Ph.D. Assistantships

Graduate School Ph.D. assistantship stipends are merit-based stipends provided in return for service. They are also referred to as “service stipends.” Recipients of assistantships are appointed as either research assistants, teaching assistants or teaching associates.

Students may be appointed to a Graduate School Ph.D. assistantship for a full academic year (September through mid-May) or for a single semester. Students holding a Graduate School assistantship appointment in one semester of an academic year may be appointed to a Graduate School fellowship in the other. However, students may not receive a Graduate School assistantship and Graduate School fellowship award simultaneously. 

Please review the Recipient Obligations Statement posted on the Financial Support Policies page for detailed information on policies and procedures for assistantship awards.

Topics covered:

Stipend Details

Ph.D. Stipend Rate (Academic Year 2022-2023): $33,814

  • Fall Semester (August – December): $16,907
  • Spring Semester (January – May): $16,907
  • Summer Semester: Not Guaranteed (Departmental Discretion)*

* Some academic programs may independently provide a summer stipend. Please contact your program for more information. The beginning of the Summer 2023 term is May 22, 2023 and the end of the Summer 2023 term is August 20, 2023. Departments may hire students, and students (unless there are any visa related restrictions applicable for international students) may exceed the 20 hour per week cap if needed. International students should meet with the Tax Department to complete their tax forms.

Restrictions

  • Ph.D. assistantships occupy up to 20 hours per week. Returning students (students who are not in the first year of study) may assume additional assistantship stipend awards or clerical student positions up to 5 hours per week. Graduate students may not exceed a combined total of 20 hours a week working at Georgetown.
  • Students may exceed 20 hours only during periods when classes are not in session (e.g. Winter Break, Spring Break, etc.)
    • The beginning of Winter Break coincides with the end of examinations. So, graduate students may exceed 20 hours worked beginning Monday, December 19, 2022 through Sunday, January 1, 2023.
    • Spring Break begins after the last class on Friday, March 3, 2023. Graduate students may exceed 20 hours worked beginning Monday, March 6, 2023 through Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Requirements

  • Students must make satisfactory progress toward a Graduate School degree, as determined by their academic program and the Graduate School.
  • Ph.D. students are required to be enrolled full-time as a condition of their assistantship award.
  • Ph.D. students commit to 15 to 20 hours of service per week for their assistantship award.

Unsatisfactory degree progress or violations of academic integrity may result in termination of your assistantship stipend and retroactive revocation of any scholarship for the current semester. In other words, you may become responsible for the full tuition and fees for that semester.

Payment Schedule

Pay cycle: Biweekly

Payment Dates: See the Biweekly Payroll Calendar here.

  • Fall-only stipend: biweekly payments between the months of September and January
  • Spring-only stipend: biweekly payments between the months of January and mid-May
  • Full academic year: biweekly payments between the months of September and mid-May

Taxes and IDs

  • All Ph.D. assistantship recipients must have a valid U.S. Social Security number. If you do not have one, you must apply for one in order to receive payment.
  • International students should go to the Office of Global Services (OGS) website to learn about obtaining a social security number.
  • International students should also meet with the Tax Department to complete your tax forms. See the Tax Office website to prepare for the meeting.
  • Assistantships are reported each year by the university to both the recipient and to the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as taxable income on Form W-2.
  • W-2s are distributed by the Payroll Office. Electronic W-2s are also available in the Georgetown Management System (GMS).

Paperwork

All students must complete the following when starting a Ph.D. assistantship for the first time (and have not worked at Georgetown). Georgetown University cannot hire and pay students without Form I-9 and a valid social security number.

Form I-9 (with appropriate documentation)

Federal Tax Information

  • The student should submit this information in GMS.

Direct Deposit

  • The student should submit this information in GMS.