Students Employment FAQs
The student must
- Carry at least 6 credits as an undergraduate and 5 credits as a graduate.
- Maintain good academic standing or have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Have at least two-hour blocks open to work for a department.
- Be able to work at least 6 hours per week. Most departments look for a student to be able to devote 6 hours of work to their department.
- There are 3 funding sources for student employment: work-study, departmental funds or a grant awarded to a department
- Work-Study award is based on financial need (FAFSA)
- Departmental funds come from a department on campus that has money available to pay students workers
- Grant money is also money that certain department may have available to pay students. Most grant money is offered to students that like to do research work
When students are hired for the first time on the student payroll, they must submit the following forms to the Career Development Center:
- Student Employment Form (SEF)
Student Employment Form (SEF) - Fillable Version - Federal W-4 Form
- Rhode Island W-4 Form
- Bar of Claims
- Drug Free Workplace Statement
- Personnel Action Form (PAF)
It's important to note that federal forms require specific documentation, and it's recommended to contact the Career Development Center before visiting to ensure you have all the necessary paperwork in order.
Yes. There are opportunities to work on campus both for students who have been awarded work-study as part of their financial aid packages as well as for students who do not have work-study awards. Jobs that don’t require work-study are called “department funded.” All positions are filled on a first come-first served basis. Students who have work-study awards will receive an invitation to attend a work-study information session. Sessions are generally held in late August and early September.
There are both work-study and department funded jobs available in a wide variety of departments across campus. There are some work-study jobs at off-campus non-profit organizations. Students may learn about these positions and how to apply for them, by coming to the Career Development Center or searching for them on-line through Student employment forms are also available in the Career Development Center and must be filled out by the student and the employing organization/department.
Jobs begin at $15.09/hr (minimum wage in RI) and may go as high as $25/hr depending on the position and specific responsibilities. If the student continues in the same position, they often get a raise in the following year.
No, in fact many students have more than one job. Sometimes these jobs are both on campus, both off campus, or a combination of on and off campus. If the jobs are paid through the student payroll, the student may work up to 20 hours per week total when classes are in session. Some students being paid through work-study funds work in more than one department so they can earn the full amount of their award which may exceed the number of hours any one department has to offer them.
Federal Work-study awards are offered as part of your financial aid package based on your eligibility. They are ‘work to earn’ grants. There are many ways to earn your award on-campus as well as off-campus.
Yes. Any money earned from either work-study or non-work-study jobs is considered taxable income. However, money earned from work-study jobs is NOT included in the needs assessment when applying for financial aid for the next year. Money earned from non-work-study jobs is included in the needs assessment.
There are many reasons to consider working on campus.
- Can fit a few hours of work in between classes
- Save on gas money
- Become better connected with the College and its resources for students
- Become better connected with faculty and staff
In fact, research indicates that students who work on campus do better academically and are more likely to complete their college education.
