs, services, and facilities in

accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) as

amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state

regulations. The process for requesting an accommodation related to your GA appointment can be

found at http://policy.illinoisstate.edu/conduct/1-3-1.shtml. For further information or to request an

accommodation or a modification to an existing accommodation, please contact the following

office.

Office of Equal Opportunity and Access

310 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 1280

Phone: 309-438-3383

The process for requesting an accommodation in your student role can be found at:

https://studentaccess.illinoisstate.edu/. For further information or to request an accommodation

or a modification to an existing accommodation, please contact the following office:

Student Access and Accommodation Services

350 Fell Hall, Campus Box 1290

309-438-5853

[email protected]

8 | P a g e

Types of Assistantships

Each graduate assistantship is assigned both a classification and a full-time equivalency (FTE).

Human Resources, in consultation with the appointing department/unit, assigns the classification;

the appointing department or unit, in consultation with Human Resources, assigns the FTE. The

job duties determine the classification; the FTE is determined by the amount of time it should

generally take to perform the duties assigned. GAs are usually engaged in professional activities.

The nature of those activities, the output produced, and the results accomplished cannot be

precisely standardized or measured in relation to a given period of time.

Actual job duties and assignments of specific graduate assistant positions vary between and within

both GA classifications and hiring units. Actual job duties and assignments are also dependent upon

factors such as student enrollment, unit needs, funding, and course registration. This information

may not be known at the time an appointment offer is extended.

Your academic department/unit should be your primary source for information about an assistantship.

Your graduate program coordinator can be of assistance to you regarding graduate assistantship

opportunities.

Graduate assistantships are also available in ISU administrative units, such as athletics, student

services, and various other ISU administrative offices. Search and apply for assistantships through

the online recruiting system. This system provides a central location to search for all open graduate

assistantships.

Classifications

The University offers three GA classifications:

• graduate teaching assistant

• graduate research assistant

• graduate pre-professional assistant

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

A Graduate Teaching Assistant’s primary duties should be in support of instruction in a classroom

or laboratory, including but not limited to responsibilities such as serving as a primary or

secondary teaching instructor in a class or laboratory, assisting a faculty member with teaching-

related tasks, grading student assignments which require knowledge of subjects taught in a class or

laboratory, meeting with and/or tutoring students, holding office hours, preparing instructional

materials, and assisting during class and/or lab, etc.

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

A Graduate Research Assistant is generally assigned to assist individual faculty members with

their research. The nature of the assistance varies by discipline and can involve a variety of

activities such as library work, proposal writing and publications, data gathering, data analysis,

field work and/or studio work, etc.

Graduate Pre-Professional Assistant (GPA)

Graduate pre-Professional Assistantships are intended to provide valuable on campus

9 | P a g e

professional development for students working outside of the classroom and research arena.

Graduate assistantships whose job assignments are closely aligned with their programs of study

may be classified as Pre-Professional Assistants. In consultation with the hiring unit, the Office of

Human Resources assigns a student to this classification after a potential candidate has been

identified.

10 | P a g e

Full-time equivalency (FTE)

A full-time equivalency is based on 40 hours of work per week being equal to 1.0 FTE. A

graduate assistantship is assigned a full-time equivalency between .25 FTE and .70 FTE. For

example, a GA with a .50 FTE assistantship should normally expect to devote on average about

20 hours per week throughout the assistantship period performing the assigned duties. GAs at

other full-time equivalency levels would be expected to work a proportionally larger or smaller

average amount; for example, students with a .25 FTE assistantship should normally expect to

work about 10 hours per week; those with a .70 FTE assistantship should expect to work about 28

hours per week. Such hours of work are separate and distinct from the time required for a

Graduate Assistant’s own academic coursework.

A student will not be appointed to more than a .70 FTE assistantship or be assigned duties that

will exceed 28 hours during any given week. Exceptions to these policies must be sought in

writing from the Director of the Graduate School before any assignments. See the other

employment section of this handbook for information on non-student related work. If you are an

international student, the immigration regulations governing your status may place additional

limits on the hours you are allowed to work. See the international students section of this

handbook.

The time necessary to accomplish the assigned tasks will vary from person to person and from

assignment to assignment. Deviations from the average can be expected as part of acquiring the

skills of each student’s profession, but the total assigned duties for the appointment period

should not exceed the averages given above.

11 | P a g e

Eligibility Criteria

Graduate assistantships are highly competitive, and you must meet minimum requirements for

obtaining your first assistantship and for being appointed/reappointed to subsequent graduate

assistantships. For example, having and maintaining a good graduate GPA, meeting language

proficiency requirements, and making satisfactory progress to degree all play critical roles in holding

an assistantship. As a GA, you are an employee of the University, but you are first and foremost a

student, and a GA position should not interfere with your progress to degree. If you have any

questions about your eligibility for an assistantship, talk with your graduate coordinator or visit the

Graduate School.

A GA must be eligible to perform the required duties of the position on the scheduled start date. If

you fail to meet or maintain eligibility for a graduate assistant appointment, as determined by the

Graduate School and/or academic program, your assistantship appointment will be canceled or

terminated. Visiting or certificate-only students are not eligible for assistantships without the written

approval of the Graduate School. University employees other than student employees are not eligible

for assistantships.

General eligibility criteria

To be eligible for an assistantship you must meet the following criteria:

• Be admitted unconditionally as a degree student into a graduate academic

program with an official transcript verifying an undergraduate degree, or have a

minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program;

• Have a minimum 2.8 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work if you have less

than 9 hours of graduate credit; or have a minimum 3.0 cumulative graduate GPA if

you have 9 or more hours of graduate credit; (Note: Graduate GPA includes all

graduate courses you may have taken, including graduate courses taken as a visiting

student at ISU or at other universities.);

• Be in good-standing within your program and the Graduate School;

• Be enrolled full-time during the entire appointment period for fall and/or spring

appointments (Note: You must generally take at least 9 credit hours during the fall or

spring semesters) or be enrolled in at least 3 credit hours during summer

appointments. Exceptions to Minimum Academic Load Eligibility Requirement exist

as outlined below.) Also see the Summer Graduate Assistantships section of this

Handbook.

• Please note that full-time status for graduate students in the summer is 6

hours, however, to hold a graduate assistantship in the summer, only 3 hours

is needed.

• Be available to perform work on campus and from Illinois for the duration of

the appointment.

