- Graduate Teaching Assistantships
- Fellowships
- Summer Support
- Information for International Students
- GTA Pay Scale
For more information, please contact our graduate chair at .
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
About 80 graduate students are funded through Graduate Teaching Assistantships. For the 2023-2024 academic year, first-year graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) will have stipends of $18,000 for the nine-month academic term. GTAships include full-tuition remission and subsidized health benefits. The department also has numerous fellowships available for new and continuing students. In addition, summer support, in the amount of $3,500-5,200, is often available.
Taking into account the relative low cost of living in Lincoln (check out this cost of living calculator to compare Lincoln with other cities in the US), our financial package is very competitive. Duties as a GTA hired at the $18,000 level will include service in four class periods per week and the attendant grading, preparation and office hours for an expected time commitment of 13-15 hours per week.
Fellowships
The department has fellowships that supplement a GTA stipend. All students that apply for admission in our program are automatically considered for these fellowships.
The Department of Mathematics has several university fellowships that supplement GTAships. In particular, the department awards Othmer Fellowships to top students entering each Fall. Othmer fellowships pay $4000 to $8,000 in addition to the GTA stipend for each of three years of graduate study. Students with Othmer Fellowships are still eligible for summer support.
Continuing graduate students may apply for other fellowships in a university-wide fellowships competition each spring.
Summer Support
Summer support for graduate students is often available and pays between $3,500 and $5,200, depending on the precise assignment.
Information for International Students
Financial aid for first-year international students is primarily in the form of graduate teaching assistantships. English language ability is an extremely important factor in awarding these assistantships. To be considered for a GTA, a non-native speaker must score at least: 600 on the paper-based TOEFL; 250 on the computer-based version of the TOEFL; or 100 on the internet TOEFL or an IELTS score of 7.5. Students for whom English is the second language must participate in UNL's Institute for International Teaching Assistants and pass a panel review of their preparedness to teach in English. Students who do not pass the panel review are assigned grading duties and will be paid $12,100 for the academic year.
GTA Pay Scale
Students for whom English is the second language must participate in UNL's Institute for International Teaching Assistants and pass a panel review of their preparedness to teach in English. Students who do not pass the panel review are assigned grading duties.
| Year | Base Pay (Aug.-May) | Typical Duties |
|---|---|---|
| First year | $18,000 | 4 credit hours fall semester; 4 credit hours spring semester |
| Second year | $18,000 | 6 credit hours fall semester; 3 credit hours spring semester |
| Third year | $19,200 | 6 credit hours fall semester; 3 credit hours spring semester |
| Fourth year | $19,700 | 6 credit hours fall semester; 3 credit hours spring semester |
| Fifth year and beyond | $20,000 | 6 credit hours fall semester; 3 credit hours spring semester |
- 4 credit hours represents 13-15 hours per week average contact commitment
- 6 credit hours represents 20 hours per week average contact commitment
- Academic Year Appointment (the amounts listed in the table above).
- Possible Summer Appointment (typical appointments are $3,500-$5,200). Graduate students are encouraged to look for internships and other summer opportunities. While summer appointments are not guaranteed, the department has been able to offer summer appointments to almost all interested graduate students over the last decade.
- Tuition Waiver - All students with a 0.33 FTE or greater appointment receive a tuition waiver for up to 12 hours per semester and an additional 6 - 12 hours in the summer. (Students do have to pay fees of about $850 per semester.)
- Benefits - All GTAs receive health benefits. Students are required to pay approximately 21% of the premium which is approximately $760 annually for 2022-2023.
Total GTA compensation is a combination of
In considering a GTA offer, a potential student should look at the total benefits and the time commitment to assess the value of one offer in comparison with another offer. Additionally, cost of living, which is quite low in Lincoln, Nebraska, is an important consideration when comparing offers. To compare Lincoln with other cities in the US, check out this cost of living calculator.