Graduate Assistantships
Students applying to graduate specializations in the department of English have three options for pursuing financial aid.
Priority Deadline: The application deadline for graduate assistantships is Feb. 1, 2024; however, applications will be considered on a continuing basis through May 15, 2024. International applicants must apply by the Feb. 1 deadline.
After the priority deadline, applications for graduate assistantships may be considered by the department on a rolling basis.
English Department GAs usually teach composition and work in the Writing Center.
Graduate Assistantships are for the nine-month academic year and provide both a modest stipend and a waiver of tuition, including one summer semester. Assistants must take two graduate-level classes each semester. The teaching load is usually one course in one semester and two courses in the other, with some work in the Writing Center during the semester in which a GA is teaching only one course.
The SIUE Graduate School website has more information on Graduate Assistantships, including course load requirements and detailed financial information. Note that, as with the Competitive Graduate Award, only graduate-level classes (those at the 400 or 500 level) count toward meeting the minimum courseload requirement for Graduate Assistantships, which is two classes (six credit hours) per term. Excellent English language skills are a requirement of the position. Graduate students from outside the United States are welcome to apply.
Students applying simultaneously to the English Graduate Program and for a Graduate Assistantship must submit TWO SEPARATE application dossiers: one for the Graduate Program, and a separate one for the Graduate Assistantship. As explained in more detail on the instructions and application form, the GA application dossier is a completely separate process than the admission process and requires separate documents and submission.
Competitive Graduate Award (CGA)
Deadline: January 15th
The Competitive Graduate Award, or CGA, is awarded to approximately 19 SIUE graduate students per year. For current terms of the award and information on the application procedure, visit the graduate school's site.
Other SIUE Assistantship Opportunities
Other SIUE departments and/or faculty occasionally have assistantship opportunities that are ideal for students in our department. To learn about these opportunities, visit the Graduate School's assistantship page.