• Pathway students must have successfully completed the Pathway program to hold

a graduate assistantship.

• If you are an international student, the immigration regulations governing your visa

status may place limits on your employment eligibility. Also see the International

students section of this Handbook.

12 | P a g e

Language proficiency requirement

State law requires oral proficiency in the English language among all classroom instructors at public

institutions of higher education in Illinois (110 ILCS 675/20-70). Procedures have been established to

address student concerns about faculty or teaching assistants who may not be communicating

effectively through the use of oral English language, based on Policy 3.2.18.

Students who submit a language proficiency score for admission and are considering a graduate

teaching assistantship, must have a TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo score prior to offer and either:

• have a currently valid minimum speaking score of 26 on the TOEFL iBT, overall IELTS

score of 8, minimum conversation score of 140 on the Duolingo English Test, or minimum

of 80 on the speaking section of the Pearson Test for English; or

• submit the results of a passing score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) prior to arrival

on campus.

I-9 verification

A GA must also verify eligibility to work at Illinois State University by completing a Form I-9 within

three days of the appointment start date. Domestic students may complete this form at their

department/school or Human Resources and should contact their graduate coordinator for further

instructions; international students complete this form in Human Resources. F-1/J-1 students are not

authorized to work beyond the program end date listed on their most recently issued I-20/DS-2019,

respectively. F-1/J-1 students whose work authorization has changed because their I-20/DS-2019

document was either shortened or extended should bring the updated I-20/DS-2019 to HR in order to

update their Form I-9.

International students

If you are an international student, the immigration regulations governing your visa status may place

limits on your employment eligibility and the total hours you are eligible to work on campus.

Additionally, any financial assistance you may be receiving from sources within your country of

origin may place restrictions on your ability to be employed while studying abroad.

In general, individuals on student visas can work on campus no more than 20 hours per week in the

Fall and Spring semesters. During the Summer semester, 28 hours per week may be allowed for on

campus work. However, if Summer is your first or last semester of enrollment, you are limited to 20

hours per week for all on campus positions. The hourly equivalent based upon your FTE should be

used to calculate your weekly hours even though the actual number of hours worked may vary. For

example, a student visa holder with a .50 FTE Graduate Assistantship (equivalent to 20 hours per

week) cannot except any other on campus employment during the Fall and Spring semesters.

J-1 students sponsored by Illinois State University must have written authorization from ISSS before

beginning a Graduate Assistantship. This authorization is granted for the specific contract period and

must be granted for each new GA contract offer/reappointment prior to the start date. Any work off

campus must be authorized by ISSS prior to beginning work for any student visa holders sponsored

by Illinois State University.

13 | P a g e

The responsibility for knowing and following all applicable visa status rules/laws, including any

country of origin employment restrictions, lies with the student. This also includes not working over

your hourly limits in any given pay period. If you are not certain whether your visa status allows you

to accept an assistantship, to work over 20 hours a week on campus, or to work additional hours,

contact International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) immediately for clarification. The

University does not have the authority to grant exceptions to visa status rules/laws. Before accepting

any on campus position, please check with ISSS on your eligibility.

International students may be required to verify and document sufficient funding for educational and

living expenses. Graduate assistantship offers can be used as a source of funding.

Federal tax law contains special income tax withholding and reporting rules and restrictions unique to

individuals present in the U.S. on a visa status. To comply with these rules, individuals present in the

U.S. on a visa should schedule a meeting with the International Tax Specialist, College Place

Uptown, Suite E, 309-438-7677; [email protected].

Professional practice

As a graduate assistant, you cannot be enrolled in a professional practice (e.g., 400, 498) for course

credit for any work performed in a graduate assistantship role.

The total paid graduate assistant hours and non – paid professional practice hours cannot exceed 40

hours per week.

14 | P a g e

Appointments

Employment is only for the designated appointment period (the dates specified in an appointment

offer letter). The appointment period identified in the offer letter is intended to include the dates of

any mandatory meeting(s), including those that precede the start of a semester; the appointment period

may or may not include the dates of any non-mandatory meeting(s).

Each GA appointment should be 10 months or less. A fall or spring appointment of less than 12 weeks

requires exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Graduate School in advance of the

offer. Summer appointments should be separate from fall/spring appointments.

Acceptance of an appointment offer

A graduate student who wishes to accept a graduate assistant appointment offer must notify both the

hiring unit and Human Resources as outlined in the offer letter.

Appointment offers are contingent upon the conditions of the offer established by the University. If

you accept an offer and meet the conditions of the offer, but prior to the appointment start date you no

longer meet the conditions or the University determines the appointment is no longer available for any

other reason:

• The University will notify you that the appointment is no longer available and provide the

reason(s) why; and

• If the reason is not based on you not meeting a condition of the offer, the University will

attempt to identify a different position you are qualified to perform. This is not a

guarantee of employment.

In 1965, the Council of Graduate Schools approved the following resolution regarding offers of

financial assistance such as graduate assistantships and tuition waivers. The resolution places certain

responsibilities on both the student and the institution. The ISU Graduate School endorses this

resolution.

“Acceptance of an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship,

traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled

graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to

honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be

defined carefully and understood by all parties.

Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April

15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of the Resolution. In

those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently

desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of

the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in

force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first

obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made.

Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the

student of the written release from any previously accepted offer."

15 | P a g e

Address questions regarding this resolution to the Graduate School.

Reappointment

Each graduate assistant appointment ceases at the end of the designated appointment period. Graduate

assistants may be reappointed to the same department/school or hired in a different hiring unit, based

on the University’s sole determination. You must meet all the eligibility criteria listed in the “General

Eligibility” section of this Handbook to be eligible for reappointment.

16 | P a g e

Schedule and Hours of Work

Your GA appointment will ordinarily follow either the academic calendar or the administrative

calendar. On the academic calendar, a GA normally works when classes are in session; this includes

finals week. On the administrative calendar, a GA is normally expected to work any weekdays the

university is open and possibly weekends, and holidays. For example, a GA who cares for lab animals

may follow the administrative calendar.

Your appointing unit will assign and notify you of work hours, practices for time-off, absences, etc.

You should discuss your class schedule with your appointing unit.

As noted in the Full-time equivalency (FTE) section of this handbook, a student will not be appointed

to more than a .70 FTE assistantship or be assigned duties that will exceed 28 hours during any given

week and, if you are an international student, rules/laws may place additional limits on the hours you

are allowed to work. The time necessary to accomplish the assigned tasks will vary from person to

person and from assignment to assignment. Deviations from the average can be expected as part of

acquiring the skills of each student’s profession, but the total assigned duties for the appointment

period should not exceed the averages given above.

Dispute resolution process

Graduate Assistants that have concerns about their employment, such as job expectations, hours, and

performance, should contact their supervisor immediately. If concerns remain, the Director of the

Graduate School may be contacted to help resolve the conflict.

17 | P a g e

Other Employment

If you have a graduate assistantship for less than .70 FTE, you may be able to accept limited on

campus employment in addition to your assistantship under the following conditions:

• F-1/J-1 students: your total employment on campus does not exceed a total of 20

hours of work per week during the fall and spring semesters or 28 hours during the

summer semester (20 hours per week in the summer if it is your first or last semester,)

• Domestic students: your total employment on campus does not exceed a total of 28 hours

of work per week during any semester.

An example for fall and spring semesters would be a graduate assistant with a .25 FTE assistantship

(for which you are expected to work 10 hours per week), may accept a second .25 FTE assistantship

or some other form of work on campus, so long as the total hours worked in all on campus jobs does

not exceed 28 hours per week. The Graduate School and Human Resources must approve any

exceptions to this policy in writing before you work any extra hours. Working on campus outside of

your assistantship and in excess of the limits above without prior approval from the Graduate School

and Human Resources is a violation of assistantship policy and may be cause for termination.

If you hold multiple positions on campus, it is highly recommended that you communicate your work

hour limits with all of your supervisors to help prevent going over these cumulative limits.

International GAs should contact International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) for any

additional restrictions on employment related to visa status.

It is important to not let your employment in any position interfere with the completion of your

degree. While the University does not monitor employment of GAs off campus, all GAs are

responsible for ensuring they comply with any legal limitations on where and the number of hours

they may work. Employment outside of your graduate assistantship should not interfere with their

obligation to satisfactorily perform all of the terms and conditions of your graduate assistant position.

18 | P a g e

Summer Graduate Assistantships

To be eligible for a graduate assistantship over the summer, you must:

• be admitted to the Graduate School at ISU for the summer term in a degree seeking

program or an active student within an ISU degree seeking program for one academic

semester (Fall or Spring term).

• meet all eligibility requirements to hold a graduate assistantship, including enrollment in a

minimum of 3 credit hours maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate coursework (please

see note about F1/J1 students below as 3 hours is not full time);

• have submitted to Human Resources all completed assistantship paperwork; and

• not have graduated from the graduate program.

If you are not eligible for a summer graduate assistantship, you may be eligible to be hired as a

student employee.

Summer tuition waivers

If you hold a summer graduate assistantship, you are eligible for a tuition waiver for that summer up

to 12 hours. If you do not hold a summer graduate assistantship, you may still qualify for a summer

tuition waiver under the following circumstances listed below.

Summer after tuition waivers

If you hold an assistantship in the fall or spring, you are eligible for a tuition waiver during the

summer after the assistantship. You receive a “summer-after” tuition waiver for up to 12 credit hours

as long as you have not yet graduated; and are in good standing for the summer term.

A summer stipend does not accompany the “summer-after” tuition waiver unless you also hold a

graduate assistantship during the summer term.

Summer before tuition waivers

Instead of a “summer-after” tuition waiver, a department/school may request that you receive a tuition

waiver of up to 12 credit hours during the summer before a fall assistantship. In order to be eligible for

a “summer- before” tuition waiver, you must satisfy the following:

Eligibility

• be admitted to the ISU Graduate School for the summer term in a degree seeking program.

• be enrolled in at least one summer course,

•

F1/J-1 students need to be enrolled for at least 6 hours if this is the first or last

semester of enrollment unless a Reduced Course Load Request is approved by

International Student and Scholar Services.

•

The enrolled credit hours cannot be 100% online. Please refer to the Course

Load Requirements for F1/J1 students.

• meet all eligibility criteria to hold a graduate assistantship, including Fall pre-

registration for at least 9 credit hours of graduate coursework; and

• have completed and submitted to Human Resources all assistantship paperwork

Implications

• if a summer before tuition waiver is used and you resign or are separated prior to the 4

19 | P a g e

Wednesday of October, 100% of summer tuition must be repaid.

• A summer after tuition waiver is not available even if you are appointed as a GA this

Fall and/or next Spring. To request a “summer before” tuition waiver the student must

send an e-mail with the text below to their department graduate coordinator, Human

Resources and the Graduate School before the end of the second week of the class for

which you seek the tuition waiver:

Student’s Name: UID:

GA Classification (Teaching, Research, etc)

Begin date of Fall GA appointment:

End Date of GA appointment:

Last 60 hours GPA (incoming student) or Cumulative Graduate GPA

(returning student):

I, (student name), would like to request a “summer-before” tuition waiver for summer

of 20XX. I certify I meet all the following requirements:

-I am admitted to a degree-seeking graduate program starting this summer.

-I am enrolled in at least one course, but no more than 12 credit hours.

-If applicable, I am enrolled in at least 6 hours as a F-1/J-1 student in my first or

last semester or have been approved for a Reduced Course Load by ISSS.

-I am registered for at least 9 hours of fall coursework at the graduate level.

-I have completed and submitted all assistantship paperwork to Human Resources.

I understand the following implications of using a summer before waiver:

-If I use a summer before tuition waiver and I resign or am separated prior to

the 4

Wednesday of October, I must repay 100% of summer tuition.

-I will not be able to use a summer after tuition waiver even if I am appointed as

a GA this Fall and/or next Spring.

20 | P a g e

Exceptions to Minimum Academic Load Eligibility Requirement

If you wish to hold an assistantship while enrolling in less than 9 hours in a fall or spring semester, or

less than 3 hours in summer, you must apply in writing to the Graduate School for an exception to

minimum registration requirements. During your time as a GA at ISU, you may be granted no more

than one of the three exceptions listed below.

Exception for Last Semesters if Not completing a thesis/dissertation.

A student not completing a thesis or dissertation can apply for an exception in their last semester. To

be eligible for this exception the student must have filed for graduation and need less than 9 credit

hours to complete their course of study. To request this exception, ask your graduate coordinator to

complete and approve the Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load Request Form. If your

appointment comes from outside of your department/school, ask your appointing unit to complete the

form and have them forward it to your academic department/school for approval and signature. Once

complete, the department/school will forward the form to the Graduate School for review. You and

your department/school will receive written notification of the outcome from the Graduate School

after determining eligibility.

