GSSP FAQ

The Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) provides a financial support package to eligible graduate students. Please be aware of the specific benefits and limitations of this plan:

  • What is Covered: The GSSP covers standard tuition (Fall and Spring semesters) and Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHI) at no cost to the student.
  • Duration of Eligibility: Tuition benefits are limited to a defined number of semesters based on your degree program (e.g., 4 semesters for Master’s, 8–10 for Doctoral). Once this limit is reached, students are responsible for all tuition costs or can discuss payments with their advisor.
  • Student Responsibility (Fees): The GSSP does not cover student fees (such as the Education & Technology fee, Campus Security fee, or college-specific fees) or premium tuition.

Student Health Center Insurance & Billing Information.
Students who are eligible for the Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) will have health insurance provided through the GSSP.

Students who have alternate health insurance and do not wish to participate in the GSHI plan must take action to waive coverage.

Graduate Students must be enrolled for a minimum of 9 credit hours during a semester to be considered a full-time student. However, once the student has completed the required minimum credits for the degree program, students can register for fewer hours to be considered full-time.

Students can check their GSSP status and if GSSP benefits are applied to their account in MyPack portal after initial billing for the semester. See instructions on how to check your GSSP status.

  • Graduate Students must meet the following three eligibility requirements in order to receive GSSP Benefits – health insurance and standard tuition support (for a limited number of semesters): Enrolled Full Time. Enrolled as an on-campus student, and supported on a qualifying graduate assistantship or primary fellowship

Your status remains pending while your assistantship is being processed in the system. This process involves several levels of departmental approval and administrative routing before your formal contract is generated. While your assistantship is being processed, please make sure that you are enrolled full time and have paid your fee’s.

Non-payment of fees will result in your classes being cancelled. You are solely responsible for resolving any cancellations and paying any associated late registration fees.

Census (the tenth day of the spring or fall term) is the deadline to meet all GSSP eligibility requirements, including full-time enrollment. If students are not enrolled full time by Census, they will not qualify for any GSSP benefits.

A Commit to Fund Check prevents your classes from being automatically dropped for non-payment while we await confirmation that you are meeting all Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) eligibility requirements.

  • This “Commit to Fund Check” is a temporary flag. It does not guarantee you a Graduate Research Assistantship (RA) or Teaching Assistantship (TA) appointment.
  • Initial Benefit: It temporarily removes standard tuition and health insurance charges from your student account, with the expectation that you will ultimately qualify for and receive GSSP benefits. (Please continue to pay your fees on time)
  • GSSP Eligibility: To qualify for GSSP benefits (which cover your standard tuition and health insurance), you must meet all eligibility requirements.

If you do not meet all GSSP eligibility requirements by the first day of Fall classes, the “Commit to Fund Check” will be removed from your account.

Consequences of Not Meeting Requirements by Deadline:

  • Your classes will be dropped for non-payment.
  • You will be responsible for prepaying your tuition and fees in full before being able to re-enroll in classes.
  • A $100 late registration fee will be assessed upon re-enrollment. (We cannot remove late registration fee’s)

Research Assistants are appointed by faculty members. Discuss possible research projects with the faculty.

Please read ECE TA Positions Summary by the Associate Department Head for complete information.

ECE-TA-Positions-Summary

The ECE Graduate office does not send out TA assignments!

Apply for a Teaching Assistant appointment via the TA Information Tab in the GradWatch portal. Update the Course Confidence Listing and complete the TA Application each semester you want to request a TA position. You will not be considered for a TA appointment if you have not applied for a TA position through GradWatch.

To be eligible for a TA position:

  • You must be enrolled full-time for the semester in which you are requesting a TA position. Enroll full-time prior to Census Date and maintain your full-time enrollment status throughout the semester.
  • Academic Standing: must be Good Standing
  • Overall GPA: must be 3.333 or higher
  • Demonstrate English Language Proficiency (see below for more information)
  • Apply for a TA position in GradWatch

English Language Proficiency for Teaching Assistants

All non-US citizen students (i.e., non-resident aliens and permanent residents) must demonstrate proficiency in English at a level necessary to be successful as a teaching assistant. Refer to the Graduate School’s English Proficiency Requirements for International Applicants for more information. This requirement can be met in one of the following ways:

  1. Be a citizen of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education.
  2. Have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study in a degree program at a four-year US college or university.
  3. Provide a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based Test (iBT) score. The ECE Department requires a total score of at least 90 points and a Speaking score of at least 26 points for a TA appointment. Please note that the ECE Department requirement differs from the Graduate School requirement. The Graduate School requires a total score of at least 80 points and a Speaking score of 23 points for a TA appointment where the TA has direct verbal interactions with students or 26 points for a TA appointment where the TA presents lectures in the class or laboratory.
  4. Provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. The ECE Department and Graduate School both require an Overall Band score of at least 6.5 points and a Speaking score of at least 7.0 points for a TA appointment.
  5. If a student receives a TOEFL iBT Speaking Section score below 26, or an IELTS Speaking Section score below 7.0, then the SPEAK Test (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) is required. A student may only take the SPEAK test twice and those dates must be at least 5 months apart. Scores are valid for one year. A student must receive scores of at least 48 on both the General and Pronunciation sections to be cleared for full teaching responsibilities. A student who receives a score below 48 on either section may have limited teaching responsibilities, with a senior TA or a professor who has primary responsibility. The student should be limited to TA responsibilities that do not involve explaining things to undergraduates, such as grading or setting up labs. The ECE Department requires students to receive SPEAK Test scores of 48 or to maintain a TA position after the first two academic semesters at NC State. Students with scores below 48 will only be eligible for limited teaching responsibilities. Students with scores of 48 or higher will be cleared for full teaching responsibilities.
  6. Students who receive a SPEAK Test score below 48 should sign up for FLE 400 and/or FLE 401 to improve their spoken English. This course will be taken for Credit Only (Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade) and will not count towards MS or PhD degree requirements. Students who receive a SPEAK Test score of 35 or 40, should expect to take at least 2 semesters of English instruction to reach a score of 48 or higher. It is recommended that students enroll in FLE 400 in the first semester, and enroll in FLE 401 the following semester. Students will be re-evaluated when they complete FLE 401. Students who receive a SPEAK Test score of 45 should enroll in FLE 401. Students will be re-evaluated at the end of the semester. The ECE Department requires students to successfully complete FLE 401 and earn a 48 or greater on the pronunciation portion of the final exam to be eligible for a TA appointment. Students who receive a 48 or greater will be cleared for full teaching responsibilities.

SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) Test

If you are an international graduate student for whom English is a second language, you wish to be appointed as a Teaching Assistant, and you scored below 26 on the Speaking Section of the TOEFL iBT, or below 7.0 on the Speaking Section of the IELTS, you will need to take the SPEAK Test. Information on the SPEAK test can be found here. Contact the ECE Graduate Office at ecegradoffice@ncsu.edu to request to make an appointment to take the SPEAK Test. Students must wait five months between tests.

English as a Second Language Courses

International students can attend English as a Second Language courses for credit, 5-week Summer intensive Englishcourses, and free Conversation and Pronunciation classes. More information can be found on the English as a Second Language website.

TA Advising Room

The Teaching Assistant (TA) Advising Area is in Engineering Building 2 (EB2) on the third floor at the west end of the hallway. There is an area set aside for TA use with tables and a white board. TAs do not need to make a reservation to use the area. 

TA Copier Use

Please use the copier in room 3018 in EB2, on the third floor, across from the ECE Graduate Office. TAs have SID card access.