Student FAQs:
Fellowships and Assistantships
How do I apply for a fellowship or assistantship?
Graduate fellowships and assistantships are awarded and administered through the colleges. Please contact the department you are majoring in directly for complete information and application instructions:
College and Department Links.
What is the difference between a fellowship and an assistantship?
Fellowships do not usually have a work component, although there may be exceptions. Assistantships are always accompanied by a work assignment, which is teaching, research or general office duties.
How do I know what duties are required?
For each semester of appointment, you should receive a formal letter of appointment outlining your duties and any other stipulations for employment. This is in addition to the appointment itself, which is entered electronically on the UF Academic Personnel computer system by the department.
What are the eligibility requirements for a continued appointment?
You must maintain a 3.0 grade point average, be registered appropriately for your FTE (full-time equivalent) appointment, and fulfill your duties satisfactorily.
Is my work evaluated?
For each semester of appointment, you should receive an official evaluation from your supervisor.
What is the registration requirement for my appointment?
Registration requirements for students on appointment are published in the UF Graduate Catalog, available in print format or online on this website. This is what your tuition waiver will cover.
I have a fellowship, but it also has an assistantship component. How many credits should I register for?
During the time frame when you have the fellowship and no work requirement, you should be enrolled full-time for 12 credits in fall or spring, or eight credits in summer. If you are appointed on an assistantship, then you may register appropriately for your FTE as published in the UF Graduate Catalog.
My fellowship doesn't have an assistantship component, but I have a fellowship and an assistantship concurrently. How many credits should I register for?
Your graduate coordinator or department chair will need to submit a petition to the UF Graduate School requesting approval for your registration requirement to default to the assistantship registration. This is a formal memorandum on department letterhead and endorsed by the college dean for graduate studies.
How do I register for my appointment in the summer term(s)?
You must be registered for the entire duration of your appointment. Therefore, if you are appointed for Summer A or B Semester only, then you only need to fulfill the appropriate registration requirement for that semester. However, if you have a full summer appointment (May-August), then you must register for credits that span the entire Summer C Semester. This can be accomplished through a combination of Summer A, B, and C Semester enrollment.
May I be registered for additional credits?
You will be financially responsible for additional credits unless the department is willing to cover the additional cost and officially notifies the UF Graduate School by letter with your college dean's approval.
Do I need to be registered in the final term? What if I don't need the credits to fulfill my degree requirement?
Students on appointment must be appropriately registered for the assistantship or fellowship and be registered in courses that count toward the degree. Enrollment is not based on a "need" for credits or personal financial considerations.
I need to drop a course. May I do that?
Students on appointment cannot fall below the required registration unless the request is approved by the department, the college and the UF Graduate School. The petition must be submitted by the department on your behalf. Approval is granted for mitigating circumstances only. The exception is complete withdrawal for medical reasons, which is handled by UF Student Affairs in Peabody Hall. They are authorized to review medical documentation and will assist you with those procedures.
Approval was granted for my course drop or total withdrawal from the semester. Now I am financially liable for the course(s). It was covered by the tuition waiver so why am I being charged?
Tuition waiver funds may not be used to cover dropped courses. Therefore, the fee liability is automatically reassigned to the student.
I think my circumstances warrant a fee refund (in other words, an elimination of fee liability). Is there a process to appeal?
You may submit a UF Senate Petition for Fee Fund to the UF Office of the Registrar's appeals committee for consideration. The forms packet can be obtained at 222 Criser Hall. Please note that the UF Graduate School is not involved in the fee refund process. For medical withdrawals, UF Student Affairs will assist you.
I need to resign from my fellowship or assistantship during the current semester, but I am not withdrawing from my courses. Will I become fee liable?
It is at the discretion of the department or PI (primary investigator administering the grant) to consider the circumstances and timing of the resignation to determine whether it is appropriate to maintain the waiver. Requests for continuation of the waiver must be submitted to the UF Graduate School.
Is there a publication with requirements and guidelines?
The University of Florida honors the terms contained in the 2001 agreement with UF Graduate Assistants United. The current UF Graduate Assistants United contract is online here:
UF/GAU Contract.
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