The level of involvement for teaching assistants in the overall teaching process depends largely on the year of study the student is in, his or her academic merit and the need the university department has for teaching assistance. How many teaching assistants a department employs in any given academic year is typically contingent on the level of staffing within the department. If a number of teachers go on sabbatical in a year or semester the need will be greater, if there are a high number of guest teachers, the requirement for teaching assistance may be lower. University departments also try to balance the available positions between existing student teachers, and those who are newly eligible for the positions.

Core activities of teaching assistants include assisting and teaching (some) course lessons, preparing lectures, grading student papers and exams, arrange and hold lab sessions and provide guidance and advice in designated office hours. As mentioned above, the level of involvement and independence in the assigned teaching and assisting activities are dependent on a number of factors. Often the respective department structure determines how much and how soon a graduate student may take on more responsibilities in teaching, sometimes this also depends on the individual student’s academic and professional merit. It is generally true that the better you are at what you do, the more responsibility you will be given.

The activities that fall under the remit of teaching assistant typically relate to undergraduate courses only and only rarely do PhD student engage in teaching activities at the postgraduate level, as it is normally required to hold a completed PhD degree to teach postgraduate students. There are, of course, exceptions and in some cases a professor may have PhD students assist with some of the course sessions at the Masters level.

Teaching assistantships become available to PhD students often after they have completed their first year of study at the PhD level. Universities and their departments are usually quite conscious of the challenge it poses to balance research and try to avoid overburdening students in the first year. Particularly students enrolled in PhD programmes that require a considerable coursework load in the first year of study are likely to have to defer any teaching activities to the second and third year of study. Students who already have established good ties with their department in a previous course of study and who have only few or no coursework requirements in their first year of study may, however, be able to start their first year of PhD study with a teaching assistantship. The exact departmental policies and requirements vary from institution to institution.

In the interest of the course of study a teaching assistant pursues in parallel with the assistant position, teaching requirements typically do not exceed 19 or 20 hours per week on average. It can pose a considerable challenge in some months to stay on top of grading stacks of undergraduate student papers, while keeping up with research requirements for the PhD degree. However, there will also be periods where the demands of the teaching position are reduced and students are able to more fully focus on their own studies. Unlike the demands of most part-time jobs, the seasonal fluctuations within the academic year provide a great opportunity to fulfil both roles effectively, with a little bit of planning and time management skills.

But aside from presenting the PhD student with a great opportunity to learn how to balance research and work requirements, teaching assistantships have many advantages. Particularly for students who see their future in academia, a teaching assistantship provides an invaluable opportunity to gain important teaching experience at the university level while studying. Working as a teaching assistant also facilitates a greater level of integration into your respective department, which often translates to better access to facilities, laboratories and professors. It further makes it much easier to establish and maintain important and beneficial relationships within the department. And even if a career in university teaching and academia is not your cup of tea, working as a teaching assistant presents a plenty of other benefits, from leadership skills, to communication and time management skills. A teaching assistant position also provides significantly more flexibility as a part-time job than any other job is likely to offer.

Most universities stipulate a number of requirements for students wishing to become teaching assistants. One key condition a PhD student must fulfil is good academic standing. Students with a poor academic record are not likely to be successful candidates for teaching assistantships. A good academic reputation and consistent positive feedback also serve as basic requirements for a teaching assistant to move on from being engaged in basic activities with a low level of independence and responsibility to more independence and greater accountability, such as teaching an entire course. Universities typically have assessment mechanisms in place to ensure that assisting PhD students perform their tasks with diligence and care.

Payment levels and structures for teaching assistantships vary to some extent by institution and country. In some higher education systems, PhD level teaching assistantships are comparable to studentships and the teaching assistant receives a stipend, or a fixed amount per year for a pre-determined set of responsibilities. In other cases and countries, the payment structure may be more flexible and teaching assistants are paid by the number of courses taught or hours spent providing assistance to students.

If you are planning to supplement your PhD studies with a part-time job, a teaching assistantship is probably the best way. Enquire at the university of your choice what the requirements and conditions are to be able to work as a teaching assistant during your studies. Full-time PhD students often have preference in the allocation of teaching assistantships, however, part-time students may also be considered for a lesser workload overall.

Working as a teaching assistant presents a great opportunity to earn money while you study for your PhD and offers great benefits for your course of study and your career. Make sure to check with your university to find out what openings they offer.