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Resources for SIPA Students

Academic resources for SIPA students, including information on OSA tutors, the Columbia Writing Center, the American Language Program, TMaC, and the Department of Mathematics.

SIPA 2026-27 Assistantships

(Note: Access to Google Docs requires your LionMail account.)

  • 1. Student ranking: Students submit application and rank all positions they are interested in. 

    2. Faculty ranking: Faculty receive list of students who have applied for their position. They do not see the student rankings of their position. They submit ranked list of candidates. 

    3. Selection: Assignments are made based on matching student and faculty preferences. If two or more faculty want to hire the same student, the student is assigned to the position the student ranked the highest.

    4. Selection will be made in stages. TA positions will be determined, first, followed by Reader positions, and so on. After each stage, the selected students will be made offers, and their candidacy will be removed from further consideration. 

    5. A student will receive only one offer. If a student declines their offer, they will not receive any other offers for an Assistantship position for that semester. Students are appointed to only one assistantship per semester. This is why it is important for students to only apply for positions they would accept. 

    6. Students will be notified by the timelines listed below. If you have not received an offer by the notification dates listed below, it means you did not receive an assistantship for that round, but may still receive an assistantship if you applied in the subsequent rounds.

  • The Fall 2026 application opens on May 1, 2026, with a deadline of May 8, 2026. Eligible students will receive an email with the application link once it is available—no need to worry about missing it.

    FALL 2026 Preliminary Dates

    Position Notification
    TA 5/19/26*
    Reader 5/27/26
    PA  6/16/26
    SA 6/24/26

    *This means TA selections will be made May 19, and students will be notified if they have received a TA award on that day. If you have not heard anything by that date, this means you did not receive a TA Award for that round. You may, however, still receive a Reader or PA award if you applied for those positions, and will be notified of those awards in the later stages of notification. 

    Access to Google Docs requires a LionMail account.

  • SPRING 2027 application opens May 11, 2026. The Deadline is May 19, 2026

    Spring positions are determined separately from Fall positions. For example, if you were selected as a Fall PA for a concentration or office, this does not mean that you will hold the same position in the Spring. You will need to submit a separate Spring application.

    SPRING 2027 Preliminary Timeline

    Position Notification
    TA 6/4/26
    Reader 6/12/26
    PA 7/2/26
    SA 7/10/26

     

    The documents below will be updated for the Spring 2027 cycle once final details are confirmed. In the meantime, you may find it helpful to review the current materials as you prepare. Please note that the resources are provided for informational purposes only. (Access to Google Docs requires a LionMail account.)

  • Addendum Applications (TBD)

    Addendum applications will be used to fill any remaining or newly available assistantship positions for the academic year. A Fall 2026 addendum application is anticipated in August 2026, and a Spring 2027 addendum in November 2026.

    Applications will be reviewed by faculty on a rolling basis, and students will be contacted directly by faculty as positions are filled. 

     

  • Position Salary/Semester* Service Commitment
    TA $14,181 20 hours/week
    Reader/DRA $7,091 15 hours/week
    PA $30/hour up to $6,000 200 hours/semester (average 12-13 hours/week)
    SA $23/hour up to $3,450      150 hours/semester (average 9-10 hours/week)
    OSA Tutor       $25/hour up to $5,000 200 hours/semester (average 12-13 hours/week)

    * Rates listed are for full-semester, 3-credit courses. Compensation for 1.5-credit courses is prorated at 50% of the full-semester rate.

OSA Tutors

The Office of Student Affairs provides Math and Writing tutors at no cost to all SIPA students. Writing tutors help SIPA students with the mechanics of writing and editing policy memos and research papers, focusing on grammar and style. Math tutors help students with understanding the quantitative logic behind problem sets. Students interested in tutoring services should contact individual tutors directly.

  • Math Tutors: 

    Sarah Bruce                                 sb5199

    Rizky Ikhsan Rahadian Noor       rrn2123

    Writing Tutor:

    TBD

     

    Note: As a courtesy to your classmates, we ask that you do not send tutors papers to edit within 24 hours of a deadline (unless previously arranged).

  • The Columbia Writing Center provides writing support to undergraduate and graduate students. In one-on-one consultations and workshops, our consultants offer feedback and strategies to help you improve at every stage of your writing, from brainstorming to final drafts. Students can make appointments with them for up to two hours a week at no charge. One hour can be a drop-in session and the other can be booked in advance.

    Students who speak English as a second language are invited to explore offerings through the American Language Program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies.

  • Many mathematics graduate students from the Department of Mathematics offer tutoring services on a private, one-on-one basis. Hourly fees vary from student to student, depending on the number of hours needed and the topics to be covered.

  • The Association of Graduate Economics Students provides a listing of economics graduate student tutors who can be hired directly. Tutors are available in a variety of areas including microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics.