Guide for Prospective ASEs

Guide for Prospective ASEs (Academic Student Employees)

Teaching is an integral part of solidifying one’s own grasp of a subject. We catalyze the learning experience by providing teaching opportunities to both our graduate and undergraduate students, to support our course staff, share ideas, and inspire advances in teaching, learning, and research.

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EECS ASE Appointment Types

The EECS Department offers the following ASE appointments during the academic year:

Apply for Spring 2027

Applications for Spring 2027 are now open.
The priority deadline is October 14, 2026.

Students must apply directly through the EECS ASE application system to be considered for a position. Only official ASE appointments offered by the Department and finalized by ERSO will count towards the teaching requirement. Verbal or email offers from hiring faculty or course staff are not considered official offers.

Applicants who are interested in ASE positions for Data Science courses should visit the Joining Data Course Staff web page. For more information about Data Science ASE positions, contact ds-ase@berkeley.edu.

Applicants interested in holding GSI (TA) appointments are required to meet the Graduate Division’s Appointment Eligibility requirements for ASEs.


Requirements for first-time GSIs (TAs)

First-time Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs)/ Teaching Assistants (TAs) are required to enroll in and complete a pedagogy course either before or concurrently with their first appointment. Potential candidates for these appointments should complete CS 370 or an equivalent pedagogical seminar before teaching. Applicants must complete all components of the pedagogy requirement to be eligible to serve as a GSI (TA). First-time Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs)/ Teaching Assistants (TAs) are required to enroll in and complete a pedagogy course either before or concurrently with their first appointment. Potential candidates for these appointments should complete CS 370 or an equivalent pedagogical seminar before teaching. Applicants must complete all components of the pedagogy requirement to be eligible to serve as a GSI (TA).

During the fall and spring semesters as well as Summer Sessions, all first-time GSIs (TAs) must fulfill the following requirements, which the GSI Teaching and Resource Center oversees:

During Summer Sessions, GSIs (TAs) are required to have completed a pedagogy course prior to the summer term during which they intend to teach.


Non-Native English Speaker GSI (TA) English Proficiency Requirement

All prospective GSIs (TAs) who do not speak English as a native language must pass a spoken English proficiency test before they may serve as GSIs (TAs). Candidates who hold a B.A., B.S., or other Bachelor’s-level degree from an institution in the United States are exempt from this requirement. This policy applies to all prospective GSIs (TAs) regardless of citizenship, country of origin, residency status, or subject taught. Those who do not speak English as a native language may satisfy this requirement by passing a language test on the Berkeley campus.

A passing score on one of these tests must be obtained before candidates may be considered for GSI (TA) opportunities.

Candidates should review the English Language Proficiency Questionnaire to determine whether they have satisfied the English Language Requirement. Candidates should also refer to the following Key Deadlines for the Language Proficiency Program.


Please refer to the Graduate Division’s Graduate Student Academic Appointments Handbook for more information about Fee Remission Eligibility Criteria for GSI (TA) appointments.

Fee Remissions are generated only for Fall and Spring semester graduate student academic employment. Fee Remission is never generated for summer appointments.

Staff GSI Coordinators will be responsible for all GSI (TA) hiring. Offers from faculty or course staff are not official. Official offers will be issued by the staff coordinators. 

EECS ASE appointments are established in accordance with the following list of priorities.

First Priority: EECS graduate students have the highest priority. Among them, students with guaranteed GSI (TA) appointments are granted first priority, followed by students who must fulfill the teaching requirement for the PhD program. Other candidates with priority include EECS graduate students with demonstrated financial support, as well as candidates requested by faculty.

Second Priority: Graduate students from other departments

As an ASE, it is your responsibility to stay informed about your rights, protections, and benefits as an ASE under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which represents GSIs (TAs), UCS2s, Readers, and UCS1s.

Applicants interested in holding UCS2 appointments are required to meet the Graduate Division’s Appointment Eligibility requirements for ASEs.

