Autumn 2025 Application

Autumn 2025 TA and Grader Applications are now open! 

Deadline: July 23rd, 2025 by 5PM

Click the button below to apply.

TA Application Form
Grader Application Form

FAQs

Why should I TA?

Hear from the previous TAs here: TA Spotlights!

What classes might need a TA?

The ECE department employs approximately 70 students each quarter as Teaching Assistants (TAs). Information about offered courses and current instructors can be found in ECE Time Schedule and Syllabi for daytime courses, and PMP Time Schedule for ECE PMP courses (under EE and EEP). Note that TA assignments are dependent on enrollment, so not all classes will be assigned a TA.

We want to highlight that some daytime classes generally have at least one TA assigned based on previous enrollments — List of courses that might receive a TA. This is NOT a set or complete list since enrollments and class sizes change. The class may or may not get a TA depending on enrollment. The quarters in which these classes are offered are different, so please check the schedule for the appropriate TA application quarter to determine if the course is being offered.

You must be available in-person to run 1-2 lab or quiz sections of the courses you list on the application. Please check your class schedule as you apply.

Who gets selected?

Graduate students in ECE serve as the primary source for our pool of TAs. PhD students are given priority for TA positions. Master’s and undergraduate applicants are generally considered only after nearly all PhD students have been placed, and the selection process for them can take some time. Undergraduate ECE students will be considered for TA roles only once we have fully exhausted the pool of available graduate students.

Priorities for placing TAs in specific courses are based on the following order:

  1. PhD students who have been given guaranteed funding
  2. PhD students who have been requested by course instructors
  3. Senior PhD students who have funding gaps
  4. ECE PhD students by seniority
  5. MSEE students
  6. Graduate students from outside of ECE
  7. Undergraduate students

Graduate students from departments outside of ECE are rarely employed as TAs for ECE courses. Exceptions are made only in cases where a course requires highly specific knowledge that only certain students possess and are available to teach.

What’s the TA selection process?

TA assignments depend on several factors, including course enrollment, budget constraints, the number of applicants, and the availability of open positions that align with the skill sets of qualified candidates. It may take up to a month to assign TA positions.

While instructors may encourage students to apply to TA for their course, there is no guarantee of placement. Masters and Undergraduate students should not expect to rely on a recommendation, and are advised to continue exploring other funding options. Please check Handshake or contact other relevant departments or job opportunities.

For courses that are cross-listed with other departments (e.g., EE/BioE/CSE 423, EE/CSE 474, EE/ME/AA 510, EE/CSE 544, EE/ME/AA 550, EE/ME/AA 583), the instructor’s home department is responsible for managing TA assignments. Students interested in these courses should consult the home department of the instructor for information on their TA application process.

What do I need to submit?

Document(s) to provide for your application:

  • Resume/CV
    A resume or a CV is required. Please have a section where you list ALL skills (Java, Python, CUDA, OpenCL, GPU,  Verilog, etc.). The rest of your resume should reflect all duties related to teaching, mentoring, tutoring, or project leadership, etc. No page limit for resume/CV.
  • Transcript
    An unofficial copy of ALL transcripts (UW and any previous schools). We are NOT looking at grades. A broader look of the types of classes you took will help us find a course match if your first or second course choices are not possible. Please combine the transcripts into a single PDF for submission.

Can I apply if I am a non-native English speaker?

To be eligible for a TA appointment, graduate students must meet the Graduate Schools English Language Proficiency Requirement outlined in Policy 5.2. Indicate below how you meet this policy requirement.

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United Kingdom, where English is the medium of instruction
  • Hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Juris Doctor (JD) from a regionally accredited institution located in the United States where English is the medium of instruction.
  • Demonstrate spoken English proficiency with a test score on file at the University of Washington of at least a 26 on the speaking section of the TOEFL-iBT or a 7 on the speaking section of the IELTS
  • Pass a one-time appeal interview at UW
  • Pass English 105.
  • Currently in a Bachelor’s program at UW.

Please see Policy 5.2 for detailed information.

What are the TA responsibilities?

The following courses are generally offered by ECE, listed with common responsibilities. Should you be offered a TA position, the following are the minimum expected job duties for each course. Additional job duties may be added by the course instructor, so it is best to have discussions about TA workload and expectations with the instructor during the application process.

A course TA is expected to work, on average, up to and no more than 20 hours per week.

COURSE NO. Lead Quiz/
Review Sections		 Lead Lab Sections Hold Office Hours Write/
Update Material		 Grade HWs Grade Labs Grade Exams Other Admini-strivia*
EE 205 ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 215 ✔   ✔     ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 233 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 235 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 271 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 331   ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 332 ✔   ✔ ✔     ✔ ✔
EE 341 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 351 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔   ✔
EE 361 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔   ✔
EE 371 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 393     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 398     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 399 ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 400     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 416     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 417     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 418     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 419     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 420     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 421     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 423     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 424     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 433     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 436     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 437     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 438     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 440     ✔   ✔     ✔
EE 442     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 443     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 447 ✔   ✔   ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 448     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 449     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 452 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔   ✔
EE 453     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 454     ✔   ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 455     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 456     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 457     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 458     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 460     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 461     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 464     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 466     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 469 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 470     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 473     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 474 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EE 475     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 476     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 477     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 478     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 482     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 485     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 490     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 491     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 492     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 496     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 497     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 498     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 499     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 501     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 503     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 504     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 505     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 506     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 507     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 508     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 510     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 511     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 514     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 518 ✔   ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 520     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 521     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 523     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 525     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 526     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 527     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 529     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 534     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 536     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 538     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 539     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 546     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 547     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 548     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 553     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 554     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 559     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 560     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 561     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 562
     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 563     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 565     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 568     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 574     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 576     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 578     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 579     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 580     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 581     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 583     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 594     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 597     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
EE 598     ✔ ✔ ✔     ✔
EE 599     ✔ ✔ ✔   ✔ ✔
CAD TA               ✔**

Other TA responsibilities might include the following, but are not limited to: attending lectures, attending prep meetings, answering student emails, monitoring class discussion forums, grading projects, and maintaining the Canvas page or class website.

**The CAD TA’s principal role is to ensure that Linux-based Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools used in classes offered by the ECE department are functional. Responsibilities include renewing licenses (i.e. contacting vendors, professors, UW-IT, and/or ECE Admin to obtain license keys, fill out purchase requests, and clarify features required), troubleshooting setup/compatibility issues encountered by TA’s, and installing/testing updated versions of the tools. Additionally, the CAD TA is responsible for transitioning the next CAD TA (i.e. providing contact information, and reviewing Linux directory structure). Questions/concerns related to the scope/responsibilities of the position can be directed to the ECE Education Chair and/or the ECE Director of Computing.

Questions?

Contact Stephanie Swanson, Director of Academic Services (stepswan@uw.edu).