Board of Regents Policy

Montana Board of Regents Policy 940.31 - Approved November, 2010

"Tuition levels will bear a relationship to the costs incurred by the campus in providing the education to the student.  Tuition levels for resident students will bear a relation to the cost of education and the level of state support.  Campuses have the flexibility to set non-resident tuition at 150% of resident tuition and set non-resident tuition for graduate research and teaching assistants at 100% of resident tuition."

Teaching/Research Assistantship Definitions

Teaching Assistants are those students involved in instruction, usually of undergraduates.  Qualified TAs perform instructional duties in an area of their expertise, most often within their home departments, although qualified TAs may perform outside their departments.  UM faculty members oversee all TA teaching duties.  General TA duties include: actual instruction in a classroom setting, instruction in recitation sections, assisting with laboratory setup, conducting help sessions and holding office hours to advise students on class assignments, grading papers, exams, lab reports and homework. 

Research conducted by Research Assistants is a significant portion of the total sponsored research at UM.  RAs often conduct research in a relevant area of their major course of study under the direction of a faculty member.  The research is usually a component of the faculty advisor's research that is directly supported by external funding.  RAs are generally expected to carry out a specific research project, which often forms the basis for a thesis or dissertation.  RA general duties include: performing experiments, calculations, analyzing results and disseminating knowledge orally or in written publications, reflecting on the state of the field and proposing new research problems, attending conferences to present results and collaborate with other researchers, training and supervision of less experienced research personnel.

TA/RA Eligibility Requirements

Students who meet the following criteria:

• Must be on a TA or RA contract or demonstrate that duties are equivalent to a TA or RA.
• Maintain registration of at least 6 credits (6 credits is part time status, 9 credits is full time status)
  • Enrollment shall be verified after the third week of each semester.
• Receive the minimum base as determined by The Graduate School
  • $10000 for Master's students for fall and spring semesters
  • $16000 for Doctoral students for fall and spring semesters
  • $5000 for one semester for Master's students
  • $8000 for one semester for Doctoral students

Note:  Base wages must be paid through UM but can be processed through the following:

• Teaching and Research Assistant Contracts (UM funded TA contracts come with tuition waivers; RA contracts are variable)
• Students funded by grants that are not on TA/RA contracts must demonstrate that they meet the job description of a teaching or research assistant.
• Students with scholarships or fellowships that do not meet the job description of a teaching or research assistant or are not working for their funding may be eligible for the Dean's Merit Award.