Graduate Student Employment and Aid
Financial support for graduate students
For the range of financial support offered to graduate students, please refer to Graduate Division Financial Aid. The primary form of support that students in the Economics Ph.D. program receive is through Teaching Assistant employment.
Teaching Assistant (TA) positions
TA employment is an important form of graduate student support and vital to the support of undergraduate programs. Assigning TA employment is a delicate balance between these two basic needs. Students in years one through five of the Ph.D. program receive priority in the assignments of TA positions. Students are reminded to review their offer letter for employment details, and their description of duties (DOD). Please be aware that TA employment service normally runs from the first day of the quarter through the “grades due” date. Please contact the course faculty supervisor and the graduate programs advising team immediately if an emergency absence arises. For more details about allocation of positions, assignment of courses, description of duties and responsibilities, workload, and paychecks, see the Economics Ph.D. Graduate Student Handbook. (Note: our handbook is under review for updates.)
Teaching assistant employment for master’s students
Depending on the number of available TA positions and Ph.D. students, TA positions may be offered to M.S. students with excellent course records and course evaluations (if they are experienced TAs).
Employment as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
A graduate student researcher (GSR) assists with scholarly research under the direction and supervision of a faculty member. Students are chosen by individual faculty for their achievement and promise as creative scholars. GSRs must be fully enrolled as graduate students for each quarter they are employed. Under the tuition remission program, non-resident tuition and in-state fees for GSRs with a minimum 25% appointment will be funded. Students are reminded to carefully review their offer letter for service and pay dates, and employment details.
Payroll
If you are a graduate student researcher or a teaching assistant, you must fill out important payroll paperwork from the Administrative Business Office. Each student will need to provide a document that establishes personal identity, such as a passport, Driver’s License, State ID card, or valid Student ID.
Each student will also need to provide a document that establishes employment eligibility, such as a U.S. Birth Certificate or Social Security Card. All non-citizen and non-resident alien students will have to have a Social Security Card and will also need to provide all visa and passport documentation, including the I-94 and I-20 forms.
Students are encouraged to check their UC PATH earnings statement on each pay date to verify proper and timely payment and contact the payroll analyst referenced in their offer letter and graduate programs advising team if they see any discrepancies immediately. (Initial direct deposit setup might take a pay period to take effect.)