On Friday, February 7, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Erin Sanders O’Leary shared this message via Bruin Post
The UCLA Distinguished Teaching Awards celebrate teaching excellence and play an important role in elevating the practice of teaching here at UCLA. Each year, deserving instructors are recognized for their innovation in the classroom, dedication to helping students thrive, and commitment to continuous improvement of our students’ educational experience.
The Distinguished Teaching Awards nomination period opens today. See the chart below for award eligibility and nomination deadlines by honoree group.
| Award | Eligibility | Nomination Deadline |
| Teaching Assistant | Currently enrolled graduate students who are or have served as an academic student employee (ASE) at the time of nomination. | April 4, 2025 at 5 p.m. |
| Non-Senate Faculty | Non-Senate Faculty (faculty in the Adjunct series, Clinical compensated series, Visiting Professors, Acting Assistant Professors, Lecturers, and Academic Administrators) at the time of nomination. | April 4, 2025 at 5 p.m. |
| Senate Faculty | Academic Senate members (members of the following series: Professor, Professor of Teaching, Professor in Residence, and Professor of Clinical X, as well as Acting Professors, and Acting Associate Professors) at the time of nomination. | May 2, 2025 at 5 p.m |
Complete eligibility criteria and nomination instructions for each award are available on the Distinguished Teaching Awards website. Please read the eligibility requirements carefully before preparing your nomination.
This year, six awards will be presented to each group of non-Senate Faculty and Senate Faculty. Faculty awardees (Senate and non-Senate) will receive a one-time payment of $6,000 each and can be nominated in any one of the following categories: The Practice of Teaching, Innovation and Impact, Community-Engaged Teaching, and Undergraduate Mentorship. Each nominee’s portfolio will be evaluated according to the category selected, and there is no cap on the number of awards per category.
Teaching Assistants who demonstrate effective teaching, incorporate current best practices, inspire and challenge students, and support student success may be nominated for one of five awards. Recipients receive a one-time payment of $2,500 and, if eligible, a Dissertation Year Award (DYA) from the UCLA Division of Graduate Education.
Nominations are welcome from qualified individuals in departments, interdepartmental degree programs, institutes, or other academic units offering undergraduate, graduate, or professional degrees at UCLA — with no cap on the number of nominees allowed per department. Additionally, this year, self-nominations will be considered with departmental endorsement. Nominators are encouraged to consult broadly to identify exemplary nominees.
Late or incomplete nomination packages will not be accepted.
For inquiries related to the awards, please contact Awards@teaching.ucla.edu. To receive information and updates from the Teaching and Learning Center, sign up for our email list.