Teaching Assistant, Assistant Instructor, and Graduate Research Assistant Information

Requirements for Appointment

Admission to Graduate School

If conditions were assessed by the Graduate Dean at the time of your admission, you may be considered for an assistantship when the conditions have been fulfilled.  Conditions imposed by the department do not prevent appointment as a TA, AI, or GRA.

GPA of 3.0 or Better

Satisfactory progress toward an advanced degree.  Students registered as “Non-Degree Seeking,” or “In Absentia” are ineligible for appointment to these titles.

No more than one grade of Incomplete [ X ] and one Permanent Incomplete [ I ], or two temporary incompletes [ X ].  Temporary incompletes [ X ] must be converted to a grade by the end of the next long-term semester of enrollment or they become Permanent Incompletes [ I ].

Minimum Semester Hours

Minimum registration for at least 9 semester hours during each Fall or Spring semester of employment (including a student’s final semester at UT), and 3 semester hours during any session of a Summer term.  It is not required that students be registered during the same summer session they are employed.

EDC 398T “Supervised Teaching”

Registration for EDC 398T during the first semester of appointment as a graduate assistant, or successful completion of 398T or its equivalent in this or another department at UT-Austin. EDC 398T is a 3-hour graduate course which may be included in the graduate program, and is generally offered each semester at a time that does not conflict with other regularly scheduled graduate courses.  Students are encouraged to register for the course on a credit/no credit basis.  Assistants whose duties do NOT include supervision of interns or student teachers may choose instead to take GRS 398T or EDC 382T, if available.  Other substitutions require prior approval.

Employment Hour Limitations

No appointment will be granted for more than 20 hours in the first two long-session semesters of graduate study, and no more than 30 hours after the third semester. Note: see information below regarding assistantships for international students.

No more than 14 long-session semesters of employment as a TA, AI, GRA, alone or in combination.

Additional Requirements for Assistant Instructors

Advanced Degree Requirement

Master's degree or an equivalent level of achievement in graduate study (30 hours) and professional accomplishment.

Previous Employment

One previous semester of employment as a Teaching Assistant.

—OR—

One year of teaching experience at an accredited college or school. Note: Letter of verification from former employer and/or copy of a teaching certificate must be provided.

Additional Requirements for International Aapointments

Language Certification

English language certification and attendance at the International TA/AI orientation prior to appointment as a TA or AI with student contact. For more information please visit UT’s ESL Services website.

Payment Request Form

Completion of Payment Request Form (available from the C&I administrative offices in SZB 406 or the International Office).

J-1 and F-1 Visa Limitations

United States Citizenship and Immigration Service regulations limit international students on J-1 and F-1 visas to appointments of no more than 20 hours.  Students may go to the International Office for information on exceptions to this USCIS regulation.

Compliance Training

All University employees, including Graduate Assistants, are required to be aware of, and in compliance with, state law and University policy with regard to equal employment opportunity, FERPA, and sexual harassment.  To this end, the University has developed three online modules—CW121, CW504 and CW123—to convey what one can do should they feel they have been subjected to discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace.  Graduate Assistants are expected to complete the training within thirty days of their initial appointment.  The modules are relatively short and completion should take no more than thirty minutes.

Access the compliance training modules online.

New Employee Information

All new employees are strongly encouraged to attend a New Employee Welcome and Orientation session, presented each Monday (excluding holidays) from 8am to noon. Please review the New Student Employee Checklist guiding you through the various steps that need to be completed within the first month of employment.  All new employees are encouraged to review this information before their first day of employment.

Note: It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with all the relevant information on the New Student Employee Checklist website.

Employee Benefits

Medical Coverage

All University employees appointed half-time (20 hours) or more qualify for the same medical benefits given to tenured faculty.  Insurance, health plans, and premium sharing is administered by Office of Human Resources, Insurance and Retirement Group (IRG).   Information, including medical plan options, doctors for each plan, and other pertinent information, may be found on their Insurance web page.

Note: International Students who hold a 20 hour appointment may request a waiver of student insurance by virtue of their assistantship before the 12th class day.  You must submit a new request for each semester that you hold benefits-eligible appointment, otherwise you will be charged for student insurance.

Resident Tuition Entitlement

If you are a non-resident paying out-of-state tuition, and are appointed for at least one-half time (20 hours per week), you may request that the non-resident portion of your tuition be waived.  Go to the UT Direct tuition waiver website and follow the steps.  Once the request is approved, the waiver will be added to your fee bill immediately.  If you have already paid the non-resident portion of your fee bill, you will be refunded.

Note: You must submit a new request for each semester that you hold appointment.

Parking

Eligible assistants appointed half-time (20 hours) or more may obtain an “A” parking permit at Parking & Transportation Services. You should take your appointment letter with you to verify eligibility.

Mileage Reimbursement

If you are a facilitator in the Professional Development Sequence observing students in the field, a car will be needed for those duties.  See the Placement Office (SZB 294) about reimbursement for mileage.

Last updated on February 4, 2013