Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are doctoral (PhD, MPhil, EngD and MD[Res]) students who contribute towards learning and teaching at Imperial. GTAs carry out specific roles and responsibilities, receive training for their role and are paid according to agreed pay tiers. They may be engaged to teach and support learning on both undergraduate and Master’s-level programmes.
Working as a GTA provides doctoral students with an opportunity to broaden their experience at Imperial and is an important part of their research training.
The onboarding and payment of GTAs at Imperial is managed by the Casual Worker Team. The GTA programme is delivered by the Early Career Researcher Institute. Management of role and activities is conducted by the Host Department.
The information on this page is general to all GTAs. Please do refer to local and specific guidance which may be given by your Hiring Department.
Timesheets for GTA work
Login to the Casual Worker Timesheet App
Please find more information on casual worker policies and procedures on the Existing Casual Worker page.
GTA Framework
GTAs are expected to maintain high standards of professional ethics appropriate for any member of academic staff and to embed the Imperial Values and Behaviours in their work.
GTAs are engaged as casual workers and are subject to the same policies and procedures. For more information please visit the Existing Casual Workers page. Individuals must be successfully onboarded as a casual worker before commencing engagement.
If you are a GTA or responsible for hiring a GTA, please find the below additional policies and procedures:
Payment Procedures
GTAs registered as a casual worker will be paid for the hours worked as detailed in the Casual Hours Agreement or subsequent Assignment Confirmation. Please submit your hours using the Casual Worker Timesheet app.
There are three pay tiers for GTAs. These pay rates may be adjusted annually as per Imperial's local pay bargaining and benchmarking exercises.
GTA Pay Tiers as of 5th August 2024
| Basic Rate | Holiday Pay | Total Hourly Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | £19.63 | £2.37 | £22.00 |
| Tier 2 | £24.02 | £2.90 | £26.92 |
| Tier 3 | £31.93 | £3.85 | £35.78 |
Some teaching activities conducted by casual workers may be considered out of scope of the GTA framework and payment tiers.
GTAs submitting timesheets via the Casual Worker Timesheet app should select the relevant "work requirement" dropdown and appropriate pay tier, following local departmental guidance. Please note that timesheets require a Level 1 and 2 approval from the Hiring Department in order for it to be processed for payment. Payroll is conducted on a monthly cycle.
For any technical issues regarding timesheet submission, please contact the Casual Worker Team.