Several types of financial assistance are available to Graduate Students at UCI. These include fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, and tuition fellowships for nonresident students, grants-in-aid, and student loans. Entering or continuing Graduate Students may be awarded research or teaching assistantships for all or part of the academic year. The Financial Aid Office can provide you with information about assistance based upon financial need, including grants and loans. Additional information regarding financial aid is available HERE.
Teaching Assistantships
A 50% Teaching Assistant position (TA) in the Department of Mathematics comprises a workload of no more than 220 service hours per quarter. UCI and the Department assume a full-time Graduate Student receiving a Teaching Assistantship does not have any other employment during the academic year. During academic sessions, Graduate Students may not be employed in any capacity by the University beyond a maximum of 50% service time. All Academic Student Employees are covered by a collective bargaining contract. For further information on student employment, see the Office of Graduate Studies website.
Discussion Sections
A 50% TA assignment consists of two discussion sections plus time in the Department's tutoring center. For each discussion section you are assigned, you will spend 2 hours per week in the classroom conducting discussion sections; 2-4 hours per week in the tutoring center, depending on the teaching assignment; 1 office hour per week, to work with students; and 5 hours per week as assigned for preparation, grading exams and quizzes, etc. A standard assignment will be two discussion sections per quarter (this is a 50% appointment). Each discussion section meets twice a week for one hour each session. The course instructor determines how the discussions will be conducted, and it is your responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the beginning of each quarter, and weekly thereafter. For example, you will give quizzes, review material, and supplement the lecture. Do not cancel or reschedule your discussion section. Absences must be covered by your Teaching Buddy.
Tutoring Hours
Part of the duties of a teaching assistant will be 1-2 hours per week in the tutoring center. Teaching Assistants are required to schedule their tutoring hours with the Graduate Affairs Officer. It is imperative for you to be in the tutoring center, in the assigned place, at the assigned time. Students are free to drop in for help at any time during that hour. Again, absences are covered by your Teaching Buddy. Please remember -- the Department of Mathematics is offering this service to students. In order for the service to be effective, please be reliable and courteous. Tutoring starts the second week of classes and continues through finals week. TA's must login and log out of the timekeeping program in the tutoring center. Failure to login/logout will be viewed as an absence. An uncovered absence from the tutoring center is failure to fulfill part of the obligations of the Teaching Assistantship. Such absences may result in a reduction of the percentage appointment, resulting in a reduction in pay.
Office Hours
You must have one office hour per week per discussion section. By the start of the second week of classes, you will choose a time for your office hours. Please give this time to the Graduate Affairs Officer for posting.
TA Assignments and Workload
TA's should contact the appropriate instructor(s) as soon as you receive your assignment. The assigned workload is measured by how many hours the University could reasonably expect a TA to take to satisfactorily complete the work assigned. A TA with a 50% appointment will be assigned a workload of no more than 220 hours per quarter. (This applies proportionately to other percent appointments.) This can be used at the instructors' discretion for preparation, attending course lectures, grading, or discussion with the instructor. The TA orientation is considered part of the workload for the term. TA's should initiate discussions with the instructor if they anticipate any workload-related issues. Should you have questions or concerns regarding your workload it is your responsibility to contact the Graduate Affairs Officer (Kate Haubert) in a timely manner. It is necessary that you establish and maintain frequent communication with the instructor(s) and with the Department. It is advised that you check your Department mailbox and e-mail every day.
Teaching Buddies
If you are unable to make your discussion section you must contact your Teaching Buddy and let the instructor know. It is important that this is done as soon as you are aware of the need. Your Teaching Buddy is another TA who has agreed (in advance) to cover your assignment in case of an emergency. You are required to find your own Teaching Buddy, someone who either is or has been a TA in your course. You need a buddy for each discussion section assigned. This can be the same person, just make sure you are covered. This information must be given to the Graduate Affairs Officer by the start of the second week of classes, generally at the same time tutoring hours, office hours are listed. The Graduate Affairs Officer will notify all TA’s by email.
Academic Credit for Supervised University Teaching
Being a TA entitles you to enroll in a course titled "University Teaching," Math 399, for one to four units of credit per quarter. Those teaching assistants, who otherwise would not be enrolled for 12 units of graduate or upper-division credit and would not be recognized as full time for enrollment reporting and budgetary purposes, must enroll for 399 credits no later than the second week of instruction. Authorization codes are required for 399, contact the Graduate Affairs Officer for the code.