Students are permitted to hold one departmental ASE appointment per semester.


Requirements for first-time UCS2s

First-time Undergraduate Course Staff 2s (UCS2s) are required to enroll into and complete a pedagogy course either prior to or concurrently with their first appointment. Potential candidates for these appointments should complete CS 370 or an equivalent pedagogical seminar before teaching. ASEs must complete all components of the pedagogy requirement in order to be eligible to serve as UCS2s.

During the fall and spring semesters as well as Summer Sessions, all first-time UCS2s must fulfill the following requirements which are overseen by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center:

During Summer Sessions, the Department will provide a mechanism for undergraduate ASEs appointed to meet pedagogy course requirements at no additional cost to the ASEs.

During Summer Sessions, UCS2 applicants who are graduating seniors must postpone their graduation to August in order to be eligible to hold a summer ASE appointment.


Non-Native English Speaker UCS2 English Proficiency Requirement

All prospective UCS2s who do not speak English as a native language must pass a spoken English proficiency test before they may serve as or UCS2s. Candidates who hold a B.A., B.S., or other Bachelor’s level degree from an institution in the United States are exempt from this requirement. This policy applies to all prospective UCS2s regardless of citizenship, country of origin, residency status, or subject taught. Those who do not speak English as a native language may satisfy this requirement by passing a language test on the Berkeley campus.

A passing score on one of these tests must be obtained before candidates may be appointed as UCS2s.

Candidates should review the English Language Proficiency Questionnaire in order to determine whether they have satisfied the English Language Requirement. Candidates should also refer to the following Key Deadlines for the Language Proficiency Program.


Undergraduate students may be appointed as Undergraduate Course Staff 2s (UCS2s) by exception only. Exceptions may be considered if the Department is not able to recruit any qualified graduate students (including graduate students in other departments).

Hiring of Undergraduate Course Staff 2s (UCS2s) is handled by EECS Department staff only, receiving approval for each request from a faculty member. The vast majority of EECS Undergraduate Course Staff are upper-division students, as determined by their number of completed semesters at UC Berkeley. However, a small number of students may be recruited to serve as UCS2s earlier in their academic careers. According to Graduate Division policy, these students must have upper-division standing in terms of the total units on their transcript. These students typically have UCS2 duties that are more limited than UCS2s with prior teaching experience, and their work will be closely monitored.

EECS faculty are encouraged to set guidelines and best practices for selecting UCS2s for their courses. These best practices vary by course but may include:

  • Students with upper-division standing (as determined by non-AP units)
  • Students who have previously held either reader or UCS1 positions
  • Students who have gone through a peer identification and review or training process where they are evaluated by a faculty member
  • Students who have attained a certain letter grade in the course

An Undergraduate Course Staff 2 (UCS2) may perform Undergraduate Course Staff 1 (UCS1) and GSI (TA) duties under the active supervision of a faculty member who is the Instructor of Record for the course. Duties may include, but are not limited to: directing and coordinating the work of other ASEs; mentoring, training, and providing feedback to other ASEs; addressing administrative concerns in the course such as accommodations and conduct; and teaching discussion and lab sections and review sessions.

During the academic year, EECS undergraduate students who serve as UCS2s (Undergraduate Course Staff 2s) are eligible for a prorated partial fee remission based on the appointment percentage of the value of the full fee remission guaranteed under Article 11 – Fee Remission of the UAW 4811 Collective Bargaining Agreement.


UCS2 Fee Remission Structure

Appointment PercentageFee Remission Percentage
20%40%
25%50%
30%60%
Above 30%100%

Fee Remissions are generated only for Fall and Spring semester graduate student academic employment. Fee Remission never generates for summer appointments.

Staff GSI Coordinators will be responsible for all UCS2 hiring. Offers from faculty or course staff are not official. Official offers will be issued from the staff coordinators.

While the department prioritizes graduate student applicants for ASE roles, undergraduates, having taken the very courses they will teach, are quite often excellent course staff.

