Graduate Assistants

1. A Graduate Assistant (GA) is an individual who serves in a support role while completing his/her graduate studies at AU.
2. For each graduate program offered by AU, the University provides financial support to GA’s in terms of partial or full tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend in some cases. A GA must be enrolled as a full-time student at the University for the duration of their assignments in a graduate program.
3. The GA shall work in the University as a full-time graduate student without any other part-time or full-time job, within or outside University.
4. It is a responsibility of the Head of Department and/or supervisor to make sure that the GA’s are fully aware of all related policies and procedures and abide them.
5. The AU may offer graduate students the following two types of assistantships:
   1. Sponsored Graduate Research Assistant (SGRA)
   2. Sponsored Graduate Teaching Assistant (SGTA)

Sponsored Graduate Research Assistant (SGRA)

1. The sponsored graduate research assistantship is awarded on a competitive basis.
2. The maximum duration of sponsored graduate research assistanceship is 2 years.
3. The research graduate assistantship will be provided during Fall and Spring semester only. A prior permission is required from the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, if the SG-RA work as part time RA during the summer semester.
4. The following table summarises the SGRA’s categories and related requirements:
   

   Thesis is Required as part of Degree Completion Requirement	SG-RA Category	Credit Hours Supported by AU	SG-RA Working Hours / week as a part-time RA	Monthly Stipend (AED)	Minimum CGPA Requirements	Registered Credit Hours
   Yes	Full SGRA	9	20	4,000	3.5	9
   Yes	2/3 SGRA	6	15	3,000	3.0	9
   Yes	1/2 SGRA	4.5	10	2,000	3.0	9
   No	1/3 SGRA	3	5	0	3.0	12

5. For full SGRA, the research supervisor must certify the performance of SGRA as a part time research assistant as Good or higher. For other categories of SGRA, the research supervisor must certify the performance of SGRA as part time research assistant at least satisfactory.

6. Financial support for their research projects (GSG), as recommended by the College Research Committees, and approved by DGSR can also be provided.