Exception for Last Two Semesters Completing a Thesis/Dissertation

A student completing a thesis or dissertation can apply for an exception in their last two semesters. To

be eligible for this exception the student must have completed all their master’s or doctoral course

work including the required thesis (4-6) or dissertation (15) hours.) To request this exception, ask

your graduate coordinator to complete and approve the Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load

Request Form. If your appointment comes from outside of your department/school, ask your

appointing unit to complete the form and have them forward it to your academic department/school

for approval and signature. Once complete, the department/school will forward the form to the

Graduate School for review. You and your department/school will receive written notification of the

outcome from the Graduate School after determining eligibility. If your appointment comes from

outside of your department/school, ask your appointing unit to complete the form and have them

forward it to your academic department/school for approval and signature. Once complete, the

department/school will forward the form to the Graduate School for review.

You and your department/school will receive written notification of the outcome from the Graduate

School after determining eligibility.

Exception for less than full-time enrollment

A student can apply for an exception if the student wishes to accommodate a preference for part- time

enrollment, in anticipation of especially demanding courses, for shortage of sufficient course

offerings in a given semester, or for scheduling of other employment. These requests are very rarely

granted. To request this exception, ask your graduate coordinator to complete and approve the

Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load Request Form. If your appointment comes from outside of

your department/school, ask your appointing unit to complete the form and have them forward it to

your academic department/school for approval and signature. Once complete, the department/school

will forward the form to the Graduate School for review. You and your department/school will

receive written notification of the outcome from the Graduate School after determining eligibility.

PERS 938 Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load Request Form

The Payroll Office requires form PERS 938 for those student employees who are in their last

21 | P a g e

semester of classes in order to properly apply the student FICA exemption to their paychecks for the

term. If the form is not received by the HR cutoff date, then the student employee may have FICA

taxes withheld from their paychecks. The employee does not have use of these funds until it is

identified and refunded on the next payroll. HR & Payroll have established the following deadlines

for the PERS form: Summer: 4/25; Fall: 7/25; Spring: 12/14. Tax withholding caused by late form

submissions will not be reimbursed to the student.

Note: Students not registered for 9 hours will not be automatically assessed ISU insurance fees. See

the Student Health Insurance section of this handbook for more information. Late forms may preclude

students from purchasing their own ISU insurance due to the deadlines.

If you are an international student, ISSS must approve your Reduced Course Load Request form

before it will be processed.

22 | P a g e

Resignation and Termination

Resignation or termination from your assistantship may have tuition waiver, enrollment, taxes,

and visa consequences, including but not limited to loss of all or part of your tuition waiver.

Hiring units need to inform the Graduate School and Human Resources by email within 24

hours of any resignation or termination so the relevant offices can be informed.

Resignation

If you need to resign your GA appointment, the resignation should be in writing or e-mail to the

responsible administrator in your appointing unit indicating your last day of work. It is customary

to provide as much notice as possible, but no less than two weeks, if you cannot fulfill your

assistantship.

Termination

Dismissal from your academic program, for any reason, will make you ineligible to hold a

graduate assistantship and your appointment will be terminated. Your appointing unit, in

coordination with the Graduate School, may terminate your assistantship for any one of the

following reasons related to your role as a student:

failure to remain in good standing;

failure to maintain enrollment in 9 credit hours of course work for each fall or

spring semester, or 3 hours for summer, while on an assistantship unless an

exception to the minimum academic load has been approved (See the section on

Exceptions to Academic Load, above);

default on a student loan which has not been cleared within 6 months of the date the

GA appointment begins;

failure to make satisfactory progress towards degree completion in a timely fashion; or

failure to uphold Graduate School, unit/department, and/or University policies as it

pertains to your role as a student, including, but not limited to, policies on

academic integrity in your own academic work.

Termination for any reason related to your role as a student other than those listed above can only be

carried out with the approval of the Graduate School; furthermore, the student must be afforded due

process.

If you are terminated for any reason related to your role as a student, you will be provided with a

reason in writing and you will be provided an opportunity to respond before the termination becomes

final.

Your appointing unit, after consultation with Labor Relations in Human Resources, may take

disciplinary action, up to and including termination of your assistantship, due to conduct or work

performance issues. Conduct and work performance issues include but are not limited to:

failure to uphold Graduate School, unit/department, and/or University policies as

it pertains to your graduate assistant role, including, but not limited to, policies on

academic integrity;

failure to meet the performance criteria expected by the unit providing the assistantship;

failure or refusal to perform assigned duties or attend mandatory meetings;

violation of any Federal or State law or regulation in the performance of your duties

23 | P a g e

or that has a negative impact on the University; or

engagement in any other misconduct in the performance of University duties or

academic activities.

Discipline due to conduct or work performance issues in your graduate assistant role may result from

an accumulation of infractions as well as from a single infraction. Formal disciplinary actions

include a written warning and dismissal; the University reserves the right to skip the written warning

step based upon the severity of the infraction.

Prior to making a determination to discipline a graduate assistant due to conduct or work

performance issues in their graduate assistant role, the hiring unit supervisor or designee will hold an

investigatory meeting with the graduate assistant. The graduate assistant will be given advanced

notice of the meeting.

25 | P a g e

GA Compensation Package

During the term of their appointment period, all Illinois State University graduate assistants receive a

compensation package that is competitive with those provided at peer schools and is in addition to

any scholarships, grants, or loans received by the student. This compensation package includes a

stipend, a tuition waiver, a partial student fee waiver, and reimbursement of the student health

insurance fee (if enrolled).

Stipends

All GAs are paid a monthly stipend. The monthly stipend for an assistantship varies and depends

upon classification (e.g., GRA, GTA, GPA), the assistantship’s FTE (generally from

.25 FTE to .70 FTE), the source of the funding (e.g., general revenue, external grants), your program

degree-level (e.g., masters, doctoral), your department, and the nature of the assignment. Precise

monthly stipends vary by posting. Your stipend amount is detailed on your offer letter.

Departments should work with their Employment Consultant in HR to verify correct rates before

offering the position or issuing an offer letter.

The University has established minimum monthly stipends for all GAs. Individual Schools/

Departments may choose to pay monthly stipends that exceed these stipends. The table below lists

the minimum monthly stipend for a .50 FTE (20 hours/week)*.

