Research Assistant & Grad Assistant Request Electronic Form
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Research assistantships and graduate assistantships (administrative or technology) are intended to enhance the student learning experience while studying at Boston University, by providing them with an opportunity to work under the guidance of a BU full‐time faculty in the areas of research, course development, scholarly, or departmental/program/technology support activities. Assistantships are competitively awarded for one semester to outstanding degree candidates who may be newly entering students or continuing their program of study at BU, and may be renewable based on the recommendation of the supervising professor and available funds. Students selected for these roles must be MET graduate degree candidates in good academic standing. Full-time professorial faculty may request up to 20 hours per week of research assistance.
Submitting Requests:
Please use the App for any new requests:
Please note that this app is for research and departmental graduate assistants only. Requests for Teaching Assistants should be entered into the Teaching Assistant Request Electronic Form.
If you have any questions about your request, or would like to make any adjustments to an existing request, you can contact Lyn Ariyakulkan, Manager of Faculty Actions: lyna@bu.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I split my 20 hours per week up among more than one student?
Yes, faculty may select up to two students to split the 20 hour per week allocation. To preserve the integrity of the student’s academic and work experience, we generally recommend that no individual student is assigned fewer than 10 hours per week. When you’re submitting the form, please be sure to complete one entry per student that you are hiring, and indicate how many hours that student should be assigned.
Any requests that exceed 20 hours per week for a specific faculty supervisor will be considered alongside other ‘special project’ requests after our regular allocations have been assigned. Those special projects are reviewed competitively and only approved if funding is still available.
What is the difference between a GA and a RA? Who is part of the union (BUGWU)?
Graduate Assistants (GAs) only perform administrative or IT work. They receive weekly salaries and are not in the union.
Research Assistants (RAs) —both MET-funded and grant-funded— are currently matriculated students engaged in research work, are paid hourly, and are represented by BUGWU.
Has my request been received or processed? How do I check the status of a request?
You will receive email notifications to your BU email address once a GA/RA request has been submitted and as it moves through the approval process. These email notifications contain the latest status update on your request.
What do I need to know about working with domestic versus international students?
All students must be eligible to work in the United States and reside in the U.S. while working in this role. GA/RAs may not work remotely from a non-US location.
International students who are enrolled part-time must generally be in their final semester of study in order to be eligible to work.
When can my GA/RA start working?
My GA/RA has been approved! What’s next?
After your GA/RA has been approved, their information will be verified in the system. They will then receive an onboarding email detailing next steps and contract at their BU email address. Depending on their current employment status (e.g. new hire or returning student worker) and visa status (if applicable), they may need to complete onboarding forms and other employment paperwork to fully process their hire. This contract outlines the start and end dates of the position, number of payments expected to be received, maximum weekly hours, and other details pertaining to their GA/RA position.
Did my GA/RA get a contract?
All supervising faculty are copied on contracts sent to GA/RAs via Adobe Sign. Please be sure to check your BU email address.
My GA/RA is no longer available and I need to assign a new student. How do I update my request?
Please email Lyn Ariyakulkan (
lyna@bu.edu) with the replacement/new student’s information.
I don’t have access to the request form. Who do I contact?
If you continue to experience any difficulties in accessing the request form, please reach out to Lyn Ariyakulkan at
lyna@bu.edu.
When will my student get paid?
Students must complete the necessary employment paperwork (I-9 form) in a timely manner in order to be set up in payroll and receive payments. Beginning in the Spring 2025 semester, Research Assistants (RAs) will be hired into hourly positions and will be required to submit weekly timesheets in order to be paid.
Full pay periods run from Mondays through Sundays, and students are paid on Fridays in the week following. Student employees who have not yet set up direct deposit are mailed physical paychecks on the Friday after payroll runs. Supervisors should note that it may take up to a week for mailed checks to reach the students.
Where can I find more information on the implementation of the BUGWU collective bargaining agreement?