Academic Criteria for TA Appointment
The Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate Admissions and Advising Committees decide who will receive Teaching Assistantships. The committee bases its selections on (1) Your academic progress (coursework, examinations, etc.); (2) Your previous TA work, including student evaluations; and (3) Faculty recommendations.
The following University criteria must be met:
- Enrollment in at least 12 units in the current quarter.
- Combined campus-wide employment of no more than 50 percent time during the academic session.
- International and permanent resident graduate students, whose primary language is not English, must take and pass the TSE (Test of Spoken English) or the S.P.E.A.K. exam with a score of 50 or better or the T.O.E.P. exam with a score of 5 or better. Effective Fall 05, the following test scores have also been approved: a minimum score of 8 on the speaking portion of the I.E.L.T.S. or a minimum score of 26 on the speaking portion of the TOEFL-iBT
For continuing students during each of the three most recent quarters of enrollment:
- Completion of 8 units or more of upper division or graduate level credit courses.
- A letter grade of C,S or above in all courses completed.
- No more than two incomplete (I) grades
- A cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher
- Satisfactory progress toward degree objectives
- Teaching Assistant Appointment Periods and Limitations
Teaching Assistantships are for one quarter, two quarters, or an academic year. Graduate students who have not advanced to candidacy for the doctorate, may be appointed as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate for a maximum of 12 quarters including the full period of the current or proposed appointment. Following advancement to candidacy, a doctoral student can be appointed to an additional 6 quarters for a total maximum of 18 appointment quarters. The quarters are counted regardless of appointment percentage.
Fee-Offsets for Teaching Assistant Appointments
The Office of Graduate Studies will pay the Graduate Student Health Insurance Fee and a partial fee remission of 100% of the annual educational and registration fees for TAs with appointments of 25% or more for an entire quarter. The remaining balance of the student fees to be paid by the student for the academic year will be $256.50 per quarter or $769.50 for the academic year.
Evaluations
TAs are evaluated by students each quarter. All evaluations will be completed online. Evaluations for the last year of academic residence will be maintained in your graduate file for 5 years after you leave UCI; they will be used for your Letters of Recommendation.
Payroll
Teaching Assistants are paid on the 1st day of the month. To receive your pay you have two options: 1) Departmental pickup or 2) Surepay (Direct Deposit). Select one of these options at the time your employment paperwork is signed or you can change your selection electronically through DEFT. You can view your earnings statement HERE.
Please be aware that fall quarter Teaching Assistants will not receive their first paycheck until the first week of November, therefore other financial provisions should be made for this period.
Fellowships
Research Assistantship and External Grants
The University of California is the State's primary research institution. Much scholarly research and creative activity is supported by University funds or by grants and contracts from federal and state agencies, foundations, corporations, and individual sponsors. The office of Research and Graduate Studies also maintains a resource center containing the most current information about extramural funding sources for student and faculty research. Please refer to the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.
Non-Resident Tuition Waivers
Students who are not residents of California are charged in addition to fees, nonresident tuition, which is currently $5,034.00 per quarter or $15,102 per year for each year of attendance required by the curriculum. Non-resident students are required to become CA residents prior to their second year of attendance. Please refer to Residency requirements. Students who have advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. are eligible for a reduction in the nonresident tuition for a period of three years. Outstanding non-resident applicants may be eligible for a full or partial tuition waiver as part of their admission award package. This tuition reduction must have prior approval through the Office of Graduate Studies and the Registrar's Office.
Continuing Student Fellowships
Summer Support
For continuing Graduate Students, there are two Summer Sessions. Depending on your status you may be eligible for an Instructorship, Teaching Assistantship, and/or Reader position during the Summer Sessions.
Summer Research
For continuing Graduate Students, research experience must be aligned with thesis or dissertation, substantial stipend. This is generally supported by the faculty advisor's research grant.
President's Dissertation Year Fellowship
This prestigious dissertation year program is intended for diversity students who are in their final year of graduate study and who are planning to pursue teaching or research appointments soon after the end of their dissertation fellowship year. It is expected that candidates will complete Ph.D. requirements during the award year. Provides substantial stipend (9 month tenure), student fees, and $500.00 research/travel allowance. This is a campus wide competitive fellowship with nominations due generally in April for the following academic year.
Dissertation Fellowship (one-quarter award)
For students who have advanced to candidacy and are at critical and/or final stages of dissertation.