Support for tuition costs is provided to Graduate Teaching and Research Assistants (GTAs and GRAs) in PhD programs and our three terminal Master’s programs (Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Fine Arts). For students with a GTA or GRA appointment at 20 hours per week (50% effort), tuition support covers 100% of tuition costs and mandatory fees, up to the enrollment requirement for GTA and GRA positions published in the University Catalog. This enrollment requirement is 9 credit hours in fall and spring semesters, and 3 credit hours in the summer. The required enrollment in fall and spring is reduced to 6 credit hours for students who have passed the Comprehensive Examination, and to 3 credit hours for those in their final semester completing their dissertation. Students must be in good academic standing to be appointed to a GTA or GRA position, and they must have demonstrated English language proficiency to be appointed to a GTA position, unless a temporary exception is approved.
Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about Graduate Tuition Support and Graduate Student Health Insurance SupportTuition support covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for enrollment up to the number of credit hours required under the Graduate Assistantship Policy in the University Catalog. Students who enroll for credit hours above this requirement will have to pay tuition and fees for the additional hours. The fees defined as “mandatory” are explained at Student Accounts under the section for “Tuition and Mandatory Fees.”
Fees not covered by tuition support include parking, course fees charged for field trips, private music instruction, class fees for distance education, and others.
Because tuition support covers only tuition for required enrollment and mandatory fees, it does not cover any other charges that students must pay. Those charges will be billed. The fees that are covered are listed on this page, and may be seen by clicking on “Tuition and Mandatory Fees." Other fees that students must pay, but which are not covered by tuition support, may be seen from this web page by clicking on “Other Fees” and “Course and Class Fees."
Students must meet other requirements described in the Graduate Assistantship Policy in the University Catalog. These conditions include admission status, acceptable English proficiency for GTAs, good academic standing (GPA greater then 3.0, not on academic probation), satisfactory academic progress in their degree program, and satisfactory performance in the GTA or GRA role for continued appointment in that role.
Students must also enroll for the course load required under the policy. In most cases, this requirement is nine credit hours in fall and spring semesters and three credit hours in the summer. The nine-hour minimum registration limit may be reduced to six credit hours for PhD students who have passed the Comprehensive Examination. Ph.D. students who complete a minimum of nine hours of dissertation research (in 6399, 6699, 6999 and/or 7399 courses) prior to graduation can meet the minimum enrollment requirements during the term they intend to defend and graduate by enrolling in a 7399 course.
Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about UTA’s graduate health insurance support policy.
To receive health insurance support, you must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program or one of the following terminal master’s programs: Master of Fine Arts, Master of Architecture, or Master of Landscape Architecture. Students enrolled in other master’s programs do not qualify for health insurance support.
The qualifying positions are 20-hour per week (50% effort) salaried graduate teaching assistant (GTA), and graduate research assistant (GRA). Graduate assistants who are paid hourly do not qualify for health insurance support. Other student employment positions do not qualify for health insurance support.
Students must meet other requirements described in the Graduate Assistantship Policy in the University Catalog. These conditions include admission status, acceptable English proficiency for GTAs, good academic standing, satisfactory academic progress in their degree program, and satisfactory performance in the GTA or GRA role for continued appointment in that role.
Students must also enroll for the course load required under the policy. In most cases, this requirement is nine credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters and six credit hours in the Summer. The nine-hour minimum registration limit may be reduced to six credit hours for students who have completed the Comprehensive Examination.
Ph.D. students who complete a minimum of nine hours of dissertation research (in 6399, 6699, 6999 and/or 7399 courses) prior to graduation can meet the minimum enrollment requirements during the term they intend to defend and graduate by enrolling in a 7399 course.
Yes, health insurance support will be provided to students during the semester in which the approved exception is applicable.
Both international and U.S. students are eligible for health insurance support on the same basis.
UTA supports coverage under the University of Texas Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP). The insurance plan, Academic Blue, is underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, and managed by our partner, Academic Health Plans. Only basic individual coverage is supported by UTA. Coverage for dependents and dental coverage are optional. You may enroll in these options, but you will have to pay for them.
Eligible PhD and terminal master’s students will be automatically enrolled for single subscriber medical coverage at no cost to the student. This enrollment is processed by the Graduate School during the appointment to a qualifying GTA or GRA position.
