Q. What are the minimum requirements to be considered for a graduate assistantship?
A. The CSU Graduate College has established the following minimum criteria:
1. Graduate assistants must be admitted with degree-seeking status
2. Full time (20 hour per week) graduate assistants must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 graduate credits per semester. Part-time student/part-time GA (10 hours per week/partial funding) GA positions must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 graduate credits per semester.
3. Graduate assistants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 (if applying with no earned graduate level credits), or maintain a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00.
Q. What do I need to submit for a complete GA application to the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs?
A. A complete GA application consists of 1) the online GA application, 2) a current resume or curriculum vitae, 3) and a writing sample. The resume/CV and the writing sample must be submitted in PDF format. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Application materials submitted in formats other than PDF will not be considered.
Q. My GRE was waived. Can I still be considered for a graduate assistantship position?
A. The GRE is not required for GA consideration and applicants are reviewed on the basis of materials submitted.
Q. Can I apply in-person?
A. At this time, we only accept an electronic application, which is accessible here.
Q. What are the guidelines for the writing sample?
A. We accept the following as writing samples: 1) previously written academic paper for an undergraduate or graduate course, 2) professional writing sample provided that you are the primary author, or 3) a newly created writing sample demonstrating your writing skills.
Q. What is the length of the writing sample?
A. Typically 5-10 pages, and not to exceed 15 pages.
Q. By submitting the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs GA application, am I considered for other GA positions within the University?
A. No. Other departments and academic units have a separate GA application process. Many units on campus post GA position openings on Handshake, and students are encouraged to view and apply for these positions.
Q. How long is my application valid?
A. Applications are valid for one academic year, which will begin in a fall semester. If you are not selected for a GA position in the fall, your application will be considered for any openings during the following spring term. Applicants are always welcome to submit updated versions of their resume/CV. For this reason, we do not notify applicants who were not selected for a GA position.
Q. What does “priority deadline” mean? Will I still be considered if I apply after the priority deadline?
A. The priority application deadline each year is February 15th. This means that we give priority to GA applicants who meet the following criteria: 1) are admitted as degree-seeking students into an Urban Affairs graduate program by February 15th, and 2) have submitted all GA application materials to the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs by February 15th. To be considered for a Ph.D. graduate assistantship, doctoral candidates should submit their GA application by January 31st.
If you miss the priority deadline, you are still encouraged to apply for a GA position. The Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs typically has additional GA positions that become available throughout the academic year and are filled much closer to the start of the fall semester or during the year.
Q. Are GA positions only considered and filled in the fall semester?
A. No. We do have positions become available in the spring semester. However, the largest number of positions and the most funding is available prior to the fall semester.
Q. Will I be notified if I am not selected?
A. No. The reason is that applicants who are not selected immediately after the priority deadline are still considered for other GA positions. We not only fill GA vacancies in the fall semester, but also have some openings that become available for the start of the spring semester.
Q. How competitive is the GA application process?
A. Funding has become increasingly limited, which results in fewer GA opportunities; this makes for a highly competitive selection process. When reviewing an applicant’s submitted materials, we consider academic and professional background, attempting to align interests and qualifications with appropriate faculty and staff supervisors.