Work-Study Employment

for Domestic Students

What is Work-Study?

Eligibility	Work-study funding is available to domestic undergraduate, graduate, and law school students who meet specific financial aid criteria.
Job Types	Part-time positions on campus or with an approved campus partner.
Requirement	Submit your financial aid application materials by the priority filing deadline to be considered for a work-study award.
Job Searching	If you have been awarded Federal Work-Study, you can search and apply for jobs on Workday.

Description

Work-study funding is part of a student's financial aid package. As available positions are limited, we cannot guarantee that each student will secure a position.

You are not obligated to work if you have been awarded Federal Work-Study; however, please note that if you do not work, you will not be able to earn your award.

Funding is awarded on a semester-by-semester basis, and unused funding does not roll forward into future semesters. Each year, you will have the opportunity to complete your financial aid application materials and request to be considered for work-study funding.

Getting a Job

Start Job Search

1. Go to Workday

2. Click on the Menu in the top left corner

3. Click on the Jobs and Career Hub in the menu

4. Click on the Student Employment tab

5. Review and apply for available positions

6. Review the hiring department's website to get a better understanding of employment needs

Resume & Job Searching Guidance

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

Find a Job Now

Pre-Hire Paperwork

1. Receive a job offer (Typically, students do not complete their pre-hire paperwork until they have received a job offer)

2. Complete 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?

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.

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.

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

Payments for Work-Study

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

Pay Type	Hourly
Maximum Hours	20 Hours Per Week
Hourly Wage	Depending on experience and position, at least the state minimum wage or above
Maximum Payment	Indicated in your award letter. Once you have earned your allotted award, you must stop working immediately.
Working Hours	Total Award Amount / Hourly Rate
Hours Per Week	Working Hours / Working Weeks in the Semester

Wages

Student employees must be compensated for their work in accordance with the following pay range descriptions.

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.

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



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



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 Member

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.

How do I know if I have been awarded Work-Study funding?

You will know once you receive your financial aid package. If you have received funding, you will see “Work Study” listed on your aid package. You will also see an award amount.

I received Work-Study award in my financial Aid package. What should I do next?

You can apply for any work study position on Workday. After you are hired into a work study position, it is important to monitor your award balance. You should work with your supervisor to develop a shift schedule that reflects your total award amount. You should also talk to your supervisor about whether or not they will be able to continue employing you once your award runs out.

Work-Study Employment

Contents

What is Work-Study?

Eligibility

Work-study funding is available to domestic undergraduate, graduate, and law school students who meet specific financial aid criteria.

Job Types

Part-time positions on campus or with an approved campus partner.

Requirement

Submit your financial aid application materials by the priority filing deadline to be considered for a work-study award.

Job Searching

If you have been awarded Federal Work-Study, you can search and apply for jobs on Workday.

Description

Work-study funding is part of a student's financial aid package. As available positions are limited, we cannot guarantee that each student will secure a position.

You are not obligated to work if you have been awarded Federal Work-Study; however, please note that if you do not work, you will not be able to earn your award.

Funding is awarded on a semester-by-semester basis, and unused funding does not roll forward into future semesters. Each year, you will have the opportunity to complete your financial aid application materials and request to be considered for work-study funding.

Getting a Job

Start Job Search

1. Go to Workday

2. Click on the Menu in the top left corner

3. Click on the Jobs and Career Hub in the menu

4. Click on the Student Employment tab

5. Review and apply for available positions

6. Review the hiring department's website to get a better understanding of employment needs

Resume & Job Searching Guidance

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

Pre-Hire Paperwork

1. Receive a job offer (Typically, students do not complete their pre-hire paperwork until they have received a job offer)

2. Complete 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)

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.

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.

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

Payments for Work-Study

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

Pay Type

Hourly

Maximum Hours

20 Hours Per Week

Hourly Wage

Depending on experience and position, at least the state minimum wage or above

Maximum Payment

Indicated in your award letter. Once you have earned your allotted award, you must stop working immediately.

Working Hours

Total Award Amount / Hourly Rate

Hours Per Week

Working Hours / Working Weeks in the Semester

Wages

Student employees must be compensated for their work in accordance with the following pay range descriptions.

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.