Third of postgraduates paid less than minimum wage for teaching

The report, 'Postgraduates Who Teach' from the National Union of Students (NUS), found that the average hourly pay for postgraduates who teach is £19.95. However, when all their work, including preparation time, is taken into account their real hourly wage falls to just £10.39. A third of postgraduates, however, receive an hourly wage lower than the national minimum wage.

The report surveyed nearly 1,500 postgraduate teachers about their working conditions, pay and motivations and also found that a third (31%) received no contract of employment and one in five (22%) have received no formal training for their teaching role.

Researchers also discovered that for one in 20 postgraduates (5%) teaching was a required part of their study or that their funding was contingent on teaching, regardless of their desire or aptitude for teaching.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Postgraduates play an increasingly important role in our universities and they deserve to be properly paid for their work. Despite the mounting workloads of hard-working staff in our institutions, it is not acceptable to expect postgraduates to fill in without proper remuneration.

'As students pay up to £9,000 a year in fees, it is understandable that some will be unimpressed if they are being taught mainly by underpaid postgraduates, as established academics try to keep on top of their research.'

UCU and NUS have put together a postgraduate employment charter