diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/instructor_dashboard.py b/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/instructor_dashboard.py
index cffc3e9f6a..f7475184a4 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/instructor_dashboard.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/instructor_dashboard.py
@@ -1137,6 +1137,7 @@ class StudentAdminPage(PageObject):
     Student admin section of the Instructor dashboard.
     """
     url = None
+    PAGE_SELECTOR = 'section#student_admin'
     CONTAINER = None
 
     PROBLEM_INPUT_NAME = None
@@ -1227,6 +1228,19 @@ class StudentAdminPage(PageObject):
         """
         return self._input_with_name(self.BACKGROUND_TASKS_BUTTON_NAME)
 
+    @property
+    def running_tasks_section(self):
+        """
+        Returns the "Pending Instructor Tasks" section.
+        """
+        return self.get_selector('div.running-tasks-container')
+
+    def get_selector(self, css_selector):
+        """
+        Makes query selector by pre-pending student admin section
+        """
+        return self.q(css=' '.join([self.PAGE_SELECTOR, css_selector]))
+
     def wait_for_task_history_table(self):
         """
         Waits until the task history table is visible.
diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_lms_instructor_dashboard.py b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_lms_instructor_dashboard.py
index 1ee14740c2..fec37fe269 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_lms_instructor_dashboard.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_lms_instructor_dashboard.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from common.test.acceptance.pages.lms.dashboard import DashboardPage
 from common.test.acceptance.pages.lms.instructor_dashboard import (
     EntranceExamAdmin,
     InstructorDashboardPage,
+    StudentAdminPage,
     StudentSpecificAdmin
 )
 from common.test.acceptance.pages.lms.login_and_register import CombinedLoginAndRegisterPage
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ class BaseInstructorDashboardTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest):
     """
     Mixin class for testing the instructor dashboard.
     """
-    def log_in_as_instructor(self, course_access_roles=None):
+    def log_in_as_instructor(self, global_staff=True, course_access_roles=None):
         """
         Login with an instructor account.
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class BaseInstructorDashboardTest(EventsTestMixin, UniqueCourseTest):
         """
         course_access_roles = course_access_roles or []
         auto_auth_page = AutoAuthPage(
-            self.browser, course_id=self.course_id, staff=True, course_access_roles=course_access_roles
+            self.browser, course_id=self.course_id, staff=global_staff, course_access_roles=course_access_roles
         )
         auto_auth_page.visit()
         user_info = auto_auth_page.user_info
@@ -1381,3 +1382,20 @@ class StudentAdminTest(BaseInstructorDashboardTest):
         alert = get_modal_alert(student_admin_section.browser)
         alert.dismiss()
         self.assertFalse(self.instructor_dashboard_page.is_rescore_unsupported_message_visible())
+
+    def test_task_list_visibility(self):
+        """
+        Test that instructor task list is visible on student admin section
+        to users who have access to instructor tab/dashboard
+        """
+        # first check for global staff users
+        student_admin_section = self.instructor_dashboard_page.select_student_admin(StudentAdminPage)
+        self.assertTrue(student_admin_section.running_tasks_section.visible)
+
+        # logout global-staff user and check for users with staff access to course
+        LogoutPage(self.browser).visit()
+        # having staff access to course is compulsory to access instructor dashboard
+        self.log_in_as_instructor(False, ['staff'])
+        self.instructor_dashboard_page = self.visit_instructor_dashboard()
+        student_admin_section = self.instructor_dashboard_page.select_student_admin(StudentAdminPage)
+        self.assertTrue(student_admin_section.running_tasks_section.visible)
diff --git a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
index c443162f17..0304df0846 100644
--- a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
+++ b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/student_admin.html
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@
     <hr>
 </div>
 %endif
+%endif
 
 %if settings.FEATURES.get('ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_BACKGROUND_TASKS'):
 <div class="running-tasks-container action-type-container">
@@ -215,5 +216,3 @@
     <div class="no-pending-tasks-message"></div>
 </div>
 %endif
-
-%endif