Types of Student Employment

Students have many different kinds of opportunities for on-campus employment. Which one is right for you?

Professor working looking at book with student in library

Options for On-Campus Employment

Students may be hired to work on campus through a variety of programs, including:

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

FWS provides jobs for students (first and second bachelor's degree or graduate students) who demonstrate financial need. Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required.

FWS awards are made on a first-come first-served basis.

The student works to earn the money paid. The award is not applied to the student鈥檚 account. Students who are hired by a department and paid with Federal Work Study funding must satisfy all general financial aid requirements before they will be eligible to work.

Students selected for federal verification must submit all requested documents and be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office before authorization to work will be granted.

Federal Work-Study FAQ

Regular Student Employment

Regular student employment allows students to work on-campus paid through other funding sources, such as a department鈥檚 budget. Completion of the FAFSA is not required.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are available for Master鈥檚 or Doctoral degree-seeking students who may be placed in academic programs, administrative offices, external works sites or other sites approved by the Graduate Dean.

Benefits for graduate, teaching and research assistants include:

  • a stipend
  • a tuition waiver, which varies according to the length of employment (months) and the number of hours worked per week (10 or 20)

Learn more about graduate assistantships, or log in to Handshake and go to Job/Internship Search > Position Type: Graduate Assistantship.

Internships

Internships provide students with short-term professional experiences related to their major or career goals.

The work is performed in a professional environment under the guidance and supervision of a staff member with expertise in the student鈥檚 field of interest. Both paid and unpaid internships are available at on- and off-campus sites.

Learn more about internships.

Resident Assistants

Resident assistants (RA) are full-time, undergraduate students who are trained as peer leaders to supervise those living in on-campus residence halls.

An RA has many roles and responsibilities including, but not limited to:

  • acting as a para-counselor for students
  • being a familiar first resource for students with academic or institutional questions
  • enforcing residence policies

Compensation includes a room and meal plan and a $25 per week stipend. Learn more about how to become a Resident Assistant.