Degree

Level

FTE

Hours Generally

Worked/Week

Minimum Monthly

Stipend Effective

3/1/2024

Minimum Monthly

Stipend Effective

8/1/2024

Minimum Monthly

Stipend Effective

8/1/2025

Master’s

.50

$1430

$1473

$1510

Doctoral

.50

$1530

$1576

$1615

* The minimum monthly stipend and the hours generally worked for FTEs other than .50 FTE

(e.g., FTE, .70 FTE, etc.) are proportionate to those shown for the .50 FTE above.

The calculation for the proportionate minimum stipend is (the .50FTE minimum stipend) * (2) * (the

FTE of the GA), rounded to the next highest dollar. For example, a master level student working .33

FTE would need a minimum stipend of ($1,300 * 2 * .33 FTE = $858). Another example, a doctoral

level student working .60 FTE would need a minimum stipend of ($1,400 * 2* .60 FTE = $1,680).

The calculation for the proportionate Hours Generally Worked per Week is (the .50 FTE Hours

Generally Worked) * (2) * (the FTE of the GA). For example, a student working .60 FTE would

have an Hours Generally Worked per Week of (20 hours * 2 * .60 FTE = 24 hours).

Graduate additional pay

You may be employed for more than the maximum number of hours allowed by your appointment

only in case of an exceptional, temporary, or one-time circumstance. Your employing unit must

request the graduate additional pay and receive approval before you may work the additional hours.

26 | P a g e

In order to receive graduate additional pay, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• you agree to the assignment

• you are in good standing

• you are legally eligible to work the proposed additional hours;

• your graduate coordinator approves the additional assignment;

• your total university employment from all sources, including the proposed

additional assignment, does not exceed 28 hours during any week.

In an emergency situation, the Graduate School may exempt a unit from the last of these

requirements. Units should be aware that approvals for such exceptions are limited to extraordinary

emergencies. No such emergency assignment may be made or work begun unless and until the

exception has been approved by both the Graduate School and Human Resources.

Note: If you are an international student, the rules/laws for your visa status may place limits on your

employment eligibility and the total hours you are eligible to work. Before performing any additional

work, please check with ISSS on your eligibility.

Tuition waiver

Illinois State University provides all Graduate Assistants, regardless of FTE, with a full tuition

waiver, in accordance with Policy 3.7.1. A tuition waiver provides significant financial assistance,

often allowing a student to borrow little to no loans; reducing debt after program completion. Due to

the impact of this benefit, graduate assistants need to remain employed during the semester or risk a

loss of tuition waiver and partial mandatory student fee credit.

There are also payroll and tax implications that may impact you receiving a tuition waiver. Graduate

assistants also have the opportunity to receive a tuition waiver if taking classes in the summer term.

Per Policy 2.1.17, graduate assistants are treated as Illinois residents. This means tuition is charged

and waived at in-state rates. Once an out-of-state student is no longer a graduate assistant, unless they

meet other residency requirements, they will be charged at out-of-state tuition rates.

Partial mandatory student fee waiver

Illinois State University provides all Graduate Assistants, regardless of FTE, with a partial student

27 | P a g e

fee waiver of per credit hour mandatory student fees (as determined by the Board of Trustees)

actually charged to the GA, up to a maximum of 9 credit hours for the fall semester and 9 credit

hours for the spring semester. This student fee waiver is applied towards each individual mandatory

student fee up to the maximum of 9 hours for that particular fee. The partial fee waiver is as follows:

• 15% Spring 2024

• 25% Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

• 30% Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

You can find a detailed description of mandatory student fees at:

https://studentaccounts.illinoisstate.edu/billing/fees/.

Loss of tuition waiver and partial mandatory student fee waiver

If you resign or are terminated from your assistantship before completing the full term of your

appointment, you may lose the corresponding tuition waiver and partial mandatory student fee

waiver benefits.

• if you resign or your appointment is terminated on or before the 4

Wednesday of

October (fall semester) or the 4

Wednesday of March (spring semester), you must repay

100% of the partial mandatory student fee waiver and 100% of the appropriate tuition at

the in-state rate;

• if you resign or your appointment is terminated after the 4

Wednesday of October or

the 4

Wednesday of March you are allowed to keep your partial mandatory student

fee waiver and tuition waiver.

• Note: any subsequent semesters without an assistantship will be charged at rates based on

residency status.

Student health insurance fee reimbursement

The University will reimburse you the amount of the student health insurance fee you have paid

during a fall or spring semester (you are not reimbursed this fee for any summer appointment), minus

any applicable taxes, if you meet the following criteria:

• have held a GA appointment of .25FTE or higher during the semester of reimbursement;

• have paid the student health insurance fee;

• have remained covered under the student health insurance plan on the date of

reimbursement (typically during the final month of each semester); and

• are employed in the GA role on the date of reimbursement.

The fee is automatically reimbursed to all eligible graduate assistants through their paychecks,

typically during the final two months of each semester.

For additional information regarding the Student Health Insurance Plan, see the Student Health

Insurance section of this Handbook.

If you are withdrawing from the University, please refer to the withdrawal schedule on the Student

Accounts website regarding adjustment to your tuition and fee charges.

28 | P a g e

Student Health Insurance

In your separate role as a student, you are eligible both to access Student Health Services and

for coverage under the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan.

You are required to have health insurance coverage in effect during your entire appointment,

either by way of private coverage or through the University’s Student Health Insurance plan.

For further information about coverage, enrollment, and cost, visit the Student Health

Insurance office.

The Director of the Graduate School sits on the Request for Proposal (RFP) committee to

review bids for student health insurance plans. Comments and concerns about the insurance

coverage can be shared with the Director to bring to the committee during the RFP process.

Student health insurance fee and enrollment

Automatic coverage

A student health insurance fee is automatically assessed on all graduate students registered for 9

or more credit hours by the 15

calendar day of the fall and spring semesters or registered for 6

or more credit hours by the 8

calendar day of the first summer session. By paying this fee, you

are purchasing coverage under the University’s student health insurance plan. You can find the

amount of the current student health insurance fee at Student Accounts. The charge will appear

on your tuition/fee bill under General Fees as Student Insurance on your MyIllinoisState account.

You may be eligible for reimbursement of the Student Health Insurance Fee. See the GA

Compensation Package section of this Handbook.

You may also be eligible to opt out of student health. More information can be found below in

the Cancellation of Policy section.

