F-1 Student Employment
Find an On-Campus JobGetting a Job
F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus while attending classes. Graduating students are allowed to work until the official last day of university finals. You should review the academic calendar to confirm your last date of eligibility.
The work does not need to be related to the student’s field of study. Students must maintain legal F-1 status while engaging in on-campus employment.
You can search for jobs by going to Workday and then searching “Jobs and Career Hub” and selecting “Student Employment”. Limit your search to non-Work Study positions. You can find a more detailed guide for your job search in our Workday resources.
On-campus employment includes work done in the University library, laboratories, residential buildings, administrative offices, or doing research on-campus. It also includes some approved non-Northeastern on-campus employers. Please see the list below. Please note: we make every effort to keep this list updated; however, you should review the list from the Office of Global Services as well.
Last day of employment when graduating
The last day of employment for graduating students is the last day of finals. Once finals are completed, graduating students no longer have active student status and are not eligible for student employment.
Approved Non-Northeastern On-Campus Employers
- Dunkin Donuts (Shillman Hall)
- Dunkin Donuts (Richards/Hayden Hall)
- Caffe Strega (ISEC)
- Chartwell’s
- Reprographics (Ell Hall)
- Wollaston’s (both locations)
- Vanguard (Columbus Parking Garage)
- B.Good (Marino Center)
- Cafe 716
- Rebecca’s (Churchill Hall)
- Chicken Lou’s
- Subway (Ryder Hall)
- Ryder Cafe (Ryder Hall)
- Cafe Crossing (International Village)
- Kaplan (Belvidere)
- Tatte Bakery and Cafe (On-Campus)
- IST Management Services (Northeastern Mail Services)
Unapproved Non-Northeastern Employers
- YMCA
- Amelia’s Taqueria
- Qdoba
- Ruggles MBTA Eateries
- Boston Shawarma
- Wings Over Boston
- Conor Larkin’s
- Chatime NEU
- University House of Pizza
- New England Conservatory
If you need help determining if an employer is acceptable or not, contact the Office of Global Services before you begin working.
Pre-Hire Paperwork
Once you receive a job offer, you must complete the Form I-9 with our office. Both sections of the Form should be completed before your first day of work.
Section 1 of the I-9 form can be completed online via the Student Employment site.
To complete Section 2, you will be required to provide supporting documentation to an authorized Student Employment representative at 375 Richards Hall.
Allow up top 3 business days for our office to process your Form I-9.
If you have questions regarding the I-9 form, please email seoi9help@northeastern.edu.
Work-Study Funding
Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for Federal Work-Study. Please only apply for on-campus, general student employment positions as your visa allows.
SSN- F1 process
Once you receive a job offer from an approved employer, you must apply for the SSN if you do not already have one.
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- Log into myOGS to submit the F-1 On-Campus Employment Request e-form.
- A designated school official from OGS will review and sign the letter. You will be emailed when your letter is ready for pick-up. Pleas allow 5 business days for processing.
- Then, visit your nearest Social Security Administration Office to present the letter and apply for the SSN.
- Once you receive the SSN recipt please visit Student Employment Office at 175 Richards Hall to complet section-2 of I9.
- Once you receive the SSN number, email seoi9help@northeastern.edu to update your record.
- You can refer this handout for more in depth instructions on the SSN application process.
Getting Paid
Direct Deposit
All on-campus student employees and all off-campus work-study student employees are required to enroll in direct deposit. To enroll in direct deposit, please navigate to Student Hub –> My Links –> Financial Services –> Direct Deposit Form to update your bank details. Please note that this takes 3 working days to confirm.
Please be sure to use the paper and electronic routing number provided by your bank.
Paychecks will be deposited into the account you designate.
Payrates
Student employees are paid at an hourly wage. Pay rates will vary depending on the level of experience, and the responsibilities for each position, but will always adhere to the state minimum wage. Please note that students conducting specialized research or highly-skilled work are typically paid at a higher rate.
If you have been awarded Federal Work-Study, which is a finite amount, your pay rate determines the number of hours that you are able to work.
Please note that students cannot work more than twenty hours per week during academic periods.
Pay Schedules
Student employees will be required to complete their timesheets and submit them, electronically, for approval via the Student Employment website.
If you are a semi-monthly paid research assistant or teaching fellow, you will receive your pay on the 15th and the last day of the month, provided the department you are working for has submitted your information before the payroll deadline.
If you are an hourly paid employee, you should submit your online timesheet to your supervisor each week that you work. The deadline for timesheets to be submitted to your supervisor is Sunday at 10:00 a.m. each week. Your supervisor is responsible for reviewing, approving, and forwarding your timesheets by Monday at 10:00 a.m.
Students are paid on a bi-weekly schedule.
Taxes
The US tax system follows a “pay as you go” model, meaning that taxes are deducted from each paycheck.
