Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are doctoral (PhD, MPhil, EngD and MD[Res]) students who contribute towards learning and teaching at Imperial. GTAs carry out specific roles and responsibilities, receive training for their role and are paid according to agreed pay tiers. They may be engaged to teach and support learning on both undergraduate and Master’s-level programmes.
Working as a GTA provides doctoral students with an opportunity to broaden their experience at Imperial and is an important part of their research training.
The Casual Worker Team manages the onboarding and payment of GTAs at Imperial. The GTA programme is delivered by the Early Career Researcher Institute. The Hiring Department conducts role and activity management.
The information on this page is general to all GTAs. Please refer to the local and specific guidance provided by your Hiring Department.
Timesheets for GTA work
Login to the Casual Worker Timesheet App
Please find more information on casual worker policies and procedures on the Existing Casual Worker page.
GTA Framework
GTAs are expected to maintain high standards of professional ethics appropriate for any member of academic staff and to embed the Imperial Values and Behaviours in their work.
GTAs are engaged as casual workers and are subject to the same policies and procedures. For more information, please visit the Existing Casual Workers page. Individuals must be successfully onboarded as casual workers before commencing engagement.
If you are a GTA or are responsible for hiring a GTA, please find the additional policies and procedures below:
Payment Procedures
GTAs registered as casual workers will be paid for the hours worked as detailed in the Casual Hours Agreement or subsequent Assignment Confirmation. Please submit your hours using the Casual Worker Timesheet app.
There are three pay tiers for GTAs. These pay rates may be adjusted annually in accordance with Imperial's local pay bargaining and benchmarking exercises.
GTA Pay Tiers as of 4 August 2025
| Basic Rate | Holiday Pay | Total Hourly Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | £20.02 | £2.42 | £22.44 |
| Tier 2 | £24.50 | £2.96 | £27.46 |
| Tier 3 | £32.57 | £3.93 | £36.50 |
Some teaching activities conducted by casual workers may be considered out of scope of the GTA framework and payment tiers.
GTAs submitting timesheets via the Casual Worker Timesheet app should select the relevant "work requirement" dropdown and appropriate pay tier, following local departmental guidance. Please note that timesheets require Level 1 and Level 2 approval from the Hiring Department before they can be processed for payment. Payroll is conducted monthly.
For any technical issues regarding timesheet submission, please contact the Casual Worker Team.