Note for Spring/Fall 2026 TAships
A new collective agreement between the University of Waterloo and CUPE Local 5524.01, a union representing Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) employees, was approved on February 26, 2026. The collective agreement (retroactively) covers the period from January 12, 2024, to April 30, 2027, and outlines terms and conditions of employment for graduate students working in GTA and GRA roles. More up-to-date information can be found on the Current Graduate Students website.
Information found on the ISG website may be outdated/subject to change as the collective agreement's terms and conditions are implemented.
Section A: TA eligibility
Additional questions about TA eligibility can be directed to CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca.
1. Am I eligible for a TA unit?
To be considered eligible for a TA unit, graduate students must be
- enrolled with a full-time course load,
- on-campus for the term that they are TAing, and
- legally allowed to work in Canada (e.g. have a valid SIN/work permit with a Canadian bank account).
2. Can I TA if I am not eligible/entitled for a TA unit?
No. This includes students who are on an internship, on a co-op work term, or students who have accepted a Sessional Instructor position.
Students who are not entitled to TA units (e.g. MMath: Research Paper/MDSAI students, over-eligible students) but meet the TA eligibility criteria are not guaranteed TA units. These students may apply for TA positions are lower priority candidates during the assignment process.
3. Can I TA after graduating or if I'm planning to complete my degree/graduate in the same term?
Since you would not be enroled in a full-time course load for part of the term, you would typically not be allowed to TA that term. If you are assigned a TA position and end up completing your degree early, you will be expected to terminate your TAship once this occurs.
4. I am off-campus for a certain period of time next term. Can I TA remotely?
While there are courses that will have most TA duties done online, by Policy (and requirement of Math Faculty Pool Proctoring), the expectation is that you are available to TA on-campus for the majority of the term, starting from the first day of class until the last day of the exam period (inclusive).
For legitimate absences (e.g. medical emergencies, conferences), inform your course instructor/ISC. You may need to find a suitable replacement to cover your TA duties depending on the urgency.
5. I was assigned a TA position, but I am no longer able or willing to TA. Can I still decline my TA position?
Notify CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca immediately so we can remove your position.
Section B: TA units and funding
Additional questions regarding TA funding and TA units can be directed to csgtaschol@uwaterloo.ca . You may CC CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca as well.
1. What is TA pay?
The hourly rate for a TA ship in CS is $54.74/hour, plus 4% vacation pay.
2. When will I receive my TA pay?
TA pay is disbursed monthly at the end of each month. Please refer to the university's payroll dates for term-specific pay dates.
If you have not received TA pay at the end of a given month, please email CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca for support.
3. What is a TA unit?
The university defines 1 TA unit to be 160 hours of work. CS will use the following denominations for its TA/IA positions for Spring 2026 onwards:
- 0.75 TA units = 120 hours of work / term (~7.5 hours / week)
- 0.5 TA units = 80 hours of work / term (~5 / week
4. What happens if I decline a TA appointment?
You will not receive TA salary for the term and the 'decline' will be recorded towards your total entitlement.
You should receive the same amount of GRS funding for the unit(s) offered.
Section C: Course assignments
Additional questions about the TA preference form can be directed to CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca.
1. Which programming languages or concepts are taught in which course? How can I figure out which CS courses are most suitable for me?
We have a webpage that lists all courses offered with TA/IA positions and relevant research areas. For a better idea of course content, you can visit the university's outline repository for course descriptions and outlines from previous term offerings. Alternatively, you can find course descriptions and pre-requisite requirements online.
You may also discuss with your supervisor or inquire through the other professors/peers in your research labs for a better idea of which courses are relevant to your research area.
2. Can I TA for the course that my supervisor is teaching?
If they are teaching an undergraduate CS course, the best way to formalize this request would be to encourage your supervisor to complete the TA Request form before its deadline.
3. Can I TA for a grad-level CS course?
Yes, if there are positions available. Graduate-level CS courses (CS 600-898) are not typically supported by TAs except for courses cross-listed with 400-level courses (e.g. CS 456/656).
4. Can I TA for a course that is not in CS?
You are allowed to apply for and accept positions outside CS but would be considered a lower priority candidate for those courses.
5. Can I TA for 2 courses in the same term?
It is possible but you cannot accept more than 1 TA unit (160 hours) in one term without formal approval from your faculty supervisor.
Section E: Instructional Apprentices (IA)
1. What's the difference between TAs and IAs?
The number of hours worked should also be the same per unit. It's in the given duties where the positions differ. IAs' may be responsible for a subset of the following duties that are not typically assigned to TAs.
- Coordinating other TAs for marking assignments
- Creating marking schemes/solution sets
- Holding office hours (in-person or virtually)
- Monitoring discussion forums (e.g. Piazza)
- Assisting in labs
- Leading tutorials
You'll notice that IAs have a lot more student interaction and input on the course delivery.
2. Why would I choose to work as an IA instead of as a TA?
If you are interested in teaching, the experience provided by an IA will give you a more accurate and broad view of relevant skills. Skills developed by working as an IA may include skills in instruction, communication, assignment creation, etc. These skills are transferable to future employment (academic or not) and would not be developed by an average TA marker.
Further, there is an opportunity to observe different teaching styles upon working with multiple instructors closely. Your experience will give you valuable feedback on whether or not you enjoy this line of work, and will also give us a good way to assess your suitability to work as a sessional instructor during your graduate studies or as a professor after earning your degree.
Some IAs prefer to talk to students about computer science content as opposed to marking individual assignments. It's a matter of preference of how you want to spend your time as well.
3. Is being an IA more challenging than being a TA?
An IA is often given more responsibility than TAs are, and as a consequence plays a more central role in a course. You will need to demonstrate organization, punctuality, dependability, and good time management skills in order to meet deadlines and adhere to schedules. When selecting IAs, ISCs will keep a look out for willingness to perform IA-related duties, relevant experience, and might also consider promoting students who have TA'd the course several time.
Depending on the specific IA job, it might not be appropriate for you to leave town on workdays during the term. Typically you should be available from the start of term (preferably a few days earlier) through to the completion of the marking and recording of the final exam.
4. How can I be considered for an IA position?
Instructors or Instructional Support Coordinators (ISCs) will make the final decision when assigning IA positions for their courses. Starting Fall 2026, this will occur during the term / after your TA contract has been signed. If assigned to their course, you may reach out to the ISC to express that you are interested in the IA position.
To improve your chances of being assigned to a course with IA positions, you may express interest in some of the IA-specific duties (face-to-face consulting, course development, conducting tutorials, etc.) or highlight any previous teaching/TA experience in your application.