Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) positions and Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) positions at the University of Waterloo are employment roles for which income is earned. Both positions allow you to gain valuable experience in teaching and research.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
| Effective date |
Per term (hourly rate x 10 hours/week x 16 weeks) |
Per month (hourly rate x 10 hours/week x 4 weeks) |
Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | $8,244.80 | $2,061.20 | $51.53 |
| May 1, 2025 | $8,020.80 | $2,005.20 | $50.13 |
- The calculations in the tables are based on a full appointment of 160 hours.
- For fractional appointments (0.25, 0.5, 0.75), the rates are pro-rated accordingly.
- Rates do not include vacation pay, public holiday pay, deductions or union dues.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
| Effective date | Position |
Per term (hourly rate x 10 hours/week x 16 weeks) |
Per month (hourly rate x 10 hours/week x 4 weeks) |
Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | GRA - Master's | $7,862.40 | $1,965.60 | $49.14 |
| GRA - Doctoral | $9,353.60 | $2,338.40 | $58.46 | |
| May 1, 2025 | GRA - Master's | $7,648.00 | $1,912.00 | $47.80 |
| GRA - Doctoral | $9,099.20 | $2,274.80 |
$56.87 |
- The calculations in the tables are based on a full appointment of 160 hours.
- For fractional appointments (0.25, 0.5, 0.75), the rates are pro-rated accordingly.
- Rates do not include vacation pay, public holiday pay, deductions or union dues.
GTA/GRA Payments
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA) and sessional teaching appointments at the University of Waterloo are considered employment income and are subject to statutory deductions (Human Resources website) for income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums.
Payments are processed by the Human Resources Payroll department and are made by direct deposit to the student's bank account and are paid in monthly instalments on the last Friday of each month. Annual earnings are reported on a T4 slip. GTA, GRA, and sessional income can be automatically redirected to your student account to pay student fees. This can be arranged by completing a Promissory Note as instructed on the Student Financial Services website.
If a student receives a student award (not employment income), the payment is processed through Quest from Departmental nominations and is made by direct deposit to the student’s bank account or by cheque to the current mailing address indicated in Quest. Annual awards are reported on a T4A slip. Awards are issued once a term.