Co-op for Students

Finding a Co-op

We are your resource for Co-op Work-Study & On-Campus Co-op placements. If you’re looking for resources for Co-op that is not Work-Study funding or is an Off-Campus Co-op, please get in touch with Northeastern Employer Engagement & Career Design.

All co-op opportunities can be found on NUworks.

Resume & Job Searching Guidance

For assistance with creating a resume or other guidance with applying for jobs, contact Northeastern Employer Engagement & Career Design.

Co-op Placement Details

University/Grant Funded/Work-Study On-Campus Co-ops

Students completing an on-campus co-op funded by university funding, grant funding or co-op work-study will have their placement details recorded in NUWorks. The completed record on NUWorks will serve as the placement form which is sent to the Office of Student Employment, Graduate Assistantships & Fellowships to begin processing via a secure file transfer to our Smartsheet system.

Off-Campus Work-Study Co-op Placements

Students completing an off-campus co-op funded through available co-op work-study funding will need their co-op placement details to be submitted by their co-op advisor using the form below.

Work-Study Co-op Placement Form

What is Co-op Work-Study?

Eligibility	Co-op Work-study funding is available to eligible domestic undergraduate, graduate, and law students who meet specific financial aid criteria.
Employers	Co-op Work-Study funding can be earned with any on-campus co-op or an off-campus co-op that has an active off-campus work-study contract on file with the Student Employment Office.
Requirements	Students must have filed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid by the priority filing deadline and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for co-op work-study funding. All students interested in co-op work-study funding must fill out the Co-op Work-Study Clearance Request Form to determine their eligibility.
Job Searching	All co-op positions, both on-campus and off-campus, are listed on NUWorks.

Description

Co-op Work-Study is a type of Co-op funding that students can earn by either working in an on-campus Co-op or at an off-campus Co-op with a non-profit or government agency. The off-campus agency must have a valid off-campus work-study contract on file with our office for the student to be able to earn the available Co-op Work-Study funding.

Not every Co-op student who is awarded Federal Work-Study will automatically be eligible for Co-op Work-Study. Co-op students can inquire about whether they are eligible to receive Co-op Work-Study funding by filling out the Co-op Work-Study Clearance Request Form.

Students need at least $13,125 in unmet need available in their financial aid package to be eligible to consider the award. We will only clear students who have enough unmet needs in their financial aid package to award enough funding to cover a full-time, 25-week Co-op experience. Co-op Work-Study is not used as supplemental funding earned on top of regular Co-op wages but serves as an alternative funding source for Co-op students.

Pre-Hire Paperwork for US based Co-ops

1. Receive a job offer to work through Northeastern University

2. Complete Form I-9 Section 1 online through Workday

3. First time U.S. employees must apply for a Social Security Number

4. Present Supporting Documents at the Student Employment Office

5. Wait for processing to complete the I-9 Section 2 (Up to 3 business days)

Do you have questions regarding the Form I-9?

For International Student Employees

If the student doesn’t already have an SSN, they will need to follow the steps below.

1. Submit On-Campus Employment Authorization Request.

2. Please allow 15 business days for OGS to review. The authorization letter will be sent to your Northeastern email address.

3. Prepare supporting documents (On-Campus Employment Authorization, I-20, I-94, Passport, Visa, SSN Application)

4. Make an appointment at your nearest Social Security Administration Office to present the supporting documents.

5. Once you receive an application receipt, please visit the Student Employment Office at 375 Richards Hall to complete Section 2 of I-9.

6. Once you receive the SSN, email seoi9help@northeastern.edu to update your I-9 with your SSN information.

Learn more about Social Security Number (SSN)

Attention!

Please note that the student must present their own documentation; parents, guardians, or any other representatives are not permitted to submit documents on a student’s behalf.

Pre-Hire Paperwork for Canadian based Co-ops

Once you receive a job offer from an approved employer, you must complete the following forms and submit them to seoi9help@northeastern.edu before you begin working. Email subject: Canadian Pre-Hire Paperwork Submission

*Attach a copy of a voided check or preprinted deposit ticket.

Getting Paid

1. Enroll in Direct Deposit (All on-campus student employees and all off-campus work-study student employees are required)

2. Paychecks will be deposited into the account you designate

3. Submit Working Timesheet (each week before Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on Workday)

4. Your supervisor is responsible for reviewing, approving, and forwarding your timesheets by Monday at 10:00 a.m

5. Students will be paid on a bi-weekly schedule

How to Enroll in Direct Deposit

1. Log into the Student Hub

2. Click on the Resources on the top bar

3. Click on the Financial Services

4. Click on the Direct Deposit Form in the list

5. Fill in the routing number & account number (Please be sure to use the paper and electronic routing number provided by your bank)

6. Wait up to 3 business days for your bank to process the request

7. Paychecks will be deposited into the account you designate.

Learn More

How to Submit Your Timesheet

1. Go to Workday

2. Click on the Menu in the top left corner

3. Click on the Time in the menu

4. Click on This Week

5. Click on the time you worked

6. Fill in the form with details

7. Click on the Review button on the bottom right

8. Click on the Submit button

Students based in California must follow the CA Time Tracking instructions and guidelines.

Payments for Co-op Work-Study

Unlike other forms of financial aid, Co-op Work-Study is not applied as a credit to student accounts.

