FAQs

Resident Assistants are (generally) continuing students that reside in accommodation to provide support and guidance to other residents. They do this by building community, planning events, responding to enquiries and undertaking tasks that contribute to the smooth running of their accommodation site.

We are seeking enthusiastic and motivated individuals who want to help others and give back to the university community while developing skills and having fun. You can learn more about the responsibilities of the role and the attributes we are seeking by reading the role description.

Why be an RA?

RAs, in return for the duties they provide as outlined in the Role description, will receive free accommodation during RA training, 30th August - 6^th September 2024 and a 75% reduction of the rent for a standard room allocated to them at their assigned property from the start of the lease. RAs will receive this reduction while they actively remain in the role. 

The Postgraduate RA role will be live to apply from the 17th June – 30th June for RA applications with Assessment Days taking place from 4th July - 7th July. ​

The Application Journey

As we recruit for such large numbers we sometimes run multiple recruitment cycles and/or recruit during the academic year. If you would like to be notified when these vacancies arise then please add yourself to our mailing list by emailing reslife@ed.ac.uk.

Recruitment for 2025-26 is estimated to open in February 2025. Please contact us then for more information.

For the most part we do not place undergraduate RAs at postgraduate sites or vice versa as differences in duration of accommodation lease and RA contracts can be problematic. Some exceptions have been made in the past for PG students who are enrolled on courses with atypical semester dates. We also often have summer RA opportunities for returning UG RAs to support our pre-sessional students. If you would like to request to be placed out-with this policy then please contact us at reslife@ed.ac.uk before applying.

We have a different appointment process for candidates who are currently RAs at the University of Edinburgh, or who have been within the last two years. This is based on your performance in the role and conducted as part of progress review with your line manager. If you are not currently in an RA role but are interested in re-applying please contact reslife@ed.ac.uk. For RAs in the role currently, please speak to your Line Manager.

• If you have been unsuccessful in securing a role then we would not consider another application from you within 3 months of your original application.  After 3 months has passed we can accept an application for future rounds of recruitment, but we would strongly encourage that you gain relevant experience prior to submitting new applications.  You can find potential opportunities by contacting the Student Association or visiting My Career Hub run by the University of Edinburgh Careers Service.  

During the application process we ask all candidates to detail any support needs they may have. This information will be taken into consideration when placing successful candidates. RA teams are formed with diversity in order to meet student needs as a priority, and placements within buildings are allocated strategically within our residences to ensure RAs are distributed across the community and in prime locations to support their residences.

Please note that any personal information disclosed in the application regarding accommodation needs will not be considered during the assessment phases of the recruitment process.   

We believe that our recruitment process should be a positive learning experience for applicants. For that reason we make the following commitments:

• The application process will be as much about you finding out if the Resident Assistant role is the right fit for you, as it is about us assessing your suitability for the role. 
• Our processes will be fair, inclusive and transparent. We will try and help you succeed at every step by communicating clear expectations and timelines.
• If you are not successful we will aim to respond with feedback on your application within two weeks of a request being received.

If you're expected to receive an extension for completing your degree, you may still be eligible to apply as an RA. However, you will need to provide proof of such extension when submitting your application. Proof of extension is required to ensure that all RAs meet the necessary criteria of being fully matriculated and enrolled as full-time students.

Acceptable forms of proof may include official documentation from the University confirming the extension, such as a letter from your academic advisor or a copy of your updated academic plan.