Graduate Research Assistantships

Graduate research assistantships (GRAs) allow graduate students to pursue a robust research focus while fulfilling academic requirements.

Graduate student working in a lab with purple gloves on.

What is a GRA?

In a GRA arrangement, a university professor hires a graduate student in good standing to conduct part-time research on a specific academic project related or unrelated to the student’s thesis/dissertation. Payment typically comes in the form of a stipend and tuition assistance from the College.

Applying for a GRA

GRA awards are based on an individual student's academic merit and research experience and/or potential. GRA offers are usually extended to incoming graduate students during the admissions and acceptance process into specific academic programs. Students interested in GRA funding should talk to professors who work in their research area of interest. Since most GRA offers come through specific departments (not through the College), prospective graduate students should explore research areas and associated faculty within their anticipated engineering department.