Summer Session GAs  with  appointments  during  the  Summer have  the  option to  register  for  the  graduate assistantship course, GRAD 603. 

In order to retain FICA-exemption during the Summer, domestic GAs must be registered for at least three (3) credits at all times during the Summer. GRAD 603 provides two (2) credits towards the three (3) credit requirement. International  Students  with  F-1,  J-1,  M-1,  or  Q-1  immigration  status  are  already  FICA-exempt. 

Students with these statuses have no registration requirements during Summer. Notes Applicable to Fall, Spring, and Summer a)GAs are not billed tuition or fees for GRAD 600, GRAD 601, or GRAD 603; b)GAs receive credit towards full-time status from GRAD 600 and GRAD 601; c)GRAD  600,  GRAD  601,  and  GRAD  603  are  not  eligible  for  financial  aid,  nor  are  they considered when determining financial aid eligibility; d)GRAD 600, GRAD 601, and GRAD 603 do not appear on transcripts; and e)GRAD  600,  GRAD  601,  and  GRAD  603  will  appear  at  registration  to  be  for  0  credits. However, GAs are receiving the proper number of credits (3, 5, and 2, respectively); Master’s thesis research (799) is a variable (2-9) credit course (billed at 1/2 rate), based on the amount of involvement in the University research program. Pre-candidacy doctoral dissertation research (898) (for students who have not reached the doctoral candidacy stage) is a variable (3-9) credit course (billed at 1/3 rate), based on the amount of involvement in the University research program. 

Doctoral dissertation research (899) (for students who have reached the doctoral candidacy) is a fixed (9) credit course (billed at 2/9 rate).