
Grad Teaching - Serving as a Teaching Fellow (TF) is a requirement of many Yale Ph.D. degree programs.
Learning to teach is an essential component of academic training and professional development.
There are two levels of teaching fellows and five types of assignments at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Departments and programs are responsible for allocating teaching fellows to courses and determining the level of the assignment and its type. Additionally, teaching is categorized as stipend or non-stipend teaching.
Teaching positions at GSAS are generally categorized into one of two levels:
The level is determined by faculty, based on how much time per week the assignment is likely to take.
Teaching assignment types can be assigned at either the TF10 or TF20 level and are distinguished from one another by their responsibilities.
Student graders/tutors may grade exams, papers, homework, or problem sets and meet with students for office hours and help sessions. They may also tutor students in language and other classes to supplement the in-class meetings. The nature of the tutoring varies by discipline.
Discussion section leaders meet once or twice a week with small groups of students who are enrolled in a lecture course. Discussion section leaders are expected to meet with the faculty leading the course once per week and may be expected to attend lectures; grade papers, homework, problem sets and exams; and hold office hours. Many discussion sections have enrollments of 15 or fewer students, and the maximum number is 18.
Lab assignments occur most frequently in the sciences. Lab leaders generally run laboratory sections for students enrolled in a lecture classes. Lab leaders are expected to meet with the faculty leading the course once per week and may be expected to attend lectures and grade papers, homework, problem sets, and exams. Lab sizes vary widely depending on the discipline.
Supervised by a faculty member, a PTAI conducts a section of an introductory course or teaches an advanced seminar in their area of specialization. In the case of multi-section introductory courses, the supervision often includes the use of a common syllabus and examinations. PTAI assignments are made only at the TF20 level.
If your native language is not English, you must meet the oral English proficiency requirement before you may begin teaching. If you have not fulfilled the requirement yet, please contact the staff of the English Language Program at the Center for Language Study.
Students who have not yet met the English language proficiency requirement may serve as “graders without contact.” All other teaching fellow assignments require certified English proficiency. “Grader without contact” designates a student who grades assignments but does not have other contact with students in the class to which they are assigned. They do not hold office hours, tutor or advise. “Grader without contact” positions are to be distinguished from “grader/tutor” positions that routinely put graduate students in direct contact with the students in their class. A “grader without contact” assignment is considered part-time employment, and does not fulfill academic teaching requirements.
If you are a department or program administrator or registrar, and you need assign a student as a “grader without contact,” please contact us teaching.fellows@yale.edu, as these assignments are processed differently from Teaching Fellow assignments.
Graduate student teaching at Yale is divided into two categories, stipend and non-stipend.
Students doing stipend teaching receive the standard departmental stipend, regardless of the level or type of assignment. Such teaching is included in your financial aid package and is considered part of your academic or financial requirement. Learning to teach is a requirement for Ph.D. students at Yale, along with attending classes, taking exams, and writing a dissertation. Stipend teaching never exceeds 20 hours per week.
Once you have completed the teaching required by your program, you may continue to teach in addition to your financial package, if a position is available. This is considered “non-stipend” teaching. Non-stipend teaching assignments are those that are offered to GSAS students apart from an academic or financial requirement, or to students enrolled at a professional school. Non-stipend TFs receive $4,000 per term for courses requiring up to 10 hours of effort per week, and $8,000 for courses that require up to 20 hours per week.
Non-stipend teaching is considered part-time employment. If you are in years one through six and enrolled in GSAS, and still receiving a financial aid package, you may not teach more than a TF10 in addition to your stipend. If you are not receiving financial aid and beyond your sixth year of study, you may teach up to three TF Level 20 assignments per year. Professional School students should consult with their Dean to determine the maximum TF level per term.
If you are a professional school student assisting in an FAS course, you are appointed at the levels and stipends equivalent to a teaching fellow with the title Teaching Assistant.
See the Sixth Year Initiative for more information.
Funding for graduate students in the natural sciences operates differently than funding for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences. A significant portion of stipend and tuition payments for natural science students comes from external grants. After university support in the early years, dissertation advisers typically provide financial support from research grants to their students through graduation, including during the sixth year if necessary. In rare cases when natural science faculty are unable to provide funding to advanced students, departments and the Graduate School work to assist students.
If you are an international student with F-1 or J-1 status, you may work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week while school is in session. Teaching Fellows appointments, along with any other on-campus employment, count towards the 20 hour per week limit. It is your responsibility not to exceed this limit and comply with immigration regulations that govern your status.
Check with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) if you have questions about your eligibility.
If you are a J-1 student sponsored by Yale, you must also report in advance any on-campus employment opportunity to the Office of International Students & Scholars using OISS Connect.
All off-campus employment in J-1 or F-1 status requires advance permission, and any unauthorized employment is a violation of immigration status. Consult OISS before accepting off-campus employment offers.
Except for participation in the GSAS Teaching Fellow Program, part-time employment beyond an average of 10 hours per week requires permission from your director of graduate studies, in consultation with the appropriate associate dean.