Assistantships

 

Support through Assistantships

The department offers several forms of financial assistance for graduate students. Most commonly, students earn a stipend by working as a teaching assistant or research assistant. The low cost of living in Lubbock makes these compensation packages especially attractive. Additionally, many students receive departmental scholarships to supplement their income. Our most competitive applicants may also receive fellowships from the Graduate School.

Teaching Assistant

Most incoming graduate students will be offered a position as a teaching assistant. A nine-month part-time position carries a stipend of $2,015/month or more depending on merit and the student's highest attained degree. Summer support is available on a competitive basis. Duties include teaching introductory physics or astronomy laboratories several times per week, grading, and holding office hours. International students must pass the International TA Workshop in order to be supported as a teaching assistant.

Research Assistant

A student wishing to enter the physics graduate program with support as a research assistant should contact the faculty member with whom they would like to work. In extraordinary circumstances, the student and faculty member may agree that the incoming student will be supported as an RA. Generally, RA support is not offered before a student has made a commitment to perform research under the advisement of a particular faculty member and passed the preliminary exam. The stipends for research assistantships are comparable to those of TAs but generally involve a 12-month appointment.