How to apply

How to apply for tutoring and demonstrating work in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology.

Tutoring and demonstrating work will be offered to existing Teaching Support staff in the first instance, ensuring that contracted Guaranteed Hours staff receive an offer of work that covers the minimum number of contracted hours.  Where there are still remaining tutoring or demonstrating positions to fill, new applicants will be considered.

Full-time postgraduate research students must work no more than an average of 9 hours per week across the academic year and must discuss any proposed employment with their principal supervisor.

The application process differs for Current and New or out of contract tutors and demonstrators.

If you have any questions not covered here please email hca-teaching-support@ed.ac.uk and we will be happy to help.

Current Tutors and Demonstrators

Applications have now closed for 2024/2025, please email hca-teaching-support@ed.ac.uk if you have any questions.

Current tutors and demonstrators are classified as those with a contract with HCA with an end date of 31/08/2024 or later.

You will need to complete the Availability Form only, details below.

If your contract extends past 31/08/2024 but you are not available to, or do not wish to, continue teaching next academic year, please email hca-teaching-support@ed.ac.uk and we will be able to advise you on the resignation process.

The New and out of contract tutors and demonstrators process below should be used by:

  • New applicants for tutor and demonstrator roles
  • Tutors and demonstrators with a contract with HCA with an end date that has passed, before 31/08/2024.

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New and out of contract Tutors and Demonstrators

  • New applicants for tutor and demonstrator roles
  • Tutors and demonstrators with contract with HCA with an end date that has passed, before 31/08/2024.

You will need to complete both the Application Form and the Availability Form, details below.

Below is a step-by-step breakdown of the recruitment process, following the Timelines above. 

If you would like to be considered for work in the first instance you must check your eligibility for this type of work.

The School of History, Classics & Archaeology will routinely offer Guaranteed Hours Teaching Support work to:

  • History, Classics or Archaeology current PhD students  
  • PhD students registered on a related programme from another School, who believe they have suitable knowledge and experience

In order to apply to become a tutor or demonstrator you must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be a Fully matriculated PhD student at the University of Edinburgh for the full period of the work is to be undertaken
    • Priority will be given to students within their Prescribed period of study
    • We cannot give you a contract beyond your Maximum end date recorded on EUCLID
  • Must have the right to work in the UK
  • Must have the approval of your Supervisor

Please also check the further information on Eligibility page.


PhD students

You should also check with your supervisor, and where relevant studentship sponsor or grant holder, to make sure that they are happy for you to undertake this work this year.

Once initial allocations have been made the hours allocated will be checked with your PhD supervisor to confirm these will not affect completion of your PhD. For postgraduate students registered at the University, who are employed as a tutor or demonstrator (or any other employment at the University), any employment must not impede the successful completion of the students’ own degrees and must not contravene any conditions their funding body applies regarding the number of hours of paid teaching or other employment that they can undertake.

Full-time postgraduate research students must discuss any proposed employment with their principal supervisor.


The Availability Form asks you to list your preferred courses to tutor or demonstrate on. 

For a list of courses where tutors or demonstrators may be required for 2024/2025 please click below:

The list contains links to the detailed course description on Path.

This information is for guidance only and subject to change.

 

Please note:

Full-time postgraduate research students must work no more than an average of 9 hours per week across the academic year.

The list gives an indicative average of the hours per group per course based on twelve weeks of work. Please be aware that the actual pattern of hours will be variable depending on the course structure and requirements for marking and feedback. Marking and feedback will typically extend beyond the end of the semester teaching weeks. Your supervisor or subject area teaching director can help advise further. 


All applications must be submitted via this online application form.

When completing the application form please take care when entering your name information and complete all these fields.


We would recommend logging into the form with your student ID, if you have one.  Any problems with the form, please let us know (hca-it@ed.ac.uk). 

Your completed availability form will help the School to match you with the appropriate Teaching Support positions as they become available. It is also an opportunity for you to let us know the courses and areas you would be interested in to further develop your teaching skills.

Please make sure you clearly state the course title, the type of work you wish to undertake (tutor or demonstrator) and the number of hours you wish to be considered for. 

As the hours allocated to courses differs, this year we are asking you to indicate the number of hours you wish to be considered for in each semester rather than the number of groups. The course list gives the total hours per group for each course to enable you to calculate this.

Full-time postgraduate research students must work no more than an average of 9 hours per week across the academic year. This weekly average can be calculated from the average hours per week on the list which gives an indicative average based on twelve weeks of work.

This information is for guidance only and subject to change for 2024/2025.

If you wish to be considered for tutoring in both semesters please choose up to 40 hours approx., up to 70 hours approx. or up to 100 hours approx. as applicable for each semester.

If you are only available for tutoring or demonstrating in one semester you can, if wished, choose the up to 130 hours approx. option.

Please be aware that the actual pattern of hours will be variable depending on the course structure and requirements for marking and feedback. Your supervisor or subject area teaching director can help advise further.

