Assistantships & Scholarships

1. Professional cover letter which includes the following:

• Contact information (Full name, current mailing address, email address, phone number, etc.).
• Niagara University graduate program for which you will apply or in which you are currently enrolled.
• Undergraduate major or degree, undergraduate institution, and GPA (a 3.0 is needed to apply).
• Identify the opportunities in which you are interested in.

2. Resume:

• Include transferable skills both inside and outside your field of study.

3. Two page double spaced essay addressing:

• Commitment to Niagara's Vincentian mission.
• Contribution to Niagara University's academic environment and intellectual culture.
• Impact of assistance (financial need, etc.).

Students need to reapply annually for positions and assistantships. Not all graduate employment positions are available every year. Typically, employment positions are awarded on an academic year basis. However, when circumstances warrant, one semester positions can be made. Graduate assistants and other graduate positions are employees of Niagara University. Applicants are precluded from receiving funding from more than one institutional funding program. Graduate assistants must be matriculated students at the start of the appointed academic school year (fall/spring) and enrolled at least full-time (minimum of 9 credit hours). A graduate student who withdraws or reduces enrollment may jeopardize their stipend and tuition scholarship. To receive full compensation, graduate assistants must complete 300 hours of work per semester. Maintenance of good academic standing and progress, course completion, and satisfactory work performance is a requirement for continuation and/or renewal of positions for a second year. Renewal decisions will be made by June 15 for the upcoming fall semester. International students who are, or will be, attending Niagara University on an F1 visa (with an I-20), including those from Canada, should contact the Niagara University Records Office to determine their employment eligibility according to visa regulations prior to applying, or accepting, a graduate assistantship or any employment position.

View more information on graduate financial aid and student loans.

There are 28 graduate assistantship positions at Niagara University. Graduate assistants typically work 20 hours a week for the academic year. Graduate assistants are granted a tuition award for up to nine (9) credit hours each semester (fall/spring) and a stipend of $3,000 per semester. To be considered for an assistantship, you must be enrolled full time (nine credit hours per semester). These positions may be renewable for a second year upon satisfactory performance.

Niagara University offices that have graduate assistants include:

• Academic Success/Accessibility Services
• Admissions Office
• Alumni Engagement
• Arts & Sciences Departments 
• Athletics/ Ticket Office
• Campus Activities
• Career Services
• Clubs & Organizations/NUSGA
• College of Education
• College of Hospitality
• Controller's Office
• Criminal Justice Research Assistant
• Enrollment Marketing
• Faculty Development
• Graduate Studies
• Information Security & Digital Forensics
• International Relations Office
• Justice Houses 
• Kiernan Center
• MBA Office
• Office of Multicultural Affairs 
• President's Office

Ph.D. graduate assistants typically work 20 hours a week for the academic year. Ph.D. assistants are granted a tuition award for up to nine (9) credit hours each semester (fall/spring) and a stipend of $6,000 for the academic year. Awards are made to full-time students for one year and may be renewable for a second year upon satisfactory performance.

The four colleges (College of Education, Holzschuh College of Business Administration, College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and College of Arts and Sciences) will grant $7,400 tuition awards spilt between the fall and spring semesters to applicants with the highest academic credentials. Graduate students who accept are required to perform 10 hours per week of service to the department.

A $3,000 scholarship spilt between the fall and spring semesters will be awarded to nine academically achieving students who have been involved and contributed to the campus community as a NU undergraduate.

This award is for matriculated graduate students that completed their bachelor’s degree at Niagara University and enrolled in the subsequent year in a NU master’s program. There can be no break in enrollment between Niagara University undergraduate and graduate enrollment to be eligible for this scholarship. (Summer is not considered a break in enrollment.)

The scholarship is good for the first year of the student’s master’s program.

College of Education – Four $5,000 awards will be granted yearly and split between fall and spring semesters with a 7 hour per week service requirement for graduate students who accept the award.

Holzschuh College of Business Administration – Two awards that provides part time tuition scholarships (six credit hours in the fall, six credit hours in the spring with a 12 hour per week service requirement) and a third award that provides a full tuition scholarship (12 credit hours in the fall, 12 credit hours in the spring with a 20 hour per week service requirement) for students in the MBA program who accept the award.

College of Hospitality and Tourism Management – One $5,000 award will be granted yearly and split between fall and spring semesters with a 7 hour per week service requirement for graduate students who accept the award.

College of Arts and Sciences - One $5,000 award will be granted yearly and split between fall and spring semesters with a 7 hour per week service requirement for graduate students who accept the award.

5 awards available. Graduate students conduct research with a faculty member, totaling 200 hours of work on a selected project. $2,000 of tuition credit is available for each recipient. Faculty apply to host these research assistants on a yearly basis.