Student Appointments within Robotics

The Robotics Department relies on students to fill many job roles across the department. This includes:

  • graduate student instructors (GSI)
  • instructional aides (IA)
  • peer advisors
  • tutors
  • graders
  • building tour guides

If you would like to be considered for any of these roles, please fill out this student appointment interest form.

Additional Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) information

The application is open approximately July and November each year. The link will be shared to those who fill out the student appointment interest form and express interest in a GSI position.

A GSI coordinates, leads, or assists in the instructional process in direct interaction with students.  This can include class sessions, office hours, recitation, laboratory, quiz, or problem sessions. GSI positions are filled by both incoming and current graduate students. Doctoral students are given priority. GSIs are usually expected to work 16 to 20 hours per week, receiving full tuition and fees, monthly stipend, and university health care coverage.  

Application process:  

  • Students desiring a GSI position must take part in the departmental application process which takes place two times per year (typically November and July).  
  • If you are a non-native speaker of English, you must take and pass the Oral English Test (OET) before you can be placed as a GSI.  You are still eligible to apply before taking the test.    

Selection process:  

  • The faculty teaching the course review applications.  All guaranteed financial aid students are placed first.  The remaining students will be placed on a waitlist.  
  • The waitlist priority is established by number of semesters in program and then academic performance.  
  • Faculty can recommend you, however, faculty preference will be considered at the time students are assigned from the waitlist.  
  • Adjustments to the course you are assigned could occur based on department needs.  
  • It is very rare that newly admitted students receive a GSI during their first semester or year.

Class size policy:

  • Each course with > 60 students gets 1 GSI
  • Lab courses are eligible for additional GSI & R&D Engineering support based on documented need
  • Courses supporting distributed teaching collaborative are eligible for additional GSI support
  • Courses exceeding enrollment of 100 are eligible for additional GSI support
  • Each UG course gets 1 IA per 15 students (independent of GSI process)
  • Each course gets 10 hours of grading weekly per 40 students
  • Pilot/first run courses get a minimum of 1 GSI
  • The maximum number of students per GSI is 100