Optional coverage

If you are not registered for enough credit hours to be automatically assessed the student health

insurance fee, graduate assistants may still purchase this plan on an optional basis. As a GA you

are eligible for the optional purchase for no more than four terms. Insurance eligibility

information can be found on the Student Health Services website. You must complete this

purchase through your account on MyIllinoisState by the 15

calendar day of the fall and spring

semesters, or by the 8

calendar day of the first summer session. These dates are contractually set

by our health insurance provider and cannot be extended or waived. Published enrollment dates

can be found at Student Health Insurance.

Late or early start dates

If your appointment has an early or late start date, you can purchase the student health insurance

coverage by contacting the Student Health Insurance within 15 days of your start date and paying

the appropriate semester fee. New fall students whose assistantships begin prior to the start of the

fall semester’s coverage can contact the Student Health Insurance office before their start date and

arrange to pay a pro-rated summer fee.

29 | P a g e

Cancellation of policy

If you are assessed the insurance fee but don’t want to be covered by the ISU policy, you need to

complete a request to cancel the policy and submit evidence of other insurance to the Student

Health Insurance office the or make arrangements to accomplish this by mail, email, or fax.

Cancellation requests will not be honored after the 15

calendar day of the fall and spring

semesters, or the 8

calendar day of ISU’s first summer session.

Certification of insurance coverage

You must complete and sign a semester-specific Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Certification

during every semester that you hold a graduate assistantship. On this form you certify that you

understand that you must have health insurance coverage and declare how you intend to procure it.

You must return this form to your appointing department before you begin work as a contingency

of your appointment. It is your responsibility to complete and submit the form to your

appointing department each semester.

Where to call

Insurance coverage can be complicated. We’re here to help. For questions about insurance

eligibility or coverage, please contact the Student Health Insurance office.

30 | P a g e

Payroll and Tax Implications

Income taxes

Graduate assistant stipends are subject to federal and state income taxes. Income taxes are withheld

from each paycheck in accordance with your W-4 Withholding Certificate. For additional

information, please see the University Payroll Office website. At the time of hire, an electronic or

hard-copy Federal and State Form W-4 (Employee's Withholding Certificate) should be completed.

Self-Service is available at My Illinois State.

Employment taxes

Generally, graduate assistants do not have to pay FICA taxes. The University follows IRS rules in

determining a student's exemption from FICA withholding. FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions

Act) refers to taxes for Social Security (OASDI) and Medicare. When eligible, OASDI is withheld at

6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%, for a total tax of 7.65%.

To be considered a student, an employee must be enrolled and regularly attending classes in pursuit of

a course of study. In addition, the employee's services must be "incident to and for the purpose of

pursuing a course of study”, which means the relationship between the employer and the employee

must be primarily educational.

Graduate student will be exempt from FICA taxes if they meet the minimum criteria for a half- time

student:

Fall/Spring Terms 5 credit hours

Summer Term 3 credit hours

If the academic term begins or ends at any point within a pay period, the entire pay period is eligible

for the exemption from FICA.

If the student is registered for the following semester, the student will be eligible for the FICA

exemption if the break is less than five weeks. If the student works during a school break of more

than five weeks (over the summer, for example), the student will not be eligible for a FICA

exemption if the student is not attending classes during the break.

A student in the final semester required to complete the requirements for obtaining a degree,

certificate, or other educational credentials offered by the institution, shall be deemed to meet the

half-time threshold, regardless of the number of credits. For Graduate Student employee classes

-When completing a Reduced Course Load Request Form (PERS 938), Code "B" under Rationale

should be used if the student is in his/her final semester. For Undergraduate Student employee classes

- The Request for Student Employment Exception will be utilized to identify students in their final

semester.

There are also FICA tax implications regarding the Reduced Course Load Request (PERS 938).

Please see that PERS 938 Graduate Assistant Reduced Course Load Request Form for more details.

31 | P a g e

Direct deposit

You may enroll in Direct Deposit through My Illinois State. Employees who desire to update their

direct deposit via Employee Self Service must be on an Illinois State Network or use a VPN which can

be obtained via the IT Helpdesk at (309)438-4357.

If you have not enrolled in direct deposit, your check will be mailed to your Mailing Address on file.

Check distribution method is subject to change at the University’s discretion. Prior to a change in

check distribution, a notification will be published.

Emergency loans

If you have a graduate assistantship but the hiring paperwork is unable to be processed in time to be

issued a payroll payment, you may request an interest-free emergency loan from the Graduate School

for up to 80 percent of the pay due for that pay period. If your loan is approved, this loan amount must

be repaid from your first issued payroll payment. To request a loan, contact the GA Employment

Consultant in Human Resources. Emergency loans are not disbursed until the date which would

normally have been the student’s pay date.

Impact of tuition waivers and fee waivers on student loans and income taxes

Internal Revenue Service regulations consider anything of value provided to an employee by an

employer, including but not limited to tuition waivers and student fee waivers, to be a form of

compensation. As a result, receipt of your tuition waiver and/or partial mandatory student fee waiver

may have the effect of reducing the amount you may be eligible to receive in student loans and

increasing your tax liabilities.

Your tuition waiver and/or partial mandatory student fee waiver may count as income, and therefore

the amount you may be eligible to receive in student loans may go down. If your loans have been

disbursed before you have been awarded the tuition waiver and/or partial mandatory student fee

waiver; you may even have to repay some or all of the loans depending on the total loans received and

the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive. Additional information on your loan eligibility

is available from the Financial Aid Office.

Tuition Waiver and Student Fee Waiver Taxation

Under current applicable state and federal tax regulations this section only applies to pre-

professional graduate assistants. Generally, tuition benefits and student fee waivers offered to

graduate assistants are excluded from taxable income under section 117(d) of the Internal Revenue

Code (IRC). However, section 117(d) only excludes from taxable income tuition benefits and student

fee waivers for graduate students who are engaged in teaching activities or research activities at the

University.

Tuition benefits and student fee waivers for graduate assistants not engaged in teaching or research

activities at the University may be excluded up to $5,250 each calendar year under section 127 of the

IRC relating to Educational Assistance Plans.

32 | P a g e

Section 127 provides an exclusion of employer-paid tuition benefits and student fee waivers from taxable

income for employees enrolled in graduate level classes, up to a maximum annual amount of $5,250 for

those not engaged in teaching or research activities. As a result of the operation of the above code

sections, the part of the total tuition benefit and student fee waiver provided to a graduate assistant that

exceeds $5,250 in a calendar (January-December) year will be added to income as a taxable fringe benefit.