If you are still an eligible PhD or terminal master’s student and are being reappointed to a qualifying GTA or GRA position, your coverage under UT SHIP will be renewed as the Graduate School processes your reappointment. Because this reappointment process takes time, it is possible that your coverage will appear to have lapsed. Once the reappointment is completed, coverage will backdate to be continuous with your previous coverage from the prior semester. Claims for expenses during the reappointment process will be honored by our insurance provider as permitted under the UT SHIP policy, though healthcare providers may have to resubmit such claims.
If you need healthcare services or have incurred expenses for healthcare during the reappointment process, the Graduate School is able to do an emergency enrollment and provide a coverage letter to be shown to healthcare providers to verify coverage. Usually, this emergency process is completed in 24-48 hours. The Graduate School can work with our insurance provider to ensure that costs incurred are reimbursed as permitted by the UT SHIP policy. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School (grover@uta.edu) or the Executive Assistant (andrea.thomas2@uta.edu), for assistance.
To enroll dependents or add dental coverage, you will go to the UT SHIP enrollment site and click on the section labeled ”Funded Graduate Student Employees (PhD and Terminal Masters)”. The two options of dependent or dental coverage will then be available. If you select these options, you will have to pay for the coverage. UTA will only pay for your individual coverage. Enrolling in optional coverages is available only during the enrollment period.
UTA only offers GTAs and GRAs that qualify 2 health insurance plan options: the employee health insurance plan and or the student health insurance plan. Please see the two options below. UTA does not offer any other health insurance plans except the employee and student Health Insurance plans listed below.
Coverages of the student and employee plans differ in some respects, we encourage you to compare both plan and select the plan that is best for your medical and financial needs. Please note that for most students, accepting enrollment in UT-SHIP will be less expensive and provide adequate coverage.
You may apply for a waiver at the enrollment site for UT-SHIP. The link to apply for a waiver is at the bottom of the page. Or you may navigate to the waiver page.
International students must show evidence that the alternative plan they have provides all the coverages required under U.S. law for their immigration status. These requirements are described on the waiver web page. Students who wish to opt out of UT SHIP coverage will have 31 days from hire to opt out and will be responsible for notifying their college by providing proof of non-university medical coverage and a waiver form.
U.S. students may also waive enrollment in UT-SHIP coverage. It is important to do so during the enrollment period for the academic term involved during which the GTA or GRA appointment is held. After 31 days has passed from being hired, waiving coverage is no longer possible.
If you want to accept the benefit of having UTA pay for your individual UT-SHIP coverage, you may cancel your waiver after being auto enrolled as a funded graduate student. To do so, use the enrollment site, and click on “chat” to contact AHP and request to cancel your waiver. You will need to provide the waiver number when doing so. If you are reversing a waiver, please also send your name to Ms. Andrea Thomas (andrea.thomas2@uta.edu) and Dr. Jim Grover (grover@uta.edu). We will make a list of those canceling prior waivers to make sure that coverage is provided as intended. If you have obtained coverage from other providers, you will have to contact them to cancel your alternative coverage.
Students are auto enrolled in UT SHIP health insurance at UTA’s cost when their appointments to a qualified GTA or GRA position are verified and processed. It can take several days for this process to complete, and before it finishes, some students may receive charges because they are enrolled under another status (such as international student). Any students who overpay because of such a situation will receive a refund. Please report any problems or direct any questions to Dr. Jim Grover, Dean of the Graduate School (grover@uta.edu).
This Fall semester, we will be running a new business process to pay for single subscriber medical coverage directly from the university. Although it is our intention that students should not pay, it is possible that charges for this coverage will be added to student accounts. We will be watching for these cases and removing such charges. Any students who overpay will receive a refund. Please report any problems or direct any questions to Dr. Jim Grover, Dean of the Graduate School (grover@uta.edu).
You should apply for the program following the procedures described on the Graduate Admissions webpage. You should also talk to the Graduate Advisor for the Ph.D. program that you are applying to and tell them that you want to be considered for a GTA or GRA position. Each program has its own process for considering such requests. It is also important to discuss your interest in doctoral studies with the graduate advisor and other program faculty. Your application is usually strengthened when they know about your research interests and your other academic and professional interests.
Since the availability of assistantships depends on the specific needs of the program and available funding, those interested in obtaining an assistantship should contact their department or program for information about availability and application procedures.
The Graduate School lists funding opportunities supported by UTA and several that are externally sponsored on our funding resources page.