Graduate Assistantships

Please note: General information about assistantships at USM can also be found on the USM Office of Graduate Studies web site. If you have questions, contact Rebecca Silverman, rsilverman@usm.maine.edu, (207) 780-4877.

For Students

Applying for a Graduate or Research Assistantship

1. All accepted and continuing admitted Muskie School master's students are emailed information and an application for graduate and research assistantships in February. Specific assistantship opportunities are not detailed in the letter.

Interested students should fill out the Muskie School Scholarship and Assistantship Application and Information form and email it with the appropriate support documents listed on the form to the Muskie School's Student Affairs Office. The 2013-2014 academic year application deadline is Friday, March 1, 2013.

• Download the Muskie School Scholarship and Assistantship Application and Information form

If you have applied for admissions, you may apply for an assistantship, but you cannot receive the award until you are a formally admitted and matriculated, so it is helpful to submit applications by the priority deadline or earlier. Remember: it can take several months to process your application completely.

2. After February, applications will be reviewed by the Scholarships and Awards Committee, including representatives from the Muskie School's Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy and other major research projects.
3. Applicants will be notified as soon as the Committee formalizes decisions, generally in late April.

After Receiving an Assistantship

1. The student and the USM Office of Graduate Studies need to fill out a "Recommendation for Graduate Assistant Appointment" in consultation with the assistantship supervisor. This should be done at least one month in advance of the position start date.

Please note:

1. USM Financial Aid must be consulted if you are considering a tuition waiver, as this may reduce the amount of the loan you can borrow.
2. An out-of-state student using a tuition waiver who qualifies for the in-state rate policies should check with the USM Office of Graduate Studies for the details of their award.
3. Some Research Assistantship positions may not carry tuition credit waivers.
1. USM Graduate Studies mails the student an employment eligibility verification packet. This must be filled out and returned before the first day of work.

For Researchers

Process for Developing Research Assistantships

1. When project staff identify funding for an assistantship within their project, the position description form should be filled out and sent to the chair of the Scholarships and Awards Committee and the director of the Cutler Institute. The information provided will indicate whether or not this assistantship opportunity should be a part of the formal assistantship application process in the spring or requires a separate recruitment process.
2. Assistantship supervisors should read the Summary of Responsibilities on the USM Office of Graduate Studies graduate assistantships information page for faculty and staff.