Physics Graduate Assistantships: TA vs RA Explained

Assistantships in US Physics Graduate Programs

We are still discussing the final year of your undergraduate program, when you are applying to graduate schools. In Part V I mentioned the word “assistantship” several times; you must understand what it means and why you should apply for one. This installment focuses solely on assistantships as they apply to US universities.

All incoming graduate students—U.S. citizens and international students—qualify for assistantships in most departments. Exceptions can occur if the funding source imposes restrictions (for example, some Department of Defense grants require U.S. citizenship and security checks).

What is an assistantship?

An assistantship typically provides a full tuition and fees waiver plus a stipend. In other words, the department pays your tuition and fees and you receive a regular paycheck (a stipend) for work performed. Stipend amounts vary widely by institution; at top-tier schools, the cash value can be substantial because tuition otherwise would be very high.

Types of assistantships

There are two common types of assistantship:

• Teaching assistantship (TA) — work that supports courses (teaching, running labs, grading, running discussion/tutorial sections).
• Research assistantship (RA) — work funded by a faculty member’s research grant related to a specific project.

Teaching assistantships (TA)

Most physics departments, especially larger ones, depend on graduate students to run labs, lead discussion sections, and grade. Departments therefore award several TAs each year or semester as part of the department’s instructional manpower.

As an incoming student, a TA is often the most likely form of support you’ll be offered. Availability depends on how many students are already holding TAs, since many departments prefer to renew TAs for returning students. Competition can be intense.

Departments that prioritize instructional quality may require proof of strong English communication skills—both written and spoken—because you will regularly interact with undergraduate students. If you come from a non‑English background, a strong TOEFL score and supporting evidence can strengthen your TA application.

Research assistantships (RA)

An RA is typically awarded by an individual faculty member based on grant funding. RAs are less commonly given to new incoming students; many faculty prefer to hire students who have already passed departmental qualifying exams or demonstrated research readiness.

For most students, an RA funds the doctoral research and directly supports work that becomes part of the dissertation. If you want an RA, aim to work in the research area you plan to specialize in and build a relationship with potential advisors.

Field differences and long-term funding

Whether you end up with a TA or RA over your graduate career often depends on your subfield and whether your advisor has grant funding. Experimental students generally have higher chances of getting RAs because experiments require funded support. Theoretical students sometimes rely on TAs longer unless their advisor secures grants.

Financial impact and competitiveness

The main point: depending on your abilities and GPA, graduate school may not be prohibitively expensive. Many U.S. universities are costly, but physics students have more funding options than undergraduates. For example, schools like Stanford expect applicants to need financial support and place most graduate students on assistantships or scholarships.

Because funding is limited and competitive, do everything you can to stand out in your application—strong academics, early applications, relevant research experience, and good communication skills.

Next Chapter: The US Graduate School System