New Graduate Student Employee Information (RA/TA/GA)

HR Office Walk In Hours: Mon – Fri, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Appointments: Mon – Thur, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The HR team will be fully remote on Friday, March 29, 2024

Welcome to UT Dallas!

Congratulations on your new appointment!

We are very excited you are joining our team as a Graduate Student Employee (RA/TA/GA)!

For a successful Employment Experience please follow the steps outlined in the Employment Process below, as well as any communication from your department and Employment Services.

Employment Process
  1. Complete the RA/TA/GA Informational Form/Application. The link to this form is provided to you by your department, and is specific to those who have been selected as an RA/TA/GA. If you do not have an account in the PeopleAdmin application tracking system, please create an account first. Please make note of your log-in information, as you will need it later to complete your employment Forms. All forms should be completed no later than the deadline for each semester listed below.
    • Fall Deadline: July 15
    • Spring Deadline: December 1
    • Summer Deadline: April 15
  2. Criminal Background Check. All newly hired graduate students must have a current background check. Once you have completed the online application process, you will receive an invitation to begin the background check process from our vendor, HireRight. Please check your email inbox or junk (spam) folder and follow the online instructions from HireRight. Please note that employment is contingent upon the successful completion of your background check. If you reside in a country the U.S. has sanctions against, please obtain a Police Criminal Clearance Certificate from your local police office before you travel to U.S.
  3. Employment Forms. You will receive an email with a link to complete all of the Employee Onboarding Tasks (i.e. new hire forms) electronically. You will use the same log-in information used in Step 1.
    Note: You will log in as a guest user, do not use the SSO option using your NetID. Upon log in, if you do not see the tasks, please click on the 3 dots in the top left corner and select Employee Records. All tasks must be completed by the assigned deadline and prior to your Employment Express (Form I-9) Appointment.
  4. Attend Employment Express. All appointments will be scheduled as part of the Onboarding Tasks. You are required to meet with a member of the Employment & Compensation Team in-person prior to your first date of employment. You will receive confirmation of your meeting time and location via email.
Useful Resources and Onboarding Guides

I-9 Instructions these instructions will help you understand the purpose of the Form I-9 and how to complete it.

Onboarding Task Instructions for the Employee Records New Hire tasks that you receive via email.

Resetting Your Password for the job applicant portal and Employee Records to access your Onboarding tasks.

I-9 Acceptable Documents provides information on the original documents to bring with you to your Employment Express Appointment.

Employment Express Information

Employment Express is specifically designed for new or rehire Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants (RA/TA/GAs) to complete their I-9 Form and ask any employment questions.

New Graduate Student Employees are required to attend an Employment Express Appointment before your third day of employment. 

Appointments are required and scheduled as part of your Electronic Employee Onboarding Tasks.

Please bring the following items with you to Employment Express:

  • Identification for I-9 Form – You will need to bring documents that verify your identity and employment authorization. Please review the list of acceptable documents prior to your appointment. You must bring one document from List A or one document from both List B and List C with you. We cannot accept photocopies. All documents must be originals
  • If you are using an international passport for a List A document, you will also need to bring your I-20 and I-94.

Non-US Citizens without Social Security Numbers

At Employment Express, you will receive an employment letter from Human Resources. You will also need a letter from the International Student Services Office (ISSO) to prove your employment status. The ISSO will provide you with additional documentation.

The letters received from Human Resources and the ISSO, are necessary to apply for a social security number. Please review the Social Security website for specific instructions on what documents you need to take with you when applying for a social security number.

You will receive pay prior to receiving your social security number. However, you only have 45 days to report your social security number to Human Resources and Payroll. You can do so via your Employee Records task and by emailing payroll@utdallas.edu.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Human Resources at employmentservices@utdallas.edu.

Benefits for Graduate Student Employees

For more information on your employee benefit options, visit our Graduate Student Employee Insurance & Benefits page for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see the frequently asked questions below. If you have additional questions please contact your department first for guidance.

How do I reset my password for the applicant portal or Employee Records system?

Resetting your password or recovering your username can be done through the applicant portal, https://jobs.utdallas.edu/. Still having trouble? Check out the Resetting My Password guide.

You must log in (Guest Login) using the information you used during your application. Do not sign on using your NetID.

How do I see my electronic onboarding task list? What if I cannot find the onboarding email?

If you are not able to see your task list, please click the 3 blue dots located on the top left-hand side of the page and select “Employee Records”.

If you are not able to locate the email you were sent to complete electronic onboarding, please log in at jobs.utdallas.edu/hr/. You will need to log in (Guest Login) using the information you used during your application. Do not try to sign on using your NetID.

How do I complete section 1 of the I-9?

Questions regarding Section 1 of the I-9 can be answered by reviewing the I-9 instructions provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

What should I do if I withdraw from my position or defer to a future semester?

Please email your department and employmentservices@utdallas.edu, so that we can update your file accordingly and provide you with the next steps.

When will I be able to sign up for direct deposit or complete my W-4 in Galaxy?

You will have access to Gemini after you have started your assignment, and your payroll record has been created by your department and has gone through a complete approval process. Please note that it can take up to 5 business days once the payroll request has been submitted by your department.

Who do I contact about my payroll record?

Please contact your department admin so that they can check on your payroll record request.

Who do I contact for questions about my pay check?

You can visit the Payroll website to find answers to most questions. Questions regarding your pay check should be sent to the Payroll Department by emailing them at Payroll@utdallas.edu.

Once I complete HireRight Criminal Background Check, what do I need to do?

Be sure to keep your confirmation code for your Onboarding Tasks.

If the report requires follow up, a member of the Human Resources Employment Team will contact you, otherwise you do not need to do anything else regarding the background check.

What should I do if I cannot find the email from HireRight?

Be sure to check your Junk/Spam folder. If you still cannot locate the email, please reach out to employmentservices@utdallas.edu

What do I do once I receive my Social Security Card?

You will receive an email task to upload your Social Security card in Employee Records and report it to Payroll at Payroll@utdallas.edu.

Will I receive pay without my Social Security Number?

Yes. However, you have 45 days to report your social security number to Human Resources and Payroll. You can do so via your Employee Records task and by emailing payroll@utdallas.edu.

Tax Compliance requires Travel History on my I-94, but it is not visible on my I-94. Who do I contact?

Contact the UTD Tax Compliance Office at taxcompliance@utdallas.edu for further instructions.