Last verified: 26 October 2026 · For fall 2027 entry
Many Nigerian and Ghanaian students believe a master’s degree in the United States is only for people with rich parents. It is not always true. Thousands of international graduate students in the US pay little or no tuition because they hold a graduate assistantship: a part-time job with the university that comes with a tuition waiver, a monthly stipend, or both.
This guide explains, from official university and US government pages, what an assistantship really pays, what it does not cover, the visa work rules, and the step-by-step way to find one for fall 2027. If you are aiming for a funded master’s, the work starts now, because US departments make many funding decisions together with admission.
Graduate assistantships in the USA (fall 2027)
| What it is | A paid, part-time university job (teaching, research or office work) for graduate students |
|---|---|
| Who pays | The US university or department, sometimes from a professor’s research grant |
| Level | Master’s and PhD. EducationUSA says assistantships are “very common at the PhD level”; for master’s they exist but are fewer |
| Typical package | Tuition waiver (full or partial) + monthly stipend, often for about 20 hours of work a week. Some include health insurance |
| Eligible | Admitted graduate students, including international students from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, subject to each university’s rules |
| Status | Evergreen guide · Apply with your fall 2027 application |
| Deadlines | Most departments decide funding with admission. Check each programme’s funding or priority deadline, often months before the final deadline |
Scam alertNo agent can sell you a US assistantship. Assistantships are offered only by the university or by a professor at that university, in writing, on official letterhead or through the university’s portal. If someone asks you to pay to “secure” a funded place, it is a scam. Read our 12 red flags.
In this guide
What a graduate assistantship is
A graduate assistantship is a job the university gives to a graduate student. You work part-time for a department, a professor or an office, and in return the university pays you. EducationUSA, the US State Department’s official advising network, describes it as working “as a graduate teaching or research assistant in exchange for a tuition waiver and/or a stipend.”
Two words matter here:
- Tuition waiver (also called tuition remission or fee waiver): the university cancels all or part of your tuition. You do not receive this money; you simply do not pay it.
- Stipend: the salary you are paid for the work, usually monthly, to cover rent, food and transport.
An assistantship is not a scholarship you write an essay for and wait. It is a job offer, so it comes with duties, a contract and a supervisor. That is also why it is one of the most realistic ways for a West African student to study in the US with little money.
The three types: TA, RA and GA
| Type | What you do | Usually funded by |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistant (TA or GTA) | Lead tutorials or labs, grade assignments, hold office hours, sometimes teach an introductory class | The department |
| Research Assistant (RA or GRA) | Work on a professor’s research project: experiments, data collection, analysis, writing | The professor’s research grant |
| Graduate Assistant (GA or administrative assistantship) | Work in a university office, such as admissions, student affairs, a library or the international office | The office that hires you |
Universities use slightly different names. Washington State University, for example, calls them Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants and Staff Assistants. The University of Alabama uses GTA, GRA and GA. Read each university’s own definitions.
What an assistantship pays: real figures
There is no national rate. Every university, and often every department, sets its own pay. Here are real figures from official university pages, so you can see the range:
| University (official page) | Master’s stipend | Tuition | In naira and cedis (about) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas (from 1 July 2026, 20 hrs/week) | $17,723 for 9 months; $23,631 for 12 months (minimum) | In-state tuition waived for up to 15 hours a semester; fees not covered | ₦23.6 million / GH₵218,000 for 9 months |
| Missouri State University (2026–27, full-time GA) | $10,096 to $16,356 for the academic year, depending on level | Basic tuition waived “regardless of student residency”; some fees not covered | ₦13.4–21.8 million / GH₵124,000–201,000 |
| Washington State University (half-time, 20 hrs/week) | Set by a step scale (no single figure published on the main page) | Full tuition waiver; international students get an out-of-state waiver | — |
| University of Alabama | Departmental minimums set by the university | Up to 15 hours of tuition or actual tuition, plus single health insurance | — |
Exchange rates are approximate: about ₦1,330 and GH₵12.3 to one US dollar in October 2026. PhD stipends are usually higher than master’s stipends; at Arkansas, the doctoral minimum is $21,163 for 9 months.