As an ASE, it is your responsibility to stay informed about your rights, protections, and benefits as an ASE under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which represents GSIs (TAs), UCS2s, Readers, and UCS1s.

Applicants interested in holding UCS1 appointments are required to meet the Graduate Division’s  Appointment Eligibility for Tutors.

UCS1s or Undergraduate Tutors are not eligible for the fee remission program.

ASE Orientation Dates: All first-time ASEs are required to attend the new ASE orientation with representatives from UAW 4811, the union representing all ASEs at UC Berkeley.


An Undergraduate Course Staff 1 (UCS1) may perform both Group Tutor and Reader duties as normally defined. Duties may include, but are not limited to: grading of student papers and examinations; rendering individual or group tutoring sessions; holding office hours; reviewing course materials for quality assurance; scheduling and logistics; developing software; identifying potential student misconduct; implementing accommodations; and proctoring examinations.

As an ASE, it is your responsibility to stay informed about your rights, protections, and benefits as an ASE under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which represents GSIs (TAs), UCS2s, Readers, and UCS1s.

Applicants interested in holding Reader appointments are required to meet the Graduate Division’s  Appointment Eligibility for Readers.

Graduate student Readers may be eligible for a Partial Fee Remission. Undergraduate Readers and Tutors are not eligible for the fee remission program.

Fee Remissions are generated only for Fall and Spring semester graduate student academic employment. Fee Remission never generates for summer appointments.

ASE Orientation Dates: All first-time ASEs are required to attend the new ASE orientation with representatives from UAW 4811, the union representing all ASEs at UC Berkeley.


Appointees to the Reader title are employed to provide services which will normally include the grading of student assignments and examinations, and may include limited advising and demonstration work related to grading only.

As an ASE, it is your responsibility to stay informed about your rights, protections, and benefits as an ASE under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which represents GSIs (TAs), UCS2s, Readers, and UCS1s.

Upcoming Events

In accordance with campus policies pertaining to Academic Student Employees (ASEs), all first-time GSIs (TAs) as well as Undergraduate Course Staff 2s must attend the teaching conference and orientation in addition to completing the professional standards & ethics course before interacting with students in their role as an ASE.

  • GSI Teaching Conference Online pre-registration is required for the teaching conference. Please note that there is a separate conference for international GSIs (TAs) and UCS2s.
  • ASE Orientation Dates All first-time ASEs are required to attend the new ASE orientation with representatives from UAW 4811, the union representing all ASEs at UC Berkeley.
  • GSI Professional Standards & Ethics Online Course: Completion of this course is required for all first-time GSIs (TAs) and UCS2s before teaching at UC Berkeley.

As an ASE, it is your responsibility to stay informed about your rights, protections, and benefits as an ASE under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which represents GSIs (TAs), UCS2s, Readers, and UCS1s.

Contact

EECS GSI (TA) Opportunities

For questions or concerns regarding GSI (TA) appointments, please contact the Graduate Support Team at gsicoordinators@eecs.berkeley.edu

General Inquiries

Please contact the EECS ASE Program Team at ase-program@eecs.berkeley.edu

Workload

For detailed information regarding all academic appointments on campus (including requirements, fee remission, etc.), please consult Grad Division Teaching and Research Appointments. To learn more about the ASE hiring process, please see the ASE Program Hiring Pipeline.

The University has an interest in making sure that all of our Academic Student Employees are assigned a workload that is commensurate with the work required. Working beyond the hours for which you are appointed, or regularly taking on job duties outside of your job title, is not encouraged or expected, and does not confer any advantage in hiring, re-hiring, or promotion. If you anticipate any workload-related issues that would result in working over your assigned hours, talk to your supervisor as soon as possible to remedy the situation. You may also contact your union representatives at berkeley@uaw4811.org.

To learn more about workload, visit the  ASE Guide: Preparation & Management Workload page.

Students can also refer to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center as an additional resource for teaching workshops and certifications.