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Graduate Assistantships

Stipend and tuition

The PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences offers graduate assistantships (classified as graduate assistantships, graduate teaching assistantships, or graduate research assistantships) to qualified students on a competitive basis. Each graduate assistantship includes a stipend, a tuition waiver, and subsidized health insurance. Students who receive graduate assistantships must register for a minimum of nine credits for fall and spring terms, and a minimum of six credits for summer terms. Graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA greater than or equal to 3.0 to remain eligible for continued support.

Responsibilities of graduate assistants

A full graduate assistantship requires 20 hours of work per week. Graduate assistants may teach, conduct research, or fulfill other responsibilities that contribute to professional development. Recipients of graduate assistantships perform general duties that support the academic work of basic science and clinical medicine faculty members. Graduate assistants may be required to:

  • Perform literature searches and summarize specific research topics.
  • Assist faculty with lecture and seminar presentations.
  • Assist clinical faculty in running advanced patient scenarios.
  • Assist faculty in research, documentation, experimentation, and related activities.
  • Assist faculty with logistical and organizational matters.
  • Assist with other duties not specified here.

Fees

Students with graduate assistantships are responsible for per-credit tuition fees, term fees, and other miscellaneous fees, as delineated by the FIU University Graduate School.

Health insurance

Graduate assistants are automatically enrolled in a plan that covers 75 percent of the health insurance premium. Each graduate assistant is responsible for the payment of the remaining 25 percent of the premium, which is deducted from his or her biweekly paycheck. More information regarding the plan and benefits can be found on the Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk website.

Taxes

Any portion of a stipend or fellowship used for living expenses is subject to U.S. taxes. The interpretation and implementation of the tax laws is the domain of the Internal Revenue Service.

FIU is required to withhold taxes on the portion of a fellowship used for living expenses of an international student, unless a tax treaty exists between the student's country and the United States.

Intramural fellowships

The FIU University Graduate School offers fellowships for prospective and current graduate students. Students are encouraged to apply for these intramural fellowships.

Extramural fellowships

Graduate students also are encouraged to apply for extramural funding. More information regarding extramural funding opportunities is available on the FIU University Graduate School website.

Outside employment

Students with graduate assistantships are may not seek additional employment while enrolled.

Funding for travel to conferences and meetings

Graduate students are advised to attend and present research findings at scientific conferences and meetings. Students can seek funding for travel from sponsors of conferences they wish to attend and from professional associations in their field. Students also may apply for funding for travel through the FIU Graduate and Professional Student Committee.

Termination of graduate assistantship

Graduate assistants whose cumulative GPAs fall below 3.0 or who fail to comply with university policies regarding graduate assistantships will have their assistantships revoked. Graduate assistants who fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress also may have their assistantships cancelled. Cancellation of an assistantship within an active term results in reversal of the tuition fee waiver (i.e., the student becomes liable for all fees and applicable resident or nonresident tuition). Cancellation of an assistantship may result in termination of the student's subsidized health insurance. Employment may be terminated at any time if a graduate assistant's performance is unsatisfactory.