UCL Department of Economics - Teaching Assistant scheme

What the Teaching Assistant scheme gives you

As a full-time PhD student in Economics at UCL without external funding, you will receive about EUR 24,150 per year (GBP 21,000) as well as a full waiver of your tuition fees for up to five years. In return, you will work as a teaching assistant for 312 hours per year. This includes teaching time, preparation, marking and tutorials. You can spread this teaching commitment unevenly over the five years, for example with fewer hours at the start. If you are looking for an academic post in your final year, you can reduce the teaching commitment to half (156 hours) and receive approximately 12,075 euros per year (10,500 pounds) in return. The programme is run by the Department of Economics at UCL as part of its support package for PhD students.

If you already have external PhD funding, different conditions apply. The department will top up your external funding to a maximum of approximately 23,000 euros (20,000 pounds), grant a bonus of approximately 5,750 euros (5,000 pounds) for securing external funding, and will cover any tuition fees not covered by your funding provider. Part-time students are generally exempt from teaching duties, but may choose to take on teaching duties in return for a reduced remuneration.

Who can apply

• Level: You are an MPhil or PhD student in Economics.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at the School of Economics at UCL in London.
• Enrolment: The full package (tuition fees plus exemption from other charges) applies to full-time students. Part-time students are subject to lower fees, which are determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, including students from the UK and abroad.
• Funding status: You can apply regardless of whether or not you already have external funding; however, the amount and the conditions will depend on which category you fall into.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a standalone scholarship that one wins through a competitive process. It is the standard funding provided upon admission to the PhD programme in Economics at UCL. The difficult part is securing a place on this highly competitive PhD programme. Once you have been admitted as a full-time student, financial support and exemption from tuition fees are automatically included, so a suitable candidate who secures a PhD place can count on receiving this support.