De Auditor’s tip
When a department offers you an assistantship, ask for the offer in writing and check four things: the stipend per month, how many credit hours the tuition waiver covers, which fees you still pay, and whether health insurance is included. Then compare it with the university’s own cost of living estimate on the I-20 budget page.
Is it really “fully funded”?
Sometimes yes, often almost. A full assistantship usually removes the biggest cost, tuition, and gives you enough stipend to live modestly. But read the details, because the official pages show common gaps:
- Fees are often separate. Arkansas says fees, books and housing are the student’s responsibility. Missouri State’s waiver does not cover differential tuition, course fees, health insurance or books.
- The waiver may depend on your appointment. At Washington State, a 20-hour appointment gives a full waiver; a 10-hour appointment gives half.
- Health insurance is included at some universities (Alabama includes single coverage) and not at others.
- Summer may not be paid. Many stipends cover 9 months only.
- Funding can depend on performance. Assistantships are usually renewed each semester or year if you keep your grades and do your job well.
So the honest phrase is “funded”, and you decide if it is fully funded after you add up your real costs. Our Scholarship Calendar lists external awards that can fill the gap.
Master’s vs PhD: the honest picture
EducationUSA says assistantships are “very common at the PhD level.” Many US PhD programmes fund almost every student they admit, with a tuition waiver and a stipend for several years. Master’s programmes are different: many are designed for self-funded students, and assistantships, where they exist, are fewer and more competitive.
That does not mean a funded master’s is impossible. Master’s students are clearly eligible at universities such as Arkansas (up to six semesters of support) and Missouri State. Your chances are better when:
- You apply to public universities in lower-cost areas, which EducationUSA also recommends: the South, the Midwest and rural areas.
- You choose a thesis-based master’s (MS or MA with research), where professors need research help.
- Your field has many undergraduate classes to teach, such as mathematics, statistics, chemistry, physics, computer science, engineering, English and languages.
- You contact professors directly before or while you apply. EducationUSA notes that faculty play “an important role in identifying and choosing grant and funding recipients.”
Some students also start a funded PhD straight after a bachelor’s degree, which is common in the US and earns a master’s along the way in many programmes.
Visa work rules for F-1 students
Most international graduate students study on an F-1 visa. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which runs the student visa system, sets these rules for on-campus work:
- You may work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session. If you hold more than one campus job, the total still cannot pass 20 hours.
- You may work full-time during official breaks and the annual vacation.
- You may start working up to 30 days before your programme begins.
- You must work with your school’s Designated School Official (DSO) to confirm the job counts as on-campus employment, and inform the DSO before you start.
This is why most assistantships are half-time, about 20 hours a week. Your assistantship letter is also important for your visa: the university uses your funding to complete your I-20, and the consular officer will want to see how you will pay for the full cost of study.
English requirement for teaching assistants
Getting admitted is one test; being allowed to teach is another. Many US universities require international TAs to prove spoken English before they can teach, and some apply this even to students from English-speaking countries.
The University of Connecticut is a clear example. Its policy says TAs “must pass an oral English proficiency test regardless of citizenship or visa status.” A TOEFL iBT speaking score of 27 or an IELTS speaking band of 8.0 certifies you; lower scores (TOEFL 22–26, IELTS 7.0–7.5) mean you take a microteaching test. Arkansas and Alabama also have English or training requirements for international teaching assistants.
So if you want a TA position, aim for a strong speaking score, not just a passing overall score. Our English test guide compares IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo, and explains waivers for admission.
How to find and win an assistantship, step by step
- Shortlist 8 to 12 programmes that fit your degree. Prefer public universities and thesis-based master’s programmes in lower-cost states.
- Read each department’s funding page. Search the department website for “assistantship”, “funding” or “financial support”. Note whether master’s students are funded, and whether there is a funding or priority deadline.
