Frequently Asked Questions
Admission Into The CSAL Program
CSAL Graduate Assistantships
Position Postings
About CSAL Visitation Days
Student Eligibility to Attend CSAL Visitation Days
Preparing for CSAL Visitation Days
Reviewing CSAL Graduate Assistantship Applications
CSAL Graduate Assistantship Interviews
Following CSAL Visitation Days
In Reference to Accepted Graduate Assistants
Admission Into The HESAA Program
Q. How does one apply for admission into the HESAA program?
A. Admission into the Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration (HESAA) program is administered by the GVSU College of Education and Community Innovation in conjunction with the Admissions Office. Applicants must first complete the Graduate Program Application, which is located under the “Apply” tab on the GVSU Admissions website (www.gvsu.edu/admissions). Individuals that have not previously applied to Grand Valley are subject to a $30 nonrefundable application fee.
Official copies of transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education are required. Transcripts must be sent directly from those institutions to the GVSU Admissions Office. Official transcripts from Grand Valley are not required.
General eligibility requirements for federal aid require a valid Social Security Number. In order to assist financial aid processing, applicants should be sure to complete this field on the application. In addition to the online application, applicants must be sure to upload three letters of recommendation. A printable a recommendation form is located on the Admissions website (https://www.gvsu.edu/admissions/graduate-letters-of-recommendation-42.htm) .
Once admitted into the College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) program, students will be invited to complete the CSAL Graduate Assistantship Application, which will allow them to compete for CSAL graduate assistantships. Please note that the process of applying for admission into the HESAA program is separate from the process of applying for CSAL graduate assistantships. Both processes must be completed in order to be eligible for HESAA graduate assistantships.
Q. Does one have to pass the GRE in order to be eligible for the HESAA program?
A. No, the GRE is not required for admission into the HESAA program unless the applicant's cumulative GPA is less than 3.0.
Q. Will applicants be interviewed when applying for admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation?
A. No, interviews are not required for admission into the College of Education and Community Innovation. However, they are required when applying for graduate assistantships.
Q. When and how will an applicant know that he/she has been admitted into the HESAA program?
A. Admission into the HESAA program is administered by the College of Education and Community Innovation in conjunction with the University’s Admissions Office. All required documents must be on file in the Admissions Office before one is considered eligible for admission (see above). Students will receive notice of their admittance into the HESAA program via e-mail and U.S. mail. For specific details surrounding the timeframe for notices, please contact the College of Education ([email protected]).
HESAA Graduate Assistantships
Q. What is a graduate assistantship?
A. As stated on the GVSU Graduate School website (www.gvsu.edu/gs), a graduate assistantship is a work opportunity that programs and units at Grand Valley State University offer to graduate students. The benefits of a graduate assistantship include:
- 10- or 20-hour per week work on campus or in the field.
- Opportunities to conduct research, assist with instruction, or provide service to university constituents.
- Tuition assistance in the form of a tuition waiver.
- A bi-weekly stipend over a semester or academic year.
- Paid student parking during the term of their assistantship.
- Experience within their field of study.
- An opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a professional setting.
Note: Grand Valley does not charge a higher tuition rate based on residency. Tuition is based on the program in which each chooses to enroll. Visit the financial aid office webpage for tuition and fees.
Q. What is the difference between HESAA graduate assistantships and other graduate assistantships?
A. HESAA graduate assistantships are based on positions that are specifically recruiting students that have been admitted into the HESAA program. HESAA graduate assistants and their supervisors agree to perform their duties as outlined in the HESAA Handbook. GVSU offers other graduate assistantships that may be open to HESAA students. These positions can be found on the Graduate School website (www.gvsu.edu/gs) and are not a part of HESAA Visitation Days.
Q. Does one have to apply for a graduate assistantship in order to take part in the HESAA program?
A. No, students do not have to apply for HESAA graduate assistantships in order to enroll in the HESAA program. Students may enroll in courses at their own expense or through the use of alternative funding sources.
Q. Are non-HESAA students allowed to compete for HESAA graduate assistantships?
A. Yes, students from other programs are eligible to compete for HESAA graduate assistantships.
Q. How do Graduate Assistants receive their stipends?
A. Graduate assistants are paid via bi-weekly paychecks. For information surrounding pay periods and pay dates, please visit the Student Employment website (www.gvsu.edu/studentjobs).
Q. If a student accepts a graduate assistantship in Housing and Residence Life, is he/she required to live in campus housing?
A. Yes, graduate assistants that are assigned to Housing and Residence Life are required to live in campus housing.
Q. Is out of state tuition paid for in full?
A. If a student has a 10-month HESAA designated contract, then, yes, all 36 credit hours will be paid for whether they are an in-state or out-of-state student. If a student has a 9-month HESAA designated contract, then all credits will be paid with exception of the 6 credits that are taken during the summer.
Student Eligibility To Attend HESAA Visitation Days
Q. How are students that are invited to attend HESAA Visitation Days selected?
A. The HESAA program director will receive a list of newly admitted HESAA students from the College of Education and Community Innovation. Beginning in October of the year prior to CSAL Visitation Days, they will forward an e-mail message to each newly admitted student in order to welcome them to the HESAA program. A link to the HESAA Graduate Assistantship Application will be included in the message that is sent to students that have been admitted without conditions. Only students that have been admitted into HESAA program without conditions and that have completed the HESAA Graduate Assistantship Application by the application deadline will be invited to attend HESAA Visitation Days.
Q. Are non-HESAA students allowed to attend HESAA Visitation Days?
A. No, only newly admitted HESAA students are eligible to attend HESAA Visitation Days.
Q. Are second-year HESAA students that do not currently have a graduate assistantships allowed to participate in HESAA Visitation Days or apply for the posted positions?
A. If interested, second year HESAA students may reach out to position supervisors directly. However, the may not participate in HESAA Visitation Days. For additional options, they may also visit the Graduate School’s website (www.gvsu.edu/gs).
Q. May I interview a HESAA student if they have not submitted all of the required documentation along with his/her HESAA Graduate Assistantship Application?
A. No, only students that have successfully been admitted into the College of Education and fully completed the HESAA Graduate Assistantship Application are allowed to apply for HESAA graduate assistantships and attend HESAA Visitation Days. All required documents must be on file in GVSU’s Admissions Office and in CMS.
Q. May I interview a student that was admitted into the HESAA program with conditions in place? Are such students allowed to attend HESAA Visitation Days?
A. No, students admitted conditionally are not permitted to attend HESAA Visitation Days.
Q. If a student attends HESAA Visitation Days, do they have to attend Grand Valley?
A. No, we understand that not every student that attends HESAA Visitation Days, or is admitted into the HESAA program, will enroll in classes at GVSU. We also know that some students that choose to attend GVSU will decide to enroll in other programs. However, we do ask students that choose not to enroll in HESAAA courses to extend the courtesy of letting us know that they have chosen to withdraw from the HESAA program. If you learn that a student has decided not to enroll in the HESAA program, please send a brief e-mail message to the program director ([email protected]) of the College of Education.
Preparing For HESAA Visitation Days
Q. As a HESAA Supervisor, what is my role in reference to HESAA Visitation Days?
A. HESAA Supervisors are responsible for interviewing candidates that are interested in their positions and organizing the committees that will carry out those interviews.
Q. I am a HESAA Supervisor who is unable to attend HESAA Visitation Days. Is a representative from my department/office able to interview students on my behalf?
A. Yes, HESAA Supervisors that are unable to attend HESAA Visitation Days are welcome to have a representative attend HESAA Visitation Days on their behalf.
Q. How and when will I know which candidates are interested in interviewing for my position(s)?
A. The dynamics surrounding HESAA interviews change often. For example, until a deadline is put in place, a student that signs up to interview with three departments during one week may change his/her mind and decide to interview with three completely different departments during the following week. A representative from the College of Education will ensure that each CSAL supervisor has an accurate list of the candidates scheduled to interview with his/her department by sending a mass e-mail with updated details to HESAA supervisors weekly.
Q. If a student is unable to attend HESAA Visitation Days, am I expected to make other arrangements for an interview?
A. Yes, individuals that are unable to attend HESAA Visitation Days may arrange to interview at another time.
Additional FAQ's
For additional questions and answers surrounding HESAA Graduate Assistantships and HESAA Visitation Days, please feel free to view the FAQ for Prospective Students, which is accessible via the following link: https://www.gvsu.edu/csal/faqs-for-prospective-students-27.htm.