L&S Procedures for Undergraduate Student Assistants

The Undergraduate Assistant title is used only when no qualified graduate student is available to perform duties typically assigned to a Teaching Assistant or Project Assistant Grader/Reader. 

If hiring an undergraduate for a graduate-level role, the appointment must be approved by the L&S Student+ team and Teaching, Learning, and Academic Planning team with documentation showing efforts to recruit qualified graduate students.

There are two types of Undergraduate Student Assistants: both roles share the same job code (SA014) but differ by rate. 

• Undergraduate Assistant – Teaching Assistant (UA-TA)
• Undergraduate Assistant – Grader/Reader (UA-G/R)

The compensation rates for the Undergraduate Assistant TA and Grader/Reader positions are set by the Graduate School and the College of Letters & Science. 

Undergraduate Assistant Compensation Rates 25/26

Resources & References:

• Graduate Guide 
• 2024-2025 Spring Graduate Guide .pdf
• Title and Standard Job Description Library
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) UW-5082
• Graduate Assistantships – Graduate School webpage
• Graduate Assistantships and Service-Based Pricing Policy UW-1029
• Service-Based Pricing Program

To hold an Undergraduate Student Assistantship (e.g., TA, PA, RA) at UW–Madison or any UW System institution, including UW Extension, the individual must meet enrollment requirements. It is the responsibility of the hiring department/ART HR staff to verify the correct enrollment for the position. 

• Must be an undergraduate student
• Must be enrolled in a UW–Madison undergraduate degree program  
• Not eligible for:
  • Health insurance
  • Tuition remission or waiver
  • Vacation or sick leave
  • Paid parental leave
• Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures (GAPP) do not apply

Approval Required

Departments must obtain prior approval to hire either type of Undergraduate Assistant.

• Request Form: Instructional Staffing Request Form
• Instructions: Instructional Staffing Request Form - L&S

Resources & References:

• Graduate School: Enrollment Requirements Policy UW-1208
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) UW-5082
• Graduate Assistantships – Graduate School webpage
• International Student Enrollment Requirements
• Credit Overload Request form
• University of Wisconsin Benefit Eligibility Decision Table

Appointment Overview:

• Appointment Limit: 75% domestic 50% international
• Appointment Details:
  • Limited - 75% domestic, 50% international during the academic sessions
  • Service appointment (does count towards the FTE limits)
  • Must have an end date in Workday
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• FTE required
• Compensation Basis: 9-month (academic) 
• Contract and Worker Type: Fixed Terminal
• Pay Type: Wages (salary)
• Fringe Benefits and Leave:
  • Not eligible for Health Insurance
  • Not eligible for Tuition Remission
  • Not eligible for paid sick leave or paid vacation
  • Not eligible for paid parental leave
• Evaluation: Use the same performance evaluation process as for graduate TAs. Inform UA-TAs of evaluation criteria at the start of the appointment.
  • See: L&S Performance Evaluations for TAs, PAs, and UAs KB

Sick Coverage:

If an Undergraduate TA is unable to work due to illness:

• The TA is not required to find their replacement, make up the work or “swap” with another TA. The department must arrange for a replacement.
• Departments may:
  • Have another TA increase their percentage/FTE to replace the TA
  • Hire a short-term replacement TA
• Approval is required from the Teaching, Learning, and Academic Planning team for changes to TA appointments or hiring alternatives.
  • See: L&S Instructional Staffing Options

An Undergraduate TA does not receive paid sick leave, but there may still be times the student cannot work due to illness.

Appointment Overview:

• Appointment Details:
  • Service appointment (does count towards the FTE limits)
  • Must have an end date in Workday
  • Start/end dates vary; typically, are outside the norm and start AFTER the formal start date of the semester, or end before the normal end date of the semester.
• FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
• FTE required
• Compensation Basis: Hourly (H-Basis)
• Contract and Worker Type: Fixed Terminal 
• Pay Type: Wages
• This title requires employees to complete and submit time sheets
• Fringe Benefits and Leave:
  • Not eligible for Health Insurance
  • Not eligible for Tuition Remission
  • Not eligible for paid sick leave or paid vacation
  • Not eligible for paid parental leave
• Evaluation: Use the same process as for graduate PA Grader/Readers. Inform UA-Grader/Readers of evaluation criteria at the start of the appointment.
  • See: L&S Performance Evaluations for TAs, PAs, and UAs

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants and Project Assistant-Grader/Readers have a designated employment agreement template. These templates ensure compliance with university policies, accessibility laws, and provide clarity for students and departments.

Due to compliance, employment agreement templates should not be modified to include new language. You may delete language from the template if it is not relevant to the position (such as language about a funding guarantee).

If you have additional information you'd like to include, you may attach a supplemental document to accompany the employment agreement. 

• Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Employment Agreement Template
• Undergraduate Project Assistant -Grader/Reader Template

Employment Agreement Process

1. Undergraduate Assistant employment agreements are created outside of Workday – skip the employment agreement generation step in Workday.
2. Department and/or ART HR staff download the employment agreement template listed above.
3. Department and/or ART HR staff edit the template employment agreement with specific appointment details – nothing else.*
4. Send the completed agreement to the student hire – request that the student review the employment agreement and return a signed copy.
5. Once the hire is processed, the final signed employment agreement must be uploaded to the Worker Profile in Workday.

*If additional information is needed, a supplemental document may be attached to accompany the agreement.

Other Resources:

GAPP Graduate Assistant Quick Chart

GAPP Graduate Assistant Resources

GAPP Hiring Process

General Information Regarding Recruitment

L&S Performance Evaluations for TAs, PAs, and UAs

L&S Standard Rates for Short-term Instructional Staff (STS) and Student Assistants

Recruitment Assessment and Selection Procedures

TA Planning in L&S

Related Policy Resources & Training:

Graduate Student Assistant Polices: this document provides a summary of the policies for the Graduate Student Assistant appointments in one place.

Non-Service Job Aid Form: this form is fillable, updated 10/30/2025

Overview of the UW-Madison Volunteer Policy (UW-5001): this web page covers 

The UW–Madison Volunteer Policy - defines what it means to be a university volunteer, the types of volunteer roles, and the rules for working with them. 

Training on Managing Graduate Assistant (GA) Appointments: this asynchronous course is designed for employees responsible for managing Project Assistant (PA), Research Assistant (RA), and Teaching Assistants (TA), including HR professionals, managers, and supervisors. It provides a basic yet comprehensive guide to managing GA appointments and aims to equip those working closely with graduate students with the essential knowledge and procedures for effectively hiring and supporting graduate assistants. By the end of this course, participants will have a clear understanding of the hiring processes and best practices for managing these roles.