Academic Appointments

Three types of academic appointments are available to graduate students in the Department:

1. Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
2. Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
3. Reader and Tutor

• Graduate Student Instructor

  Unless by exception, priority for GSI positions go to 1st-5th year Psychology Graduate Students and those without fellowships or existing appointments. Carefully review the following information and contact psychgradadvisor@berkeley.edu with any questions.

  The application timeline may vary based on when courses are posted for the following semester, here is the general application timeline for Psych GSI Positions:

  Fall semester GSI Positions:

  • Applications open in April and must be submitted by the posted deadline (typically due within 1-2 weeks of application open)
  • Application offers and application updates are generally made in May

  Spring semester GSI Positions:

  • Applications open in October and must be submitted by the posted deadline (typically due within 1-2 weeks of application open)
  • Application offers and application updates are generally made in November

  The hiring process is initiated with the department’s HR partner in UCPath after students accept their offers. The standard hiring deadline is three weeks prior to the start of your appointment. The start date of Fall appointments is August 1 and the start date for Spring appointments is January 1. It is important for students to complete the hiring steps in order to avoid delays.

  Salary step is determined by Experience Based Placement as outlined in the Graduate Division Appointments Handbook. 

  Certain circumstances that require requests for exception, you can find those circumstances and the appropriate requests process at the Exceptions to Policy section.

  In order to promote equity among GSI placement, Psychology Graduate students applying for a GSI position must apply to a minimum of three positions (you may apply to more based on interest). Please note: the PSYCH 1 ONLINE position is reserved first for GSIs with infants, who are expecting, or other specific circumstances (please note this in your application).

  All first time GSIs should refer to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center in order to complete Berkeley campus' first time teaching requirements before the start of their appointment (though no later than the end of the semester during which they hold the GSI assignment).

  Psychology 375 should be taken to satisfy the pedagogy requirement; This course is only offered in the fall semester. However if a student is unable to take the psychology pedagogy course, they may choose an alternative department's pedagogy course and submit the proposed course to psychgraduateadvisor@berkeley.edu for approval.

• Graduate Student Researcher

  A student may have the opportunity to be a Graduate Student Researcher under the supervision of a faculty member or principal investigator. A GSR appointment is arranged between the student and faculty member or principal investigator. The student must inform the Graduate Student Services Advisor each term, including summer, that the student holds a GSR appointment and provide information about the hiring unit, period of the appointment, the percent time, and the step.

  ►Important note about GSR appointments: UC Berkeley has set aside funds to provide work-study for graduate students. These funds can be used to offset costs associated with employing graduate students as Graduate Student Researchers or department employees for certain fellowships. To take advantage of these funds, all Psychology graduate students who are US citizens and permanent residents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), found at fafsa.ed.gov. It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the first time and in future academic years should take approximately 10 minutes. Be sure to check "yes" on interest in being work study eligible and inform your advisor that you are eligible for work-study funds.

• Reader and Tutor Appointments

  A graduate student may be a reader or tutor for an undergraduate Psychology course or, in some instances, a graduate Psychology course. The general responsibilities of a reader are to read and grade assignments, examinations, and papers. The general responsibilities of a tutor are to provide individual and/or group tutoring, review sessions, presentations at workshops, etc. Reader and Tutor positions are advertised by the Graduate Student Services Advisor when available. Readers and tutors are hired on an hourly basis for a specific number of hours.

• Fee Remission

  Each semester that a student has one of the above appointments, the student may be eligible for a fee remission. The type of fee remission depends on the type of appointment and its percent-time (must be an appointment of 25% or higher). See About Fee Remissions for types of appointments, eligibility criteria and appointment percentage requirements.

  Refer to Graduate Division's website for additional GSI, GSR, Reader, and Tutor information: Graduate Student Academic Appointments

• Union Representation

  Graduate Student Instructors and Readers are Academic Student Employees (ASE) and are represented by UAW Local 2865. Graduate Student Researchers are not covered by collective bargaining.