University of Birmingham - Graduate teaching assistantships and other University work

Paid university work for researchers at Birmingham

As a PhD student at the University of Birmingham, you can earn money whilst studying by working within the university. The main opportunity is a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), a paid role in which you deliver a limited number of modules to undergraduate students, thereby gaining teaching experience. Other paid roles include assisting with laboratory sessions, leading tutorials, marking students’ work, mentoring fellow students, and short-term jobs on campus arranged through the university’s job board. Pay is not fixed in advance. It depends on the specific role, the number of hours worked and your department, so there is no standard grant amount.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled as a research PhD student (e.g. on a PhD programme) at the University of Birmingham.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: All nationalities welcome.
• Availability: You will have time to take on teaching duties or other responsibilities alongside your research.

How to apply

Teaching and demonstration posts are allocated by the individual faculties, not via a central applications office. Please contact your academic adviser or research supervisor. For short-term jobs on campus, please apply directly via the university’s student employment service.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a paid role, not a competitive scholarship. The real question, then, is whether any positions become available in your department and whether you have the time to take them on. Positions as teaching and demonstration assistants are limited and are awarded to students whose subject area and skills match the modules being taught. You should therefore check with your supervisor at an early stage. Short-term jobs on campus are more plentiful and easier to come by.