If the total tuition benefit and student fee waiver related to a graduate assistant appointment does exceed

$5,250 in a calendar year, the graduate assistant will be notified separately, and the applicable taxes

withheld. Caution must be utilized in projecting future calendar years. If the tuition benefit and student

fee waiver does not exceed the IRS limit in a calendar year, it might exceed the limit at some year in the

future if appointed as a graduate assistant for more than one semester within the calendar year.

Typically, taxes on taxable tuition waivers and student fee waivers in excess of $5,250 are withheld from

the graduate assistant’s paychecks in the last two months of any given semester: in November and

December for the fall semester, in April and May for the spring semester, and in July for the summer

term. If no paycheck is available in the given month, the taxes will be withheld on the next available

paycheck. You will receive correspondence from the University Payroll Office mid semester outlining the

exact taxable amount. Additional information on tax withholding is available from the University Payroll

Office.

Below is a chart showing potential tuition waiver and student fee waiver values based on 9 credit hours

(Fall 2022 rates). The semester(s) bolded indicate when a student exceeds the $5,250 taxation threshold. It

is in these semesters that you will be assessed taxes on all tuition waivers above that threshold.

First year student sample taxation thresholds:

Semester

Tuition Costs (9 hours)

Mandatory Student fee

waiver (9 hours)

Total Tuition and fee

waiver for the Year

Fall 2023

$3803.13

$101.80

$3904.93

Spring 2024

$3803.13

$101.80

$3904.93

Fall 2024*

$3803.13

$101.80

$7809.86 (taxable

threshold reached)

* Tuition rate and fee waiver based on Fall 2023 rates & may change.

32 | P a g e

Second+ year student sample taxation thresholds:

Semester

Tuition Costs (9 hours)

Mandatory Student fee

waiver (9 hours)

Total Tuition and

fee waiver for the

Year

Spring 2024

$3803.13

$101.80

$3904.93

Fall 2024*

$3803.13

$101.80

$7809.86 (taxable

threshold reached)

* Tuition rate and fee waiver based on Fall 2023 rates & may change.

Because this is a federal law, there is no solution to alleviate this taxation. However, there are some

strategies you can use to help alleviate the stress of reduced paychecks.

You may change your Form W-4 to adjust the amount of income tax withheld. To

reduce the amount of tax withheld, Step 4: Other Adjustments will need to be

modified. Adjusting your W-4 may have implications when you file your personal

tax return. You may wish to consult your tax advisor before choosing this option. If

you choose to change your Form W-4, you may do so using the Self-Service

functionality within iPeople at https://tools.illinoisstate.edu/ (Self Service – Payroll

& Compensation – W-4 Tax Information) or submitting a hardcopy of Form W-4 to

the University Payroll Office.

If you are an international student please contact The International Tax Specialist at

309- 438-7677; [email protected] regarding W-4 changes.

Sample Paycheck

GA’s can check the Graduate Assistant Pay Check Calculator on the Payroll Office site to determine the

impact a taxable tuition waiver and student fee credits will have on their net pay.

https://payroll.illinoisstate.edu/employee-information/my-paycheck/

For additional information, please contact the University Payroll Office at (309) 438-7677 or

[email protected].

Social security numbers

You must obtain a social security number from the Social Security Administration for proper reporting to

state and federal government. Upon receiving a social security number, take the social security card to

Human Resources (Nelson Smith, room 101). International students who need to apply for a social

security card should visit the Social Security page of the ISSS website for detailed instructions on how to

apply.

International students should also make an appointment to see The International Tax Specialist, located in

College Place Uptown, Suite E, 309-438-7677; [email protected].

Student loan default

An appointment notification can be issued if a student is in default on a student loan, but the default

must be cleared in 6 months or the appointment will be terminated. If you are in default on a student

33 | P a g e

loan, you must present to Human Resources a letter from the loan institution stating that you are

making regular payments on the loan and present such proof to Human Resources. You won’t be

considered in default if your educational loan has been deferred until you complete your graduate

studies.

34 | P a g e

Miscellaneous Items

Travel expenses

If a GA is required by their appointing unit to travel in direct relation to the GA duties, the University

will reimburse the GA in accordance with State regulations as outlined in the University’s travel

related policies and procedures.

Equipment

GAs will not be expected to pay for equipment required for the fulfillment of work- related duties.

GAs will also not be expected to pay for such equipment that is broken or otherwise damaged in the

execution of approved or authorized work-related duties. Any equipment purchased or provided by the

University for the fulfillment of work-related duties is the property of the University.

Immunizations and Certifications

If the University determines that an immunization or certification is required for a GA to perform the

functions of a GA’s appointment, the University will pay for such immunizations or certifications.

This does not apply to immunizations or certifications required: by law (including but not limited to

those required for immigration purposes); as part of the admissions process (or any renewal of such

certifications/immunizations thereafter); or, to obtain or renew a professional license.

If a Graduate Assistant is required by their appointing School/Department to travel out of the country

in direct relation to their Graduate Assistant duties and the Graduate Assistant is required to receive

immunization(s) in order to complete this travel out of the country, the Graduate Assistant will be

responsible for any costs associated with the immunization(s) that are not otherwise covered through

the Graduate Assistant’s health insurance.

Childcare

Information regarding childcare resources available to all ISU employees, including graduate

assistants, can be found on the Human Resources website.

Parking

All GAs will be eligible to purchase faculty/staff surface parking permits at the same rate as faculty

and staff, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the University Office of Parking and

Transportation. A monthly payroll deduction option for the cost of purchasing parking permits is

available.. All hiring paperwork must be completed and your GA appointment in the employment

system to purchase a faculty/staff permit.

Employee access to personnel records

Since graduate assistants are employees of the University, you may have access to, or dispute, your

personnel records in accordance with University policy and the Personnel Records Review Act, 820

ILCS 40/.

