Application Overview
Applications for the 2025-2026 Academic Year are accepted from November 1, 2024 to March 3, 2025.
New assistantship applications are required each academic year, even if you want to continue in your existing role for a second year.
- Accept an offer of unconditional admission into a master's degree program at Salem State University (required). Graduate certificates do not fulfill this requirement.
- Enrollment in at least six graduate credits each semester (required).
- Minimum 3.0 undergraduate or 3.5 graduate GPA (preferred).
- Students may not have more than one assistantship position at a time.
- Current Salem State University employees are not eligible for assistantships.
Assistantships are awarded for one academic year — fall and spring semesters — and may be renewable for a second year.
Applications for assistantship positions must be submitted for each academic year.
Consideration for renewal is contingent on timely application, position availability, prior academic year’s evaluations and compliance with assistantship requirements. Graduate or research assistantships may be held for a maximum of two academic years.
Activities and responsibilities vary; each position has a different description.
Graduate and research assistantships are awarded to different departments, programs, and faculty, providing opportunities for many disciplines. We do our best to match students and positions. Prior to awarding a position, each candidate has the opportunity to interview with the supervisor of a prospective assistantship to learn all about the position — schedules, expectations, tasks, and other information. Final offers are based upon the supervisor and applicant agreeing that the assignment is mutually beneficial.
Deliverables
Assistantship positions are designed to offer students mentoring and hands-on professional experience in projects and/or research applying theory to practice. To help ensure that we achieve this goal, assistants and their supervisors will be asked to complete an evaluation and survey each semester.
Application Materials
Before you begin your online assistantship application, please complete the following steps:
Prepare to upload PDF files of:
- Your undergraduate or graduate transcript
- If you are an SSU student, find instructions for downloading SSU unofficial transcriptst
- Your updated resume (maximum of two pages).
- A personal statement (maximum of two pages).
- This is an opportunity to present your interests, career goals, and reasons for applying for an assistantship.
- Include your five strongest skills.
- Describe how you plan to apply your strengths and experience to the type of assistantship you are
applying for (graduate or research).
For new graduate students: Complete your application to a graduate degree program. You will need to be unconditionally admitted and accept the offer of admission to apply for the assistantship program; this will provide you access to an SSU account, so you can begin your online assistantship application.
Caution: Some of our forms require you to verify that you are an SSU graduate student. To do this, please follow these steps:
1. Sign in to the Salem State Website.
2. After signing in, come back to this page and open the form again.
The priority deadline to apply for a graduate or research assistantship for the 2025-2026 academic year is March 3, 2025.
Assistantships are generally awarded by May 30.
All new and current students of a graduate degree program are encouraged to apply for an assistantship at any time. Applications will still be accepted after the priority deadline, although late applications will be placed on a waiting list to be considered for any assistantship positions that may become available. Candidates on the waiting list may be considered for other opportunities within the university.
New applications for assistantship positions are to be submitted each academic year.