Graduate Student Employment
Below are the descriptions and requirements for graduate students hired as Unit 11 Academic Student Employees (ASEs), those represented by UAW 4123, i.e., TA, GA, ISA.
Students:
Each department/school handles graduate student employment separately. If interested, contact your graduate program advisor/director for more information.
Faculty:
For more information on additional graduate hiring options, please talk with your college resource manager or SDSURF Sponsored Research Administrator.
Academic Student Employees (ASEs)
- TAs teach university courses and may also assist faculty or teaching staff with various professional and technical activities. Work assignments are closely associated with their program of study or the academic department/school in which they are enrolled.
- May be appointed up to 0.50 timebase (part time, no more than 20 hrs/week - see table below) per semester or for the academic year. Pay is established by the hiring unit and follows the academic year payment schedule.
- TAs with an aggregated appointment ≥ 0.20 FTE timebase (≥ 3 units) are eligible to receive one in-state part-time tuition waiver for each semester they meet the requirements. More info in the FAQs below.
- GAs assist a faculty member or the teaching staff with various professional and technical duties associated generally with the subjects or programs in which the assistant is doing graduate work.
- GAs may be appointed up to 0.50 timebase (part time, no more than 20 hrs/week - see table below). Monthly remuneration (pay) is set by the hiring unit.
- GAs do not receive employment-based tuition waivers.
- Under supervision, ISAs perform teaching, grading or tutoring duties. ISAs work part time (no more than 20 hrs/wk) and are compensated at an hourly rate for actual effort. They may work full-time during academic breaks.
- Students must be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program of the university and the ISA appointment must be in the same department as their degree program.
- ISAs do not receive employment-based tuition waivers.
| Expected Hours/Week | Full Time Equivalent (FTE) | Weighted Teaching Unit (WTU) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0.10 | 1.5 |
| 8 | 0.20 | 3.0 |
| 12 | 0.30 | 4.5 |
| 16 | 0.40 | 6.0 |
| 20 | 0.50 | 7.5 |
Hiring TAs/GAs/ISAs
All Academic Student Employees (Unit 11) must meet the hiring criteria outlined below. Refer to the current California State University Unit 11 CBA for details.
Hiring Criteria
- Student is active.
- They have been admitted to a graduate program or are continuing as a matriculated student (CBA § 2.1). The student has not graduated.
- Student is in good graduate student academic standing i.e., cumulative GPA is ≥ 3.00 (CBA § 2.14).
- Student is making good progress towards degree, verified by the student’s graduate advisor or doctoral program director.
- Student is enrolled in a minimum of 1 course at SDSU in the term they teach (CBA § 2.3) except for summer appointments (CBA § 21.1).
- Global Campus and Imperial Valley Campus (IVC) registration are valid to maintain Unit 11 eligibility.
- Students on a Leave of Absence, Study Abroad, or JDP Partner Campus forms of study are not eligible for Unit 11 appointments.
- Summer course registration is not required for summer employees if they meet enrollment criteria from the previous semester.
- Student does not hold a stateside position represented by a different bargaining unit.
- For example, students with a TA, GA, or ISA position cannot hold a Global Campus Instructor/Facilitator position.
- Short-term exchange students not seeking an SDSU degree may only be appointed as ISAs.
- Student's graduate program is in the same department/school as the appointment.*
- Total workload is ≤ 20 hours per week. This includes TA, GA, ISA, and SDSU auxiliaries.*
*If a prospective TA/GA/ISA is in a different department or school or total workload (from all TA+GA+ISA appointments) will exceed 20 hours per week, the hiring unit should complete an Exception Request Form before making an offer.
This request form should be submitted for each individual by the academic college dean's office. Please review this document which contains the form information that must be included for each request.
The College of Graduate Studies, which is responsible for oversight of academic progress to degree, will reply with a decision within five business days.
Verifying Eligibility for ASEs
Eligibility for appointment as a TA, GA, or ISA must be verified by the hiring unit, in coordination with the student’s graduate advisor or doctoral program director prior to hiring. The academic college dean’s office will confirm eligibility.
CGS has created a query to aid in reviewing graduate student information. The query will return a report with the following fields. Scroll down the embedded document below to view field details.
- Login at https://my.sdsu.edu/ and navigate to the Query Viewer*.
- Once there, search by name: SD_SR_GRAD_EMPLMNT_ELIG and follow the prompts to query the student records for your college, department, or academic plan.
- Individual student data is available by using the EmplID option.
*If you haven’t used Query Viewer please review the How-to Guide.
Download the slides for visual instructions.
Employment-Based TA Waivers
- TAs with an aggregate appointment of ≥ 0.20 FTE timebase are eligible to receive an in-state part-time tuition waiver (Grad TA Waiver) applied to Basic Tuition only. In AY 2024-2025 the waiver amount is $2208 per semester as outlined on the Bursar's website.
- Eligible TAs will receive one tuition waiver each semester they are appointed. These waivers can only be applied to tuition in the semester the student serves as a TA.
- California residents may be eligible for a State University Grant (SUG). If eligible, the SUG will be applied to the student account instead of the Grad TA Waiver.
- International and out-of-state students appointed as TAs will receive a waiver for the Out-of-State and International Student Fee (OOS/I) through Summer 2026.
- TA employment is not associated with a Non-Resident Tuition waiver.
- Eligible TA waivers will be sent weekly to the Bursar's office between the first day of the semester through Census once the hiring and payroll is finalized with HR. Please follow up with your hiring manager and the Student Financial Center if you have questions on timing.
- Important: Resignation from a TA appointment during the semester may result in the tuition waiver(s) being rescinded and the tuition balance being billed to the student account.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I become a TA?
Refer to Employment Eligibility above to check requirements. Each department/school handles graduate student employment separately. If interested, contact your graduate program advisor/director for more information.
How do I know if I'm a TA or GA?
The colleges send out/email contract letters which outlines the appointment classification. Refer to your contract letter and description of duties for specific information about your appointment.
How much can I work as a TA?
TAs may be appointed to work no more than 20 hours per week in accordance with the Unit 11 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Where do I find policies and requirements related to working as a Teaching Associate?
University policies can be found in the online SDSU Catalog. Each college may have additional information for TA/GA opportunities and you are encouraged to visit their websites.
Where is my TA tuition waiver?
TA tuition waivers are sent to the Bursar’s office for processing once the TA appointment has been confirmed by the College of Graduate Studies. Only eligible graduate Teaching Associates will be processed.
Are there TA tuition waivers in Summer term?
No. TA tuition waivers are only available in Fall and Spring semesters.
How long does it take to process my TA tuition waiver?
TA waivers can take up to one month to be reflected on the student’s financial accounts.
How do I know if my TA tuition waiver has been applied to my account?
The TA tuition waiver is only applied to Basic Tuition at the part-time registration value. In your Account Summary (in My.SDSU) the “Grad TA Waiver” will show in your account details for the term, and is the indication that the TA tuition waiver has been applied.
Please note that Basic Tuition is just one of the many different tuition and fee components on your SDSU bill. Reivew the Bursar's Tuition and Fees page for details.
I already paid tuition, when will my TA waiver be refunded to me?
Your TA waiver will be credited to your student account and refunded to you after Census. Refunds and disbursements are automatic. For more information please see the Bursar's Refunds website.
I am a GA, will I receive a tuition waiver?
Only eligible TAs receive employment-based tuition waivers.
Are there any other options in order to get tuition and/or fee waivers?
Talk to your graduate advisor/doctoral program director.
I have a question about charges on my student account.
The College of Graduate Studies (CGS) does not handle student financial accounts. The best resource for specific charges, payments, disbursements, and refunds is the Cal Coast Student Financial Center. The site provides instruction on navigating your account and services available in-person and online.
I received a collection notice for overdue tuition.
The best resource for specific charges, payments, disbursements, and refunds is the Cal Coast Student Financial Center where you can find a link to the Virtual Help Center, and many other details regarding financial aid, scholarships, and student billing issues.
Why haven't I received my refund yet?
Refunds and disbursements are automatic. Please see the Bursar's Refunds website for details.
I didn’t get paid, who do I contact?
Contact the Payroll Technician for your college and the college dean’s office for support if you experience pay issues.
I am receiving an error message when trying to log in and report my time for the month.
First, be sure to use your SDSU employee email and not your student email to access PeopleSoft HCM. If you are still having problems logging in, email [email protected] with your name and EmplID and the error message you are receiving.
What’s the difference between Out of State and International Fee and Non-Resident Tuition & Fees?
The Out of State and International Student Fee is a fixed-rate fee charged to out-of-state and international students. The Non-Resident Tuition & Fees is a per-unit fee that charged to out-of-state and international students based on number of units enrolled. A breakdown of Tuition and Fees can be found on the Bursar's website.
Non-resident students in any SDSU doctoral program, including joint doctoral programs, are exempt from paying the Out of State and International Student Fee.
In addition, non-resident students serving as Teaching Associates (TAs) will be exempt from paying the Out of State and International Student Fee for each semester they are hired through Summer 2026.
For more information: Out of State and International Student Fee
Do TAs pay Non-Resident Tuition and Fees (Foreign Tuition)?
Yes. Please see the University Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees for detailed information.
How do I obtain a new SDSU work email address?
You will receive an email from [email protected] detailing important information on setting up your SDSU work email on your contracted start date. For further questions, please contact IT at [email protected].
Am I eligible for a Staff/Faculty parking permit?
Only TA/GA/ISA classifications are eligible to receive access to the Faculty/Staff parking permit. Please visit Faculty/Staff Parking FAQ for more information.
What type of training is available for TAs?
Graduate programs typically set up training for their TAs to meet the specific needs of their program's courses. SDSU's Center for Teaching & Learning also has a training resource available to TAs through a self-directed Canvas course. The Canvas site has resources available to TAs as well.
Instructional Tools training are available via Zoom. Information can be found at the IT Training website.
TAs appointed at half time or more (≥ 20 hrs/wk) may be eligible for various state-sponsored benefits including health, dental, vision care, life, and long-term disability insurance. A summary of CSU benefits are available on the CHR website. It is your responsibility to review benefit provisions contained in the Unit 11 CBA to determine if you are eligible for coverage.
GA and ISA do not receive employer-sponsored benefits.
Detailed information about the agreement can be found at the UAW FAQ website.
Have a question that isn't answered on this page?
If you have read the FAQ and still have questions, please let us know by filling out the Grad Student Employment Contact form.
