Finding a job on campus

A campus job can fit around your class schedule, and getting to work is usually a short walk. This page shows where openings are posted, which departments tend to hire students, and what to bring when you accept an offer.

Where openings are posted

Most schools list student jobs in one place, usually an online job board run by the student employment office or the career center. Postings tend to arrive in waves, with the largest batch in the weeks before each term starts. Checking the board early gives you a wider choice of hours and departments.

Some jobs are filled before they ever reach the board. Departments sometimes hire students they already know, so it helps to ask a professor, a lab manager or the front desk of an office you already use. A short email saying you are looking for work and listing the hours you are free is enough to start the conversation.

Offices that often hire students

Libraries, dining halls, recreation centers, residence halls, tutoring centers and admissions offices hire students at many schools. Research labs and academic departments sometimes take on student assistants for data entry, lab upkeep or event support. Each posting lists its own duties and schedule, so read it closely before applying.

Some positions are set aside for students who have Federal Work-Study in their aid offer, and the posting usually says so. Many others are open to any enrolled student and are paid through regular payroll. The student employment office can tell you which kind a posting is.

Before you apply

• Your class schedule for the term
• A short list of offices you would like to work in
• Identity documents for Form I-9
• Your bank account and routing numbers

Hours and limits

Many schools cap the number of hours a student can work each week during the term, and the cap can differ for graduate students. Students on a student visa face separate limits set by immigration rules, and the international student office explains them. Ask about these limits before you accept two jobs at once.

Campus supervisors are used to scheduling around exam weeks and breaks. It still helps to list your class times when you apply, so shifts can be planned around them from the start.

Paperwork on your first day

Every new employee in the US completes Form I-9, which confirms identity and authorization to work. You show original documents for it, such as a passport, or a driver's license together with a Social Security card. Bring them on your first day, because payroll often holds your pay until the form is complete.

You also fill in a W-4 for federal tax withholding, often a state tax form as well, and a direct deposit form with your bank details. Keep a copy of everything you sign.