Pay Type	Hourly
Hourly Wage	Depending on experience and position, at least the state minimum wage or above and follow the co-op rates.
Maximum Payment	Hourly Wage × Hours Per Week × Working Weeks (refer to the start/end dates on the sheet) Students are awarded the amount of funding needed to cover their wages for the full co-op cycle depending on the hire details submitted on their co-op placement sheet.
Hours Per Week	Typically 35 - 40 Hour/Week

Payments for On-Campus Co-op

Pay Type	Hourly
Hourly Wage	Determined by C-Rates of co-op position and year of graduation.
Hours Per Week	Typically 35 – 40 Hour/Week

Wages

Student employees must be compensated for their work in accordance with the minimum wage laws and pay ranges of their campus location.

Massachusetts, U.S.

Portland, Maine, U.S.

Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Oakland, California, U.S.

Silicon Valley, California, U.S.

Canada

MA Payment of Wages Law

The Massachusetts Payment of Wages Law indicates:

All hourly employees must be paid at least weekly or biweekly.
All employees must be paid within six days of the end of the pay period.
If an employee resigns, they must be paid for all hours worked on the next regular payday following the end of employment. If an employee is discharged, they must be paid all wages owed on the day of termination.

Tax Information

The US tax system follows a “pay as you go” model, meaning that taxes are deducted from each paycheck.

For students working in the U.S., you will receive the W-2 Tax Form which summarizes your earnings and the taxes you have paid before Jan 31 each year. You may access the W-2 tax documents from Workday.

The W-4 Form indicates how much in taxes will be withheld from your paycheck. You will only be required to complete the form once after you’ve been hired, but you can not update it anytime you wish on Workday. Completing W-4 on Workday takes the place of the paper form and allows you to make any necessary changes electronically.

Learn more about tax forms

Steps to find W-2 Tax Form

Go to Workday → Menu → Pay → My Tax Documents → External Tax Documents

Steps for Updating W-4 Tax Information

Go to Workday → Menu → Pay → Withholding Elections → Update

On The Job

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Responsibilities

Show up on time. If you are going to be late, contact your supervisor to let them know.
If you need to request time off or a change to your schedule, speak to your supervisor as soon as possible.
If you need to quit your job, let your supervisor know as soon as possible. You should give your supervisor at least two weeks’ notice before your last day.
Ask your supervisor to know what work needs to be done. If you have ideas about how to improve a process, share them!

Your Rights

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Student Work Hours

Students may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session. During university break periods, students may work up to 40 hours per week. Read more...
Student workers may not work during their scheduled class times.
Massachusetts state law requires that an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes be taken after six consecutive hours of work.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The university is committed to providing a living, learning, and working environment free of discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all members of the university community when acting on behalf of the university, whether on or off campus, as well as to contractors, parents, and visitors when they are on university property.

Reasonable Accommodation

Northeastern University (the university) recognizes that individuals may be entitled to reasonable accommodation in respect of a legally protected characteristic to participate in employment.

Pregnancy & Pregnancy-Related Conditions

The university recognizes that employees who are pregnant or have a condition related to pregnancy may need a reasonable accommodation to have equally effective opportunities to participate in employment.

Report a Concern

If you have a concern related to your workplace, you can request to speak with a staff member to discuss your reporting options.

Contact Our Staff

Or you can access the following resources directly

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I apply for jobs?

Go to Workday → Menu → Jobs and Career Hub → Student Employment → Click on the on-campus jobs or off-campus jobs.

For co-op opportunities, please check NUworks.

Why is my application automatically rejected?

Students may be rejected from a job if they are not qualified, or if another candidate was more suitable for the position. Hiring managers make the final hiring decision.

If you believe your applications are being rejected in error, please contact us.

When can new students apply for jobs?

Incoming students will be given access to Workday 20 days prior to the start of their program.

Am I allowed to start working while my I-9 documents are processing?

Students should not start working until their hire has been confirmed in Workday, to avoid any possible delay in pay if there are issues with the hire request or I-9 processing.

I do not have my original documents for Section 2 of the Form I-9. Can I present a scan, picture or photocopy?

No, we can only accept the true, physical document. We cannot accept scans, pictures or photocopies of I-9 supporting documents.

I will not be on campus prior to my start date to submit my I-9 documents in person. Can I complete a remote I-9 or email the documents to you?

No, we cannot verify your I-9 supporting documents remotely. For the safety of your identity, please do not email scanned copies of your Section 2 documents. Please bring original documents to the Student Employment Office once you arrive. Our office will be open during move-in week.

How can I view my paystubs?

To view your this year's paystub history, go to Workday and search “My Payslip” in the search bar.

To access paystub history prior to this year, please navigate to Student Hub → Resources → Financial Services → Student Employee Self Service, and search “Pay Slips”.

Why am I unable to submit a timesheet?

Students are paid on a bi-weekly pay schedule. Every pay week, the timesheet will be temporarily locked for processing payroll. If you have trouble entering time, please try again on Friday. Make sure you enter your hours by 10 AM Sunday morning every week so you can get paid on time.

Can I keep my part-time job while going on Co-op?

If your Co-op position is on-campus, please make sure you receive approval from your Co--op advisor regarding any possible program restrictions and communicate closely with both your Co-op supervisor and part-time supervisor, and make sure they are aware of your other on-campus positions and hours entered. There will be overtime charges if your total hours (Co-op + part time) exceed 40.