You should also enter anything else you wish to be taken into consideration when the allocations are considered into the Any other relevant information relevant to the allocation of tutoring/ demonstrating box.

New applicants for tutor and demonstrator roles, tutors and demonstrators with a contract with HCA with an end date that has passed and current scholarship tutors and demonstrators who wish to apply to tutor or demonstrate after the end of their scholarship must also complete the Application Form.


All new Tutors and Demonstrators who are eligible to tutor or demonstrate will be invited to interview.

A short interview(s) will be arranged with the Head of Subject and / or Teaching Director(s) of the Subject Area(s) running the courses identified in your availability form.


In accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 the University of Edinburgh, an employer has a legal responsibility to prevent illegal working and therefore must check that all employees are entitled to work in the United Kingdom (UK).

To do so, the University of Edinburgh needs to see original documents as evidence of the right to work in the UK before the start of employment. The School Resources Team will be in contact to ask you to provide the documentation at the appropriate point.

If you are a continuing Tutor or Demonstrator and have already provided your legal right to work in the UK documents you will only need to provide your legal right to work in the UK if your documentation has been updated or changed, for example if your Visa/BRP has expired, It is your responsibility to renew your Right to Work when needed.

Students studying on a Tier 4 or Student Route visa

Tier 4 and Student Route Visas impose strict restrictions on working in the UK and if you hold a Tier 4 or Student Route Visa, you must adhere to these restrictions. Your entry clearance vignette (visa sticker in your passport) or your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will tell you if you are allowed to work.

More detailed information and help is available through the Student Immigration Service at Working in the UK during studies. 

Please note that in order to comply with HR and UKVI regulations, you CANNOT start work until the School has verified your Right to Work. 


References will be obtained after interview with the referees provided on your online application form contacted before any offers of employment can be made.

Please note that on the application form you are asked to confirm if you are happy for us to contact your referees before appointment.

We would expect one reference to be from your principal supervisor and the other from a current/most recent place of work, another academic member of staff or someone who would be able to provide a character reference.

If you have any questions please contact HCA-Teaching-Support@ed.ac.uk.


The allocations process is complicated and therefore does take time to complete: please bear with us, and we will be in email contact once provisional allocations have been made. Please note that timescales for allocation of hours may vary between Subject Areas within the School.

HCA’s Tutor and Demonstrator pool is comprised of colleagues on a variety of contractual arrangements, colleagues on open-ended contracts with the School, PhD student colleagues who tutor and demonstrate with us as part of the terms and conditions of their scholarship and current PhD students with an existing contract.

When considering the work available, the School is required to ensure that our employment obligations to these continuing Tutors and Demonstrators are met first and they will be considered first when offering and allocating hours.

Once work has been provisionally allocated to our continuing Tutors and Demonstrators and scholarship students, we then consider new applications received from potential Tutors and Demonstrators.

All allocations will be take into account any restrictions on working hours such as visa restrictions and the limit of an average of 9 hours per week across the academic year for full-time postgraduate research students. They will also take into consideration the preferences indicated on the Availability Form.


A provisional offer of hours will be made on the basis of the initial allocations, please respond as soon as possible to confirm or reject the offer.

Should the Resources Team not receive your acceptance within the requested timescales, please note your offer may be withdrawn and your hours reallocated.

The provisional offer of hours will detail the course(s), number of groups and hours proposed.


Once we have received your confirmation of the Provisional Offer of Hours we will send an initial Breakdown of Hours letter for you to sign and return, please do so as soon as possible. This initial version will guarantee all hours EXCEPT marking hours (contact, preparation, feedback and training / induction).

As further amendments may be required to the allocations we will only send a final Breakdown of Hours letter including guaranteed marking hours for you to sign at the end of August.


No work, including training and induction, can be undertaken until you have received your contract.

Once we have received your signed Breakdown of Hours acceptance your contract will be processed. The contract will be issued in People and Money, access to this will only be available once your GH access has been set up.


You will now be set up with your GH UUN which will allow the necessary systems access to be provided.

You will also now be given a GH email account, you MUST check this email very regularly from now on.


New tutors and demonstrators must complete the on-boarding tasks assigned in the People and Money HR system.

Sign contract

Please may sure you sign your contract as soon as possible and before you undertake any work.

Input your bank details

Please input your bank details as soon as possible to ensure they are available for the payroll process.

University training courses New tutors and demonstrators must complete the training courses assigned as an on-boarding task in the People and Money HR system. Continuing tutors and demonstrators should keep up-to-date with this information. See Training and support for tutors and demonstrators for the list of courses and links.

Please also consult the On-boarding - Induction pages on the Human Resources website, especially Making the most of your on-boarding.


The individual course administrators will be in touch about tutorial groups and will give you access on Learn and Euclid for their course.


It is essential that you attend School, Subject Area and Course induction meetings. These will be held from Welcome Week onwards.

You should also take time to read the School Handbook for Part-Time Tutoring and Demonstrating Staff.

For further details on the Induction process and a link to the Handbook please see Training and support for tutors and demonstrators.


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