Graduate Tuition Waiver Policy
NDSU College of Business
Effective August 2024
- The ND in-state tuition rate (called GA Tuition Rate) will be charged to all students hired as a Graduate Assistant (GA) working 10 hours or more per week or 160 hours per semester regardless of any waiver.
- Graduate students employed by the College as a GA for at least 11 hours and up to 20 hours per week are eligible for receive a 100% waiver of the GA Tuition Rate.
- Graduate students employed by the College as a GA for 10 hours per week are eligible for receive a 50% waiver of base tuition.
- Students not employed as a GA or employed as a GA for less than 10 hours per week are not eligible for a tuition waiver.
- Students in tuition sponsorship or fellowship agreements with external organizations (excluding military) are not eligible for a Graduate Assistant tuition waiver. The GA Tuition Rate will not be utilized.
- All Graduate Tuition Waivers cover only the GA Tuition Rate amount and do not include any differential tuition or mandatory student fees.
- Eligibility for Graduate Tuition Waivers
- Graduate students employed by the College as a GA for at least 11 hours and up to 20 hours per week are eligible for receive a 100% waiver of the GA Tuition Rate.
- Graduate students employed by the College as a GA for 10 hours per week are eligible for receive a 50% waiver of base tuition.
- Students not employed as a GA or employed as a GA for less than 10 hours per week are not eligible for a tuition waiver.
- Students in tuition sponsorship or fellowship agreements with external organizations (excluding military) are not eligible for a Graduate Assistant tuition waiver. The GA Tuition Rate will not be utilized. This includes international students whose tuition is paid by their home country.
- Enrollment Requirements for GA Students Receiving Graduate Tuition Waivers
- Students hired as a GA and receiving a tuition waiver in a Fall or Spring semester must be enrolled for a minimum of 6 credits per semester.
- Students hired as a GA and receiving a tuition waiver in a Summer semester must be enrolled for a minimum of 2 credits per semester. Eligibility requirements for work hours still apply during the summer semester.
- Limits on the Number of Credit Hours for Which Tuition will be Waived
- Students completing a Master Degree can have a maximum of 33 credits for which tuition is waived. This includes all credits whether considered part of the Master Degree or not.
- Students completing a Doctoral Degree can have a maximum of 63 credits of tuition waived if accepted into the Doctoral program after having completed a Master Degree or 93 credits of tuition waived if accepted into the Doctoral program after having completed only a Bachelor Degree. This includes all credits whether considered part of the Doctoral Degree or not.
- There is an option for an exception to these credit limits in extenuating circumstances.
- Expectation to Include Tuition Waivers in Grant Proposals
- It is the expectation that grant proposals which request funds for GAs will also request funds for the tuition waiver associated with the GAs.
- Grant proposals with a budget that exceeds $400,000 per year are expected to include the full tuition waiver amounts for all GAs. The budget referenced here is the fraction of the budget allocated to a PI in the College of Business.
- If the funding agency or RFP does not allow funding of tuition, grant proposals can exclude tuition waivers for GAs. Notice of the limitation should be provided to the Dean’s office prior to submission of the proposal.
- If the funding agency or RFP requires matching funds, the College can fund the tuition waiver to be applied to the required matching funds. In these cases, approval should be requested from the Dean’s office prior to submission of the proposal.
- If the grant proposal is submitted through an affiliated institute, the institute receives the indirect funds, and approval is not routed through the Dean’s office, the above expectations still apply with consideration given for the interaction of multiple funding sources, institute operations, funding limitations, and matching requirements.
- It is the expectation that grant proposals which request funds for GAs will also request funds for the tuition waiver associated with the GAs.
- Tuition waivers for graduate service assistantships provided by units that are not within the College of Business will still be supported by the College in general.