Graduate Instructional Assistantships (GIAs) may be awarded to Chemistry and Biochemistry graduate students if they are judged to have the educational and experiential background to be very good laboratory instructors. They must also be capable of completing the course work and research thesis required for our M.S. degrees within two years. The current GIA stipend is $1,234/month, renewable every semester based upon the student’s performance and availability of funding with a maximum funding period of two years.

 

Applicants must be unconditionally accepted by the graduate college. Unconditional admission requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 on the last 60 hours completed for the baccalaureate degree. Students with GPAs below this minimum may be unconditionally admitted if their GRE score exceeds 1000 and their course work in chemistry or biochemistry indicates a high likelihood for success in our graduate program. Applicants are normally expected to have a GRE score above 1000.

 

GIA applications are normally accepted for the Fall semester and should be received by May 31 prior to the fall semester of application. Applications must include the application form and copies of transcripts for all college course work not taken at Texas State University-San Marcos. Letters of recommendation are not required but are recommended.

 

Applicants whose primary language is not English must be interviewed before any final decision is made upon their application.  Applications are reviewed by the Graduate Student Evaluation Committee in June and awards are normally made in early July. Awards may be made at a later date if an opening occurs due to an applicant not accepting an award. Anyone accepting a GIA award must agree to pursue their graduate career full time, i.e., devote no less than 40 hours each week to teaching research and course work. Detailed GIA responsibilities are provided with the award letter.