35 | P a g e

Contact List

International Admissions

Applications, Initial I-20s

Kayla Carroll

(309) 438-0897

[email protected]

Financial Aid

Scholarship, tuition waivers

Shawn Rigsby

(309) 438-2744

[email protected]

Human Resources

GA’s, tuition waivers, appointments, employment issues

101 Nelson Smith Building

[email protected]

309-438-8311

International Student and Scholar Services

Immigration, visas, I-20s

Aubrey Wagoner

(309) 438-5112

mailto:[email protected]

International Tax Specialist

College Place Uptown, Suite E

(309) 438-7677

[email protected]

Graduate School (309)

438-2583

[email protected]

Office of Equal Opportunity and Access

Employment accommodations

310 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 1280

(309) 438-3383

Payroll

College Place Uptown, Suite E

36 | P a g e

(309) 438-7677

[email protected]

Registrar Service Center

107 Moulton Hall

(309) 438-2188

[email protected]

Student Access and Accommodation Services

Accommodations in your GA role

(309) 438-5853

[email protected]

Student Accounts

607 W. Dry Grove

(309) 438-5643

[email protected]

Student Health Insurance

Student Services Building 303

Jason Hartzler

(309) 438-2515

[email protected]

https://studentaccounts.illinoisstate.edu/[12/14/2023 1:07:17 PM]

Student Accounts | Illinois State

Student Accounts

Home

Billing & Tuition

How-To's & Checklists

Forms

FAQ

Collections

About

Important Changes for 2023-2024

Stay up-to-date on important financial process changes for the 2023-2024 academic year. Learn More

Student Accounts

Student Login

Authorized User Login

Employee Payment Login

2023-2024 Academic Year

Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the mode of instruction and cover a variety of short- and long-term

expenses which continue regardless of the instructional mode or access to campus facilities. The mode of instruction may

be adjusted. Tuition and fees will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely or the mode of instruction

changes for any part of the 2023-24 academic year. Illinois State University will continue to follow published withdrawal

and refund policies concerning tuition and fees.

View billing information concerning Illinois State University tuition and fees for the 2023-24 academic year

News

Students (and Authorized Users)! Great news!

Authorized Users may now receive the same email notifications regarding your payment plans - per student's

permission. Yay!

For details on updating your Authorized User(s) with this access or setting up an Authorized User, view our How to

Search Student Accounts...

https://studentaccounts.illinoisstate.edu/[12/14/2023 1:07:17 PM] 
 
Student Accounts | Illinois State 
 
set up or edit an Authorized User 
* Please note - if you have more than one Authorized User, you must process this update for each Authorized User. 
 
Fall 2023 Payment Plans - New  Options! 
New for Fall 2023 - choose and enroll in a payment plan option that works for you! * 
Plan options : 5-month, 4-month, or 3-month payment plan. 
Covers only Fall 2023 charges. Any new Fall 2023 semester changes to your charges will affect your future 
payment plan amounts. 
$ 35.00 Payment Plan convenience fee – charged to student account at time of set up. 
Late Fees - the fee is $20 per late installment for everyone participating in one of the payment plan options. 
Late payments and delinquent accounts will still be subject to holds that prevent future registration. 
For more details - view our Payment Options site. 
To sign up for a payment plan - view our “ How To Enroll In A Payment Plan ”. 
* Don’t want to be in a payment plan? To avoid a payment plan, pay-in-full by September 15 th for the Fall 
semester . If you have a balance after September 15th, you will be enrolled in a 4-month administrative Payment 
Plan and will be charged a $50.00 convenience fee for that semester. 
** Please Note: Study Abroad charges are billed and due by the due date stated on the bill and are not eligible for 
the payment plan each semester. 
*** Prior semesters past due amounts - are not included in a current semester payment plan. 
 
Fall 2023 Refunds 
* New for Fall 2023 - paper refund checks – the earliest pickup time available will be on the Tuesday after 
refunds are run. Students with eRefunds will still get their refund the Friday that refunds are run. 
Sign up for eRefunds (direct deposit) today! It is the quickest and easiest way to receive your future refunds! View 
our Set up an e Refund Account (direct deposit) for Student for step by step instructions. 
Here is how the refund process works: 
The first refund process for each semester starts the Wednesday before classes start. This is an internal 
process and refund is not yet available. 
eRefund (direct deposit) will be available that following Friday. You will receive an email notification at 
your ilstu.edu email address that a refund in the form of an eRefund has been generated. 
*Paper refund checks - the earliest pickup time available will be on the Tuesday after refunds are generated. 
You will receive an email notification at your ilstu.edu email after the refund has been generated with 
information on picking up your check or if you want your check mailed or reapplied to your account. 
For Parent PLUS loan refunds please refer to the Refund page for more details. 
Refunds are generated weekly throughout the semester. Any aid not yet processed will be issued in the next 
refund run when it is available. 
 
2022 1098-T Forms 
2022 1098-T's are now available in the Student Portal, click here for How to View 1098-T Online. Paper copies 
have been mailed to the same address as billing statements for those who opted into the paper version. Students have 
access to a copy of their current and prior year 1098-T forms online through their Student Service Center. 
Under the Student Center tab, on the lower right-hand side of the page, click on View 1098-T in the Student 
Finances box. From there, additional details can be viewed by clicking on the Box Amounts tab. Visit our Tax 
Credit page for more information. 
Looking for the 2023 1098-T Forms?  These forms will be available online after January 31, 2024. 
 
 
Check your "To Do" List 
Please review your financial aid online at My.IllinoisState.edu to see if you have any "to do" items in your Student Service 
Center. 
 
FAQs 
How-To Guide 

https://studentaccounts.illinoisstate.edu/[12/14/2023 1:07:17 PM] 
 
Student Accounts | Illinois State 
 
Student Accounts Resources 
 
Undergraduate Tuition Rates 
Graduate Tuition Rates 
Billing Due Dates 
Forms 
Comptroller Resources 
 
Comptroller A-Z 
Colleague 
PCI Compliance 
Departments 
 
Accounting 
Cashiers Office 
Collections 
eCommerce 
Payroll 
Purchasing 
Redbird Card 
Risk Management 
Student Accounts 
Travel 
Student Accounts | Office of the Comptroller 
 
Contact Us 
Illinois State 
university 
Illinois' first public university 
© 2023 
Illinois State University, Normal, IL USA 
Privacy Statement 
Appropriate Use Policy 
Accessibility 
× Close 
Illinois State 
 
Student Accounts | Illinois State 
 
Home 
Billing & Tuition 
How-To's & Checklists 
Forms 
FAQ 
Collections 
About 
University Resources 

https://studentaccounts.illinoisstate.edu/[12/14/2023 1:07:17 PM]

Student Accounts | Illinois State

My Illinois State

Map

Admissions

News

Events

Giving