Hiring Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs)

New graduate students begin their first financial year on October 1st, however, some students make arrangements to work during the summer prior to matriculation. To hire a new graduate student on a GRA you must notify the Physics Graduate Office (PGO) well in advance of the start date and provide a valid PTA. The monthly rate of pay will be the same as the admission award. To find this amount, see the GRA standard rates page for the coming academic year. GRA rates are valid from October 1st through September 30th. The 12 equal monthly GRA payments equate to a 20 hour work week.

New students who wish to arrive before September 1st and have been invited by your group to do summer research, must have the official start date and salary information sent to the Physics Graduate Office so the admit date can be updated with the Dean of Graduate Studies, the Registrar, Housing and ISP, when applicable.  Without this information new students will not be eligible to register, apply for or receive Caltech graduate housing during the summer.  The earliest a new graduate student can register and begin summer research is the Monday following Commencement.

Updates to GRA salary information and changes to current GRA salary information must be submitted via email to the PGO no later than noon the day before the payroll submission due date to reflect a payment change. Salary information submitted after the due date may not be reflected until the following month. Timely submission of GRA salary information is especially crucial at the beginning of the academic year for the October payday, as well as the July payroll when current students switch from a TA assignment during the academic year to a summer GRA. This could cause an interruption in your graduate student's paychecks which may result in bank charges and bounced checks. Please see the graduate student payroll schedule for important dates.