TA Minimum Requirements:  

Application requirements:

• Please use your SFU computing ID/password to login to the application system
• Applicants must review and understand the minimum requirements and course specific requirements for all courses
• Applicants must submit a current C/V and unofficial transcript at the time of application
• Applicants will be asked to indicate their top 5 course preferences at time of application
• Most courses are scheduled for in-person delivery and TAs are expected to be available for in-person student contact for the duration of the contract.

General requirements:

• Must have an undergraduate degree in computer science or an equivalent post-secondary degree from a recognized institution or demonstrated industry experience specific to the course(s) applied for.
• Must have sufficient knowledge of the course specific requirements in order to provide optimum TA support for students and instructors.
• Must have sufficient written and one-to-one oral communications skills in order to support students and instructors throughout the semester whether in-person or by email.
• Must have sufficient time management and organizational skills for courses with labs.

Course specific requirements:

• Download the course specific requirements below.
• Please ensure that you review the course calendar, course outline, and course schedule for details about each course.

Course specifc requirements

Click here to apply!

TA Base Units and Pay Rate:

Base units (BUs) listed below are only an estimate and are subject to change based on actual enrollment. 

• Download the estimated range of base units per course here

Pay rate is per 2022-2024 TSSU Wage Schedule.

TA Appointment Priority Ranking:

Priority for appointment/reappointment as a Teaching Assistant is in accordance with Article 13 of the Collective Agreement with the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU). In hiring Teaching Assistants, departments shall give priority to the applicants in the following order:

• (i) Graduate students registered in the department
• (ii) Graduate students registered in other departments
• (iii) Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTA)
• (iv) External Teaching Assistants (ETA)

In allocating Teaching Assistant positions, the department will also take into account the following:

• Applicants’ preferences;
• Instructors’ preferences;
• Amount of financial support offered on admission to the graduate program;
• Suitability for particular courses (e.g. discipline of prior degree(s), publications, experience);
• Number of base units already received to ensure sufficient teaching-related experience in the field.

Resources for TAs/Sessionals:

The following links will help you get your medical coverage and other benefits, as well as help you learn how to become a better teacher.

• Human Resources: TSSU Member Benefits, Wage Information, Collective Agreement
• Graduate Student Society: Benefit Plan Bursary
• Medical Insurance Information
• TSSU Payroll Deduction
• Graduate Studies: Professional Development Opportunities
• Centre for Educational Excellence: TA Support
• Centre for Educational Excellence: TA Hub
• Centre for Educational Excellence: Workshops and Programs

Inquiries: cmptappl @ sfu.ca