- Find two or three professors whose research matches your interests. Read one of their recent papers.
- Email each professor a short, specific message: who you are, your degree and result, the paper you read, how your skills fit their work, and a polite question about whether they expect to take on a funded master’s student for fall 2027. Attach your CV.
- Apply before the funding deadline, and tick any box on the application that asks to be considered for assistantships. Some departments ask for a separate assistantship form.
- Make your documents strong: a focused statement of purpose, a clean academic CV and recommendation letters that mention your teaching, tutoring or research experience.
- Check the university’s job board. Administrative GA posts in offices are often advertised separately on the graduate school or student jobs site, sometimes after admission.
- Get the offer in writing before you pay any deposit or start your visa process.
Our guides help with each document: the statement of purpose, the academic CV and the recommendation letter.
De Auditor’s tip
In your email to a professor, keep it under 200 words and name one specific paper or project of theirs. Professors get many copy-and-paste messages that start with “Dear Sir” and say “I am interested in your research.” One real sentence about their work makes you stand out.
Costs you still pay
| Cost | Official amount | In naira and cedis (about) |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate application fee | Set by each university; some offer waivers, so ask | Varies |
| I-901 SEVIS fee (F-1 students) | $350 | ₦465,500 / GH₵4,300 |
| US visa application fee | Check the US Embassy in Nigeria or Ghana visa page for the current amount | — |
| English test (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo) | Set by the test provider | Varies |
| Flight, first month’s rent, deposit | Not covered by most assistantships | Plan ahead |
Remember that your stipend usually arrives at the end of your first working month, so budget for your first four to six weeks in the US.
De Auditor’s note
James Christian Unya, founder of Scholarship Auditor
Assistantship na job, no be dash. The professor wey give you RA dey look for person wey go work, no be person wey sabi beg. So show am wetin you fit do: the project you don do, the tutoring you don run, the data you sabi analyse.
Start early, email the right professors with real sentences, and no let anybody collect money from you to “arrange” funding. The real offer go come from the university itself.
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Frequently asked questions
Can Nigerian and Ghanaian students get graduate assistantships in the USA?
Yes. Assistantships are open to admitted international graduate students, subject to each university’s rules, including English requirements for teaching roles.
Does an assistantship cover full tuition?
Often, but not always. Many half-time (20 hours a week) assistantships include a full tuition waiver. Some cover only part of tuition, and most do not cover all fees, books or housing.
How much is a graduate assistantship stipend?
It depends on the university and department. Official 2026–27 examples include a master’s minimum of $17,723 for 9 months at the University of Arkansas and $10,096 to $16,356 for the academic year at Missouri State University.
Are assistantships available for master’s students or only PhD?
Both, but they are much more common for PhD students. For a master’s, target thesis-based programmes and public universities, and contact professors early.
How many hours can I work on an F-1 visa?
Up to 20 hours a week on campus while school is in session, and full-time during official breaks, according to ICE.
Do I apply for an assistantship separately?
Sometimes. Many departments consider you automatically when you apply for admission; others have a separate form or advertise positions on the university job site. Read each department’s funding page and ask the graduate coordinator.
Sources and verification
Checked on 26 October 2026 against official pages: EducationUSA Finance your graduate studies; ICE F-1 employment and I-901 SEVIS fee; University of Arkansas Graduate School cost and funding; Missouri State University fee waiver and stipend; Washington State University graduate assistantships; University of Alabama paying for graduate school; and UConn English proficiency policy for TAs. Universities are examples, not endorsements. Exchange rates are approximate. Read how we check scholarships.
See all our USA scholarships.
Yes, It is me. I’m the De Auditor
James, known as the De Auditor, is the founder and editor of Scholarship Auditor and the Founder and Group CEO of De Auditor Group Ltd, based in Benin City, Nigeria. He checks every scholarship against the provider’s official website before it is published, and corrects posts when providers change their rules. Contact: info@scholarshipauditor.com