GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS

 

The Graduate Division Assistantship and Scholarship Programs at WNMU are intended to provide graduate students with a supplemental learning experience to enhance their graduate education program.

Graduate Division Assistantship

Final approval and terms and conditions of Graduate Division Assistantships, are made by the Director of the Graduate Division.  Graduate Students admitted as FINAL Admission students are eligible to apply for a Graduate Division Assistantship position.  Graduate Division Assistants normally enroll for 9 graduate credit hours.  They may not take more than 12 or fewer than 6 graduate credit hours each fall and spring semester; enrollment for only 6 graduate credit hours results in a reduced number of available work hours per week (see below.)  Enrollment in 6 graduate credit hours for the summer semester is required

The maximum number of hours a Graduate Assistant can work each week is 20.  The number of eligible work hours per week is based on the number of graduate credit hours taken.  A Graduate Assistant may work up to 7 hours per week if enrolled for 3 graduate credit hours; up to 13 hours per week if enrolled for 6 graduate credit hours; and up to a maximum of 20 hours per week if enrolled for 9 to 12 graduate credit hours.

Graduate Division Assistantships are offered in two categories:  (1) nine-month assistantships provide students the opportunity to work the fall and spring semesters, assuming that the student is enrolled in both semesters.  (2) twelve-month assistantships provide students the opportunity to work the fall, spring, and summer semesters, assuming that the student is enrolled in all semesters.  Please refer to the WNMU Catalog section “Graduate Assistantships” for current pay scale.

An out-of-state or international student who receives a Graduate Assistantship is also eligible for the in-state tuition rate.  All regulations applicable to U. S. citizens are also requirements for the international graduate assistant.  Additionally, an international graduate student may hold a graduate assistantship only if he or she holds an F-1 (student) visa,

A Graduate Division Assistantship may be terminated or altered if enrollment falls below 9 graduate credit hours during a fall or spring semester or 6 graduate credit hours during a summer session.    The Assistantship may also be terminated if the student’s GPA falls below 3.0 or the student withdraws completely from the University.

Applications must be received in the Office of the Graduate Division no later than July 15 for fall semester appointments, December 15 for spring semester appointments, or May 15 for summer semester appointments.

Graduate Assistantship Application 

Graduate Division Scholarship

The Graduate Division Scholarship is intended to support increased enrollment of New Mexico students from groups traditionally under-represented in graduate education.  Special emphasis is placed upon academic fields of high regional and national priority, as well as fields in which under-representation is most severe.  Priority will be given to New Mexico students from those groups with the most severe under-representation and students with the greatest financial need.

A Graduate Division Scholarship may be awarded to an individual who:

• is a New Mexico resident
• is a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien, and is a member of a group under-represented in his or her intended graduate or professional field of study;
• has met the FINAL admission requirements and is accepted for enrollment as a full-time student in a graduate or professional field of study with high priority or under-representation;
• agrees to serve in an unpaid assistantship at WNMU for ten (10) hours per week during the academic year;
• is eligible according to a standard needs analysis (FAFSA), or when a financial aid officer exercises professional judgment in accordance with WNMU’s and applicable federal financial aid standards, to determine that circumstances, for which documentation exists in the student’s file, warrant adjusting the cost of attendance, expected family contribution, or other factors to make the program responsive to a student’s special financial circumstances.

 

Each Graduate Division Scholarship provides students the opportunity to work the fall, spring, and summer semesters.The scholarship funds will be distributed through Financial Aid. Please refer to the current WNMU Catalogue for pay scale.

A scholarship is terminated upon the occurrence of:

• failure to maintain a 3.0 GPA;
• withdrawal from the institution by the award recipient;
• failure to re-enroll for consecutive academic years;
• failure to be a full-time graduate student;
• substantial noncompliance by the award recipient with the Graduate Scholarship Act or its rules, regulations, or procedures. [New Mexico Title 5, Post-Secondary Education, Chapter 7 Tuition and Financial Aid, Part 15 Graduate Scholarship Program.]

 

Applications must be received in the Office of the Graduate Division on April 1 of the spring semester for fall awards or September 1 of the fall semester for spring awards.  Students will be notified of the awards by July 1 for fall awards and December 1 for spring awards. 

Graduate Division Scholarship Regulations and Application Form