The W-4 Form indicates how much in taxes will be withheld from your paycheck. To provide this information, you’ll need to update your tax information via Workday. To do so, go into your applications and select the Pay app. Then select “Withholding Elections” and update the form. Please note that you will have access to the Pay app only after you’ve been hired. By completing this information on Workday, this takes place of the paper W-4 Form and allows you to make any necessary changes, electronically.
How to complete the Form W-4 for international students:
Step 1: Select ‘Single’ as your marital status. (We understand that you may be married, but for tax filing purposes in the US, you are required to select ‘Single’).
Skip Steps 2 and 3.
Step 4: Select the ‘Nonresident Alien’ box.
Step 5: Select the ‘I Agree’ box.
After the end of the calendar year, individuals who worked in the US must reconcile the taxes they have paid with the taxes they may owe. The university will provide you with a Form W-2 which summarizes your earnings and the taxes you have paid.
Learn more to access your 2022 W-2 online, starting January 31st, 2023.
On the Job
On-campus jobs are real, verifiable employment. On-campus employment is a great way to build your resume, and good performance may help you secure references for future employment.
You should show up on time to each shift and be ready to work. If you are not sure what work needs to be done, ask your supervisor. If you have ideas about how to improve a process, share them!
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 for any reason, let your supervisor know as soon as possible. Whenever possible, you should give your supervisor at least two weeks’ notice before your last day.
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, or you can access the following resources directly:
Know Your Rights
Equal Opportunity Employment
Northeastern 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, including students, faculty, staff, affiliates, and volunteers 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. The purpose of this policy is to meet requirements of applicable human rights legislation and to provide employees and applicants with reasonable accommodations as required by law.
Policy on 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. The purpose of this policy is to meet requirements of the Massachusetts state anti-discrimination law and to provide employees with reasonable accommodations as required by applicable law.
Policy on Student Work Hours
- Students may not work more than 20 hours per work while classes are in session. Read the full policy. During university break periods, some F-1 students are eligible to work more than 20 hours/week during summer breaks. You must verify your eligiblility before working additional hours.
- 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.
Wages
Student employees must be compensated for their work in accordance with University pay range descriptions. Please select your campus location.
MA Payment of Wages Law
The Massachusetts Payment of Wages Law specifies the timeline for when employees must be paid.
- 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 during which wages were earned.
- If an employee resigns, the employer must pay for all hours worked on the next regular pay day following the end of employment. When an employer discharges an employee, it must pay the employee all wages owed on the day of termination.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply for jobs?
Go to Workday and search “Jobs and Career Hub”, then select “Student Employment” and click on NU Find Student Jobs.
Am I eligible for work study?
Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for work study funding. When searching for jobs on Workday, please exclude work study jobs from your search.
Why is my application automatically rejected?
Work-study jobs are only available to students who have been awarded work-study funding as part of their financial aid package. If an ineligible student applies to a work-study job, their application will be automatically rejected. If you are not eligible for work-study, you should use the filters to limit your job search to non-work-study jobs only.
Students may also 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?
Most incoming students will be given access to Workday on December 20. If you still do not have access by then, we recommend double-checking that you have submitted all required documentation for enrollment in the University.
Thank you for your patience.
Can I keep my part-time job while going on CO-OP?
Yes, but if your CO-OP position is on-campus, please make sure you 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. It will cause overtime charges if your total hours (CO-OP + part time) exceed 40.
Can I email a scan of my document for I9 section 2 since I won’t arrive in Boston until September?
For the safety of your identity, please do not email scanned copies of your Section 2 documents. Furthermore, we do not accept scanned copies. Please bring original documents to the Student Employment Office once you arrive in Boston. Our office will be open during move-in week.
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. You will have to wait until you arrive on-campus before you can complete the process with our office. We cannot accept your supporting documents via email.
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.
Do I need to wait until I receive my SSN before I can complete Section 2 of the I-9 and begin working?
No, you do not need to wait until you receive your SSN before completing the I-9 and starting work. Our office only requires you to present your SSN application receipt and On-Campus Employment letter from OGS in addition to the I-94 and passport to complete Section 2.
I am an international student, what is my next step after I received my SSN card?
Please DO NOT send your Social Security Number or a scan of your SSN card over email to anyone. You can send an email to seoi9help@northeastern.edu to request access to your Form I9 so that you can add your SSN to it. You will then receive two emails: one with your account number and password, and another with the link to the I9 Service Center. You will be able to update your Form I9 with your SSN once you log in with the password provided in the first email.
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 realize you have trouble entering time, please try again on Friday. Make sure you enter your hours by 10AM Sunday morning every week so you can get paid on time.
How can I view my paystubs?
To view your 2022, paystub history go to Workday and search “My Payslip” in the search bar.
To access paystub history prior to 2022, please navigate to Student Hub –> My Links –> Financial Services –> Student Employee Self Service and search “Pay Slips”.