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Find out more about GTA opportunities

Information about becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) on a low fractional employment contract, access to job opportunities and case studies.

Current GTA vacancies

View available opportunities to become a GTA on a low fractional employment contract.


Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

No current vacancies

Faculty of Engineering and Design

  • Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering: Apply now

Faculty of Science

No current vacancies

School of Management

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The recruitment and selection process

Understand the competitive nature of the roles and what's required.


Graduate Teaching Assistant positions are available to students who are looking to teach during their doctoral studies.

We're committed to enhancing teaching and providing a positive student learning experience. Holding a low fractional contract means you're an employee. You have rights to sick pay, redundancy, paid holiday, just like a more standard employment arrangement. Because of this, it is necessary for departments to carry out a competitive recruitment process.

This means you have to submit a job application and complete a short online assessment that will be used to evaluate your skills, experience, and suitability. If you are successful in this process, you'll be offered a GTA low fractional employment contract.

How it works

Identifying a GTA requirement

Departments are responsible for identifying how many GTAs are required and should seek approval to recruit by submitting a staff request form (SRF). Multiple positions can be requested on one SRF.

Job advert

We'll advertise GTA opportunities on this web page and through various channels, such as via the Doctoral College, Students Union and your own department. Adverts are normally placed in May/June time.

Submitting your application

If you're interested, you should submit your application − including answering the assessment questions − by the advertised closing date. Adverts are normally live for two weeks.

Selection process

A nominated panel will review and score applications and completed assessment questions, taking into account factors like skills, experience, qualifications, cultural fit and potential.

Based on this, they'll select the candidate(s) who best aligns with requirements and demonstrates the potential to contribute positively to the department.

Offer and onboarding

If you've been successful, you'll receive a job offer which also acts as your employment contract. This will include details about pay, hours of work, benefits, start date, and other relevant information.

If you accept the offer, you'll then be asked to complete a short onboarding process which includes completing a medical health questionnaire and right to work check. You cannot start your employment with us without this.

Before your start date, you're also required to complete the Doctoral College First Steps into Teaching short training course.

Timescales

Annual recruitment cycle

The following table outlines key actions required to recruit GTAs so that they start employment at the beginning of the academic year.

Action required By whom Timescale
SRF submitted Department Approx. two weeks for full sign off
Advert drafted and approved HR and recruiting manager One week
Advert released & job applications submitted HR and student Two weeks
Shortlisting and offer submitted Department One week
Contract (offer) issued HR By end of July
Onboarding* HR, student, department By mid August
Added to iTrent** HR By first week of September
Start student Mid September onwards
Complete probation Student and department Six months from start date

In-year recruitment cycle

The following table outlines the key actions required to recruit GTAs during the academic year.

Note for recruiting managers: Please bear in mind that when recruiting 'in year', you will need to 'copy' the original SRF and resubmit it. This should pass through the approval chain quickly. You are able to advertise whilst the SRF is in progress, however no offers can be made until the SRF has been approved.

Action required By whom Timescale
Advert drafted, released and job applicatons submitted HR, student, recruiting manager One week
Shortlisting and Selection Department One day
Offer submitted Department One day
Contract [offer] issued HR One day
Onboarding* HR, student, department One to two weeks
Added to iTrent** HR Prior to start date
Complete probation Student and department Six months from start date

* If you have worked as a GTA on a low fractional employment contract in the previous academic year and the break in service is less than six months, you'll be asked to confirm that there have been no changes to your health questionnaire answers. You'll also be required to complete a new right to work check.

** To ensure the timelines of adding individuals to iTrent are adhered to, departments who are trained in ID checking will conduct your Right to Work (RTW) check and provide to HR.

Conversion of casual contracts and additional hours

There is no mechanism for ‘translating’ a contract mid-year. If your projected contract is less than 0.1FTE at the start of the year or you have opted to take a casual contract, you'll remain on a casual contract until the next recruitment cycle.

If you take on additional hours as part of your low fractional employment contract, these can be logged on an 'additional hours claim form'. You do not require a separate casual contract for this.

Probation process

GTAs benefit from a supportive light-touch probation process that ensures your success as a GTA. Your manager will provide clear guidance on what it means to be on probation, normally within your first week.

After six months, your probation will naturally conclude − unless there are any performance-related concerns. In this instance, your manager will extend an invitation to a meeting, where you’ll collaboratively identify areas for improvement and set a brief review period. Find out more about the University's probation policy and procedure.


The benefits of an employment contract

Understand the differences between a low fractional employment contract and an hourly paid worker (casual or zero hour) contract.


Departments should offer the ability to apply for a low fractional GTA contract, if there is a requirement for a teaching allocation above 0.1FTE over a 12-month period.

A term time only contract can be considered when the FTE is over 0.1 in semester time.

Taking holiday

Having a low fractional contract means you are an employee and you'll accumulate holiday (pro-rata) dependent upon what proportion of a full-time job your contract states. You will be paid for your annual leave and will need to take it over the course of your employment, the same as any other employee. Any holiday you wish to take should be authorised in advance with your manager and should not exceed your entitlement. If you have any remaining annual leave that you haven't used by the end of your contract, it is your responsibility to inform your line manager and they will need to confirm this with HR.

Find out further information on How to start teaching as a doctoral student

You can also view answers to frequently asked questions about GTA contracts.

Students share their experience

In the following video you'll hear from several students who share their personal teaching experience as a doctoral student and what they thought of the GTA employment contract and support available.


How we support inclusion and belonging for GTAs

We think it's a truly important part of the role of a GTA to have diversity of experience, perspectives and backgrounds. We're committed to supporting our students and enhancing the overall learning experience.


  • We recognise the importance of being able to practice your faith at Bath and can provide you with support and places to be able to do this
  • We're a disability confident leader and support students and staff with disabilities (both visible or otherwise; physical as well as neuro-diverse)
  • We encourage applications from under-represented groups such as Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBT and people with disabilities, and value the positive impact that will have on our teams
  • Students here on a student/tier 4 visa may be able to apply for this type of opportunity − you can contact studentimmigrationservice@bath.ac.uk for more information
  • We'll never discriminate against people on the grounds of gender identity, intersex conditions or any process of gender reassignment. Our Gender Identity policy and guidelines set out in more detail how the University supports students and staff

If you're interested in working as a GTA and a vacancy isn't available in your area of interest.

Let us know by completing this form