Graduate Student Employees

If you’re a graduate or professional student who is employed by Texas A&M University, you’ve come to the right place! Find comprehensive employment and benefit information — and where to find help if you need it — below.  

Your Point of Contact

The Graduate Employment Coordinator serves as a liaison between departments and a resource for graduate student employees. We understand these topics can be sensitive and complicated, and we are here to answer any questions you might have!  

Requirements for GA Positions

There are four types of graduate assistantship (GA) positions available to Aggies: Teaching (GAT), Research (GAR), Lecturer (GAL) and Non-Teaching Activities (GANT).

Students serving in the four aforementioned GA titles are eligible for insurance benefits. Non-resident students employed in these GA positions may also qualify to pay tuition and fees at the in-state rate. 

Graduate students holding assistantships must meet the GA registration requirements by the census date. Texas A&M University does not mandate assistantships be terminated upon failure to maintain GA enrollment requirements after the census date. However, assistantships may be terminated by the employer/supervisor upon failure to maintain enrollment requirements after the census date.

For more details on graduate assistantship requirements, you can also visit our Graduate Assistant Employee Requirements/Benefits Comparison page, the Texas A&M Graduate Catalog, or your program handbook. Or you may contact your department head, chair of the intercollegiate faculty or your graduate advisor.

The Grad Student Health Plan, an HMO with low out-of-pocket costs, is exclusively available to benefit-eligible title codes, including Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT), Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching (GANT), Graduate Assistant Research (GAR), Graduate Assistant Lecturer (GAL) and eligible dependents of students employed in the aforementioned titles. Eligibility for the university's employee group insurance benefits depends on the job title, the length of employment period and scheduled weekly hours.

The Grad Student Health Plan is administered by Academic Health Plans (AHP) and underwritten by BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of Texas. Prescription drug coverage is included with enrollment with Prime Therapeutics. Dental & vision are also offered with Delta Care USA  & Superior Vision.

Benefits for Graduate Fellows

There are a variety of Graduate Student Fellow benefit opportunities at Texas A&M that might include health insurance and reimbursement. Each fellowship has different stipulations, and the award letter provides the information necessary to make the determination.

Health insurance reimbursement receipts for students receiving TAMU fellowships administered by the Graduate and Professional School should be submitted to grad-award-admin@tamu.edu. Reimbursement may be requested monthly or for the entire year, if paid in full. All insurance reimbursements must be submitted by August 31 of the current academic year. Insurance reimbursements are processed by the Graduate and Professional School typically within 1 to 3 business days. Once processed, the student receives a confirmation email, and the reimbursement will post to the student’s account in 5 to 10 business days.

Graduate student fellows who are currently receiving a stipend from one or more graduate student fellowships awarded on a competitive basis that, either singly or in combination, are valued at not less than $10,000 per year are eligible to participate in the Texas A&M University System insurance programs. 

Transitioning to/from a fellowship to/from an assistantship?

The existing guidelines for graduate students transitioning to/from a fellowship and assistantship serve to increase the awareness and understanding of the impacts on benefits to minimize unintended or unexpected outcomes. 

The Texas A&M University student population is composed of a diverse group of students that includes more than 6,000 international students from nearly 130 nations. To facilitate the Graduate and Professional School’s mission, we serve as an additional resource for international graduate student employment and health benefits.

Health Insurance

International students entering the United States on an F-1 or a J-1 student visa must be covered under the Texas A&M University System Student Health Insurance Plan (SSHIP) or have equivalent insurance coverage that meets the waiver criteria outlined on the Student Insurance Waiver. Many graduate students at Texas A&M hold assistantships or fellowships that include health insurance contributions or reimbursements for the Graduate Student Health Plan. Check with your department or the Graduate Employment Coordinator if your position has eligible benefits.  

Employment 

On- and off-campus employment is available through various sources to gain practical experience and earn extra funds. International Student and Scholar Services can provide you with the resources you need for these employments and regulations. The Graduate and Professional School can further advise with on-campus employment regarding additional working hours (during allowed terms), benefits and Workday best practices for those in graduate  assistantships. 

On-campus employment must be performed on the school's premises (including on-location commercial firms which provide services for students on campus, such as the school bookstore or cafeteria) and are available under the Department of Homeland Security Regulation 8 C.F.R. §214, paragraph (f)(9)(ii)(B) or (C).

International Temporary Work Location (ITWL) 

If you are an international graduate student needing to travel outside the U.S. for critical business and need to work remotely, you may be eligible for an International Temporary Work Location arrangement.