Appointment Process

Once you have been offered a graduate assistantship position by a Missouri State department or office, you must complete the following steps to finalize your position.

1. Review the letter of offer This letter confirms the graduate assistant position offer and includes the time frame of your appointment and other pertinent information. If you decide not to accept the position, please notify the Graduate College.
2. Sign and return the Employment Appointment Form Review your address information, the appointment and stipend details, and then sign and return to the Graduate College to officially accept your appointment.
3. Complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form Completion of the I-9 Form requires you to present documentation to your hiring department that establishes both identity and employment eligibility. Section 1 must be completed between the day the offer of employment is made and the end of the first day of employment.
4. Fill out your W-4 and authorization form for direct deposit of payroll These two forms can be completed at your hiring department or office. Graduate assistants are required to participate in direct deposit.

Failure to complete the above steps within the noted timeframe may lead to cancellation of the offer and/or delay of your first paycheck.

Foreign national employees

Foreign nationals cannot legally begin working until they have been cleared by international payroll. If you are a first-time GA and you have not previously been a student employee on campus, contact the international payroll office for a password to access the new online Foreign National Information form. Once you have completed the form, an appointment will be scheduled to complete the W-4, I-9, direct deposit form and any other appropriate tax forms.

If you are not cleared prior to your original start date, that date will be modified to match the date you received clearance, and your stipend will be prorated accordingly.

If you are a new GA and have previously been employed on campus as a student employee, email international payroll to inform them that you are now a GA and to see if you need to update any of your paperwork.

Length of appointment

Appointments as a graduate assistant are for one semster or one school year; students must be reappointed to continue as a graduate assistant. You may hold your assistantship for a maximum of two years, including fall, spring and summer. If you are admitted to only a certificate program, you may hold an assistantship for two semesters.

You can be eligible for a third year of assistantship support if you have graduated with a master’s degree and have been admitted to a second master’s degree or a graduate certificate program. Also, you are eligible for a third year of assistantship support if you are in a doctoral program or the MFA.