Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania is a paid teaching and research positions that fund a PhD, and in some departments a master’s degree, at one of the eight Ivy League schools.
In exchange for roughly 20 hours of work a week as a Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA), or Graduate Assistant (GA), Penn covers full tuition, mandatory fees, health insurance, and pays an annual living stipend.
If you are weighing a Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania against other fully funded routes into a US doctoral program, this guide breaks down exactly how the funding works, who qualifies, and how to apply.
A Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania is a university-funded employment package awarded to admitted graduate students, most commonly PhD candidates.
Instead of paying tuition out of pocket, the student works part-time for their department teaching discussion sections, grading, running labs, or assisting a faculty member’s research and receives full tuition remission, subsidized health coverage, and a monthly stipend in return.
Nearly every PhD program at Penn is funded this way. According to Penn’s Graduate Student Center, doctoral funding packages typically bundle a stipend for living expenses with departmental grants that cover tuition, fees, and insurance for the full guaranteed funding period.
Funding, Stipend & Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship at University of Pennsylvania.
Here is what a typical fully funded package includes:
Stipend:
- Following the 2026 GET-UP-UAW contract, the University-wide minimum annual PhD stipend rose from $40,608 to $49,000, with a scheduled increase to $50,470 in July 2027 and a new $25/hour minimum wage for hourly graduate work.
- Many schools, including Wharton, pay above the University floor; the Wharton OID Department reports stipends exceeding $30,000 as a baseline before the recent increases.
Tuition & fees:
- Fully covered for the guaranteed funding period, usually four to six years depending on the program. See the School of Arts & Sciences funding page for department-level detail.
Health insurance:
- Enrollment in the Penn Student Health Insurance Plan, plus, since the 2026 contract, improved dental and vision coverage.
Extras:
- Conference travel budgets, gym membership, and, under the 2026 contract, childcare funds and an immigration legal support fund for international graduate workers.
You can review current cost-of-attendance and stipend budgeting directly through Student Registration & Financial Services and the University’s own funding commitment page, Penn Valuing Grad Students.
Types of Graduate Assistantships at Penn
Every Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania falls into one of three categories:
- Teaching Assistantship (TA): Grading, leading recitations, holding office hours, occasionally co-teaching a course. The most common assistantship in the humanities and social sciences.
- Research Assistantship (RA): Working directly on a faculty member’s funded research project, typical in the sciences, engineering, and Wharton’s doctoral programs.
- Graduate Assistantship / Fellowship hybrid: A duty-light or duty-free fellowship year (often the first year of a PhD) funded by the department, the Graduate School, or an external grant, before a student transitions into TA or RA duties.
Funding structures vary slightly by school. Explore school-specific pages such as the Penn Graduate School of Education PhD funding page for program-level detail before you apply.
Eligibility Requirements
- Admission to a Penn PhD program (assistantships are awarded automatically as part of most doctoral admission offers; there is usually no separate application).
- Full-time enrollment for the duration of the assistantship.
- Satisfactory academic standing and progress toward degree milestones (qualifying exams, dissertation proposal, etc.).
- For TA roles, adequate spoken English proficiency (assessed for all incoming graduate instructors).
- Master’s-only applicants: fewer programs offer full assistantship funding; check with the specific department, as most master’s-level funding at Penn is merit scholarship or partial tuition support rather than a full assistantship.
Information for International Students
International students are eligible for a Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania on the same terms as domestic PhD admits, and the 2026 union contract specifically added support for international graduate workers, including a dedicated immigration legal fund. A few things to plan for:
- Stipend income may be subject to federal tax withholding depending on your country’s tax treaty status; see Penn’s guidance on graduate funding and tax reporting.
- F-1 visa holders need to coordinate assistantship start dates with Penn’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office.
- Assistantship income generally satisfies the financial documentation required for an I-20.
How to Apply for a Graduate Assistantship at the University of Pennsylvania
- Apply to a PhD program directly. There is no separate assistantship application; funding is bundled into your program admission offer.
- Check department-specific deadlines. Most Penn PhD programs have December–January deadlines for fall admission.
- Read your funding letter carefully. Your official offer will specify the stipend amount, tuition coverage, funding years, and any TA/RA duties attached.
- Confirm details with the Graduate Student Center or your department’s graduate coordinator if anything in the offer is unclear.
- For unionized positions, review your rights and pay schedule under the current GET-UP-UAW contract once you begin your appointment.
How to Strengthen Your Application
- Contact potential faculty advisors before applying; many RA-funded slots depend on a specific lab or grant.
- Highlight prior teaching or research experience in your statement of purpose.
- Apply early; funding decisions are often made alongside admission, on a rolling or early-priority basis in competitive departments.
- If you’re weighing multiple offers, compare the full package (stipend, years guaranteed, health coverage) rather than the stipend number alone.
