This page covers issues that affect graduate students who have academic appointments: "SAA" = Student Academic Appointee, also known as "AC3." SAAs may have titles such as associate instructors, research assistants, academic interns, and other. It does not include people on "fellowships" (AC1 RSP Post docs, FLP Fellows).
Graduate students interested in these appointments should contact their academic program.
For general information about being a graduate or professional student at IU Indianapolis, including admissions, academic progression, and graduation, please see the IU Indianapolis Graduate Office website. International students should also be in contact with the Office of International Affairs.
Schools may use their own award or congratulations letter as an initial contact. They should also use the formal IU Indianapolis SAA form to complete the appointment, along with the IU Indianapolis academic personal profile form. Attach the completed SAA form, each year, to the HIRE or RENEW CONTRACT e-doc.
IU Indianapolis recommends a minimum stipend for SAA, but schools are encouraged, if relevant, to provide a higher stipend to their students to align with peer institutions or programs within and outside of Indiana University. For fall 2025, the recommended campus minimum SAA stipend level for master's students is $16,150 for 10 months support at 50% FTE appointment. For all students enrolled in Ph.D. programs or master's programs leading to the Ph.D., the minimum stipend is $19,675 for 10 months at a 50% FTE. The campus encourages programs to determine competitive compensation relevant to their academic discipline, student level, and funding sources; grant writers should request a stipend of at least $24,000/10 months appointments.
*Two days after IUB graduation: system will fill it in.
12 month appointment: used for appointment periods that are not one of the above three choices; can be as short as 1 month and as long as 12 months.
Please see this page. IU does not offer health insurance options to students other than to SAAs and international students.
HR staff: see this page for 2025 minimum costs and eligibility.
International students, SAA insurance can be used to automatically waive international student insurance, but this must be arranged at least 30 days prior to the start of your term.
Insurance becomes effective two to five days from the date of enrollment for insurance benefits to reflect active status in Anthem's system. IUHR reports enrollment two days each week (Monday and Thursday).
Graduate students who are awarded a graduate student assistantship work a combination of duties that may include research support, general academic duties or projects, and teaching or supporting instruction. This varies according to the needs and qualifications of the student and the needs of the academic program. Students sometimes have SAA appointments in departments outside of their own academic program.
SAA work (including teaching) is assigned for between 15 and 30 hours per week during fall and spring semester; work from 21-30 hours requires their academic advisor's approval and HR processing (HR staff, please see overload processes.). Summer work can be assigned up to 100% time.
Most visas permit only a maximum of 20 hours of work per week during fall and spring; 40 hours during the summer. See this page for more information.
SAAs are not prohibited from having, in addition, hourly positions.
For all SAA positions, SAAs are also required to enroll for at least 6 credit hours (or G901) every fall and spring semester; they receive fee remissions (up to 12 credits per semester/30 credits maximum depending on the FTE appointment). This fee remission applies only to tuition, not to other mandatory fees.
IU offices and academic units may hire graduate students as temporary hourly workers. These "HR" positions may be combined with an SAA position. HR/staff positions are managed according to HR processes, not the Provost's Office.
Graduate students who are NOT SAAs and are NOT hourly workers, may teach as adjuncts, provided they are qualified and they are not teaching within their own program (to their fellow students).
If a graduate student has an hourly position, they may NOT also be an adjunct. Please see, "Who may be an adjunct"?
HR hourly + SAA = okay
SAA to include non-teaching work AND teaching = okay
HR hourly + AC2 = not allowed
SAA + AC2 = not allowed, but teaching can be included in their SAA responsibilities.
HR staff and faculty supervisors: this page is for questions about SAAs as academic employees; contact ude[dot]ui[at]rhdaca.
Program directors: this page has information used at Bloomington. It may be useful as a source of ideas, but Bloomington policies and practices are not binding on IU Indianapolis.
