Employment, Fellowships & Insurance


Changes were made to graduate student insurance effective Fall 2021. Learn more here. This page has been updated to reflect new information in Fall 2021. 

Graduate Research Assistants

  • Your employment supervisor is your research advisor
  • You are paid one month behind for work performed (you get paid on October 1 for work performed in the month of September)
  • Part-time GRAs (20-hours per week) are eligible for free medical insurance and premium sharing dollars to cover vision, dental and AD&D insurance. Learn more about options.
  • As an employee, you are eligible for a non-resident tuition waiver. If you are not a resident of Texas, you must request the waiver every semester. 
  • Your resident tuition is funded 100% by your research advisor
  • GRAs should contact their lab's research administrator for questions about their employment and benefits

Teaching Assistants

  • Your employment supervisor is the instructor of the course to which you are assigned
  • You are paid one month behind for work performed (you get paid on October 1 for work performed in the month of September)
  • Part-time TAs (20-hours per week) are eligible for free medical insurance and premium sharing dollars to cover vision, dental and AD&D insurance. Learn more about options.
  • As an employee, you are eligible for a non-resident tuition waiver. If you are not a resident of Texas, you must request the waiver every semester. 
  • Your resident tuition is funded 100% by the Office of the Provost
  • TAs should contact the graduate coordinator for questions about their employment and benefits

Fellows - 100% funded by stipend fellowship

This section applies to students on stipend fellowships from the Cockrell School of Engineering, the Graduate School, and those external fellowships that are administrated by the Graduate School or departments, such as NSF and NIH F31.

  • You are typically paid one month in advance (you get paid on September 1 for living expenses in the month of September)
  • Fellows have options for purchasing health insurance  
  • Fellows should contact the graduate coordinator for questions about their fellowships

Gap Insurance

Beginning in Fall 2021, both Academic Blue and UT Select insurance policies will be on the same plan year timeline (9/1 to 8/31). Gap insurance will no longer be needed for students moving between fellowship and employment.Â