Become a Peer Academic Advisor

The highly selective Peer Academic Advising (PAA) Program is currently recruiting new Peer Academic Advisors for the upcoming academic year! All second-years and above with a genuine desire to help other students are invited and encouraged to apply. Applicants should possess advanced communication skills, evidence of scholastic achievement, and basic knowledge of his/her/their major and UCI.

Selected PAA’s will have the opportunity to develop their public speaking and communication skills further, expand their knowledge of UCI’s academic programs and resources, and gain valuable leadership, organizational, and social skills. The PAA position will allow students to achieve heightened success not only here at UCI, but also, in their future endeavors. Above all, PAA’s will assume one of the most respected paid student positions on the UCI campus while providing a valuable service to other undergraduates. Apply today!

Check out our social media pages: Instagram @ucipaas & Facebook @UCI Peer Academic Advisors

Basic Eligibility

Applicants for the 2026-2027 Peer Academic Advising (PAA) Program should meet all of the following:

Be a current undergraduate student at UCI of Junior or Senior standing by Fall 2026 (current sophomores and juniors)
In general, a GPA of 3.0 or better is preferred
Be available for training 5-7 pm every Thursday of the Spring 2026 quarter
Be available for working orientation sessions and/or advising office hours Summer 2026 (varies by office)
Be available for working advising office hours Fall 2026 through Spring 2027

Selection Criteria

The PAA role may vary across advising offices. However, in general, each hiring committee is looking for key criteria:

Good verbal and written communication skills
Ability to respond to students in a helpful manner, either one-on-one or in groups
Ability to work and relate well with faculty and staff
Previous experience and knowledge of UCI services and resources is preferred, but not required

Application Components

As part of your application you will submit the following:

Online Application Form
One Reference
One-page Résumé

The online application will include several short essay questions. Before beginning the application, please consider your responses to the following items:

Why are you interested in the Peer Academic Advisor position?
What is your definition of a good Peer Academic Advisor?
What skills/experiences do you possess that will help you meet the responsibilities of a Peer Academic Advisor?

Application Timeline

Application opens: Monday, December 1 (Fall Quarter Week 10)

Application Deadline for 2026-2027: Friday, January 16, 2026, by 11:59:59pm PST * (Winter Quarter Week 2)

Review of applications and Interviews for select candidates: January 20 through February 20, 2026

Final selections and notifications: February 24, 2026

Onboarding for new hires: February 25 through March 26, 2026

Training begins: Thursday, April 2, 2026 (Spring Quarter Week 1)

* Please note that while applications will be accepted until the deadline, most offices will review applications as they are received and potentially contact candidates for interviews prior to the deadline.

Information Sessions

The PAA Program will hold an information session during Fall Week 10.

You can view the recording and/or presentation slides from last year’s information session using the links below:

Individual Advising Offices may also schedule information sessions specific to their school/program.

Additional Information

The Peer Academic Advising Program is committed to serving the diverse population of students at UCI by mirroring this diversity in our cohort of Peer Academic Advisors. We seek to employ students of different backgrounds and experiences, and will consider all applicants who are passionate and qualified, regardless of age, gender identity or expression, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics.

For information about the responsibilities of the position, please review the PAA Job Description.

For additional information about eligibility and the application process, please review the Application FAQ page.

Program Staff

If you still have questions about the application process or position, please contact the PAA Program at peeradvising@uci.edu

Khanh Jenny Ngo, 2025-2026 PAA Program Coordinator
Heidi Sek, 2025-2026 PAA Program Assistant
Grace Swanberg, 2025-2026 PAA Program Assistant
Heather Cartagena, PAA Program Director

APPLICATION OPENS DECEMBER 1

2026-2027 Application Due January 16