Graduate Student Services

The mission of the Graduate Student Services Office (GSSO) is to provide services that contribute to the professional and academic development of graduate students and enhance their quality of life while at Virginia Tech. Our goal is to promote a macrocosm of graduate culture in the university environment. We develop, administer, and support programs to achieve this goal. We also work closely with other offices on campus that provide support services to graduate students. We are committed to providing high quality service to all graduate students in a friendly and courteous environment.

Below is a list of programs and services we offer through every phase of graduate life.

Graduate Student Orientation
The purpose of the orientation program is to welcome new graduate students to the Virginia Tech community, introduce the Graduate School and its staff as an important resource for graduate students, and make students aware of university services and resources. The orientation also aims to provide an opportunity for students to meet other new and returning students and learn about graduate student life at Virginia Tech. The orientation usually takes place on Friday before classes begin each semester. For more information contact 540/231-4558, .

General Advising
Though students are assigned to a graduate advisor in their academic departments, they may still find the need to seek additional advice about other matters. Consultation with Graduate Student Services staff is available to any student who has questions or concerns about academic or student life at Virginia Tech. The director of student services maintains a friendly and confidential office in which students are welcome. For more information contact 540/231-4558, .

Graduate Honor System Support
All students need to be aware of the importance of the Graduate Honor System throughout their academic careers. The Graduate Student Services Office provides administrative support to the Graduate Honor System (GHS). The director serves as the advisor to the GHS and meets regularly with the Chief Justice and investigators. The director can advise or arrange representation for an accused student as well. For more information please contact our office at 540/231-4558, or e-mail the Chief Justice at ghs@vt.edu.

Graduate Assistantship Support
Graduate assistantships are the primary source of income for graduate students. The Graduate Student Services Office works closely with all the departments of the university to administer the graduate assistantship program. This includes solving problems that may arise due to tuition billing and fee waivers and identifying assistantship opportunities throughout the university. The Graduate Student Services Office also evaluates requests for exceptions to assistantship policies, such as overenrollment. For more information contact 540/231-4558, .

Graduate Student Advocacy
The Graduate Student Services staff provides assistance with conflict resolution between students and academic departments. Representatives of the office also serve on various committees to advocate for the interests of graduate students. These include the Commencement Committee, the University Council for International Programs, the Commission on Student Affairs, and other ad hoc committees. The office maintains several listserves that are used to communicate important academic and general information to graduate students. For more information, contact 540/231-4558, .

Graduate Seminars & Workshops
The Graduate Student Services Office organizes seminars and workshops throughout the academic year. These events are organized with the aim of providing professional development opportunities for graduate students and initiating discussions about critical subjects in academe. Presentations cover a multitude of topics including choosing an advisor and working with a committee, selecting a research topic and preparing research presentations, negotiating for an academic position, teaching performance skills and feedback, and so on. Presenters are senior Virginia Tech faculty members and administrators. For more information or to suggest a topic for the future, contact 540/231-4558, .

Graduate Education Week
The Graduate Student Services Office organizes this special week each spring for the purpose of increasing the university community's awareness of the contributions of graduate students to research and education at Virginia Tech. Activities during the week include a research symposium, seminars, a keynote speaker, awards banquets to recognize the outstanding student from each college, the best dissertation, and various college and departmental level activities. For more information contact , 540/231-9561.

International Graduate Student Services (IGSS)
International students and scholars provide a dimension of diversity that is integral to the learning experience. The IGSS provides advice and technical support to international graduate students at Virginia Tech in obtaining and maintaining their non-immigrant visa status in the United States, including travel and work authorization procedures. For more information contact 540/231-8486 or visit the International Graduate Student Services pages of this website .

Fellowships & Scholarships
The Graduate Student Services Office is the official contact for external and internal fellowships awarded to students. Our office facilitates the award administration by creating an account with the Bursar, setting up a stipend schedule, submitting required reports to the agency and other communication directives. For more information contact 540/231-4558, .

Funding Information
Graduate students are encouraged to utilize Community of Science (COS), an email-based subscription service provided at no charge by Virginia Tech that will perform an on-going search for available grants and fellowships in the student's selected area of study. Check the COS location: http://www.cos.com/services/funding.shtml. International students can find a searchable database at http://www.IEFA.org (International Education Financial Aid). Funding announcements are also listed regularly on the Graduate School's Funding Opportunities page and weekly on the Office of the Vice President of Research's Opportunity Update.

Commencement
The Graduate Student Services Office participates in the fall and spring commencements. Arrangements include the selection of the student speaker, the student marshal, and the student who offers the closing remarks. Student participants are selected based on exemplary academic achievement and service to the university and academic community.

Support to Extended Campus Sites
The Graduate Student Services staff provides support to the Northern Virginia Graduate Center and other extended campus sites with student services related to assistantship administration, immigration advising, and general administrative assistance. Extended campus students receive notifications about programs and activities available to them through a listserve operated by the GSSO. The office also ensures that videotapes of our seminars and workshops are available to extended campus students through the library. For more information, contact 540/231-4558, .