A graduate assistant serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education.
Assistantships provide experience for graduate students, increasing their future employment options.
This is especially true in U.S. college sports, in which a graduate assistant position is very often the first step on a coach's career ladder.
A stipend is a fixed sum of money paid periodically for services or to defray expenses.
[4] A PhD graduate stipend is considered income in the United States.