Is It Possible to GA/RA for a Program Outside of Your Own?

[mnf4453]

Hello, everyone!

I was recently admitted to an MS program, but TA/GA/RA positions are limited and PhD students are given preference, so it is unlikely that I will be getting funding through these opportunities. 

I e-mailed a few professors from MS programs similar to mine, explaining my research interests and asking if they had any RA/GA positions available. I feel like I just whored myself out, but I would like to get some sort of funding! 

I'm wondering if anyone has gotten a TA/RA/GA position outside of their program? Is this possible? What are my chances? Any other thoughts/funding ideas other than student loans?

All input is appreciated! (: 

[crontab]

I'm not sure what your field is, but in engineering (at least at my university) it's not uncommon for students in my department to find TA positions in adjacent departments (like physics and math). It can be a bit difficult because those departments also prioritize their own students, but departments that run a bunch of undergraduate labs (like physics) are frequently in need of TAs. I imagine an RA type position would be harder to come by, but I have seen RA positions in adjacent departments (but always within engineering) advertised to all engineering students so it's definitely possible. 

[rising_star]

It's definitely possible. You might also see if there are GA positions in student affairs, residential life, etc.

[MathCat]

My department has a lot of non-math TAs, mostly from fields like engineering or physics. Never enough people to TA for all those calculus classes! I also frequently get emails advertising TAs for language courses, usually the speaking/conversational component of the course. Usually they want a native speaker.