Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
For Students
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Domestic and international undergraduate and graduate students may be employed through Student Employment. Students must be matriculated, enrolled in a degree granting program, and attending courses at least half-time in order to work on-campus. International students must be enrolled full-time (12 credits or more) to work on-campus and to stay in status with their F-1 or J-1 Visa. Students must have applied for a SSN and have completed Form I-9 before starting any job.
Students who are attending less than half-time, have graduated, withdrawn, taken a leave of absence or are studying abroad are not eligible to work through Student Employment.
The Office of Student Financial Services will assist you in locating on-campus employment by providing job opportunity listings throughout the year online via Workday .
Students who have additional questions or difficulty finding a job should contact the Office of Student Financial Services.
Please note: Students may not begin work at any campus job until all of the forms required for student employment have been submitted to, and approved by, the Office of Student Financial Services. A form I-9 is required for everyone who works!
You are responsible for securing your own position off campus and should therefore expect to deal directly with the employer or agency for which you wish to work. The Office of Student Financial Services will provide access to job opportunity listings and job descriptions, when available. Off-campus job opportunities are posted online at non-FWS off-campus job opportunities.
International students can only work off-campus if they have CPT or OPT work authorization.
Student work must be compensated in compliance with all Federal and State employment laws and regulations. In SFS we process only hourly student pay. To determine which method of payment is appropriate please review the guidelines for processing payments to Brandeis students
Supplementing education with work experiences helps students:
experience a professional environment.
apply theory to the practical world.
expand career knowledge and assess career interests.
build leadership, communication and other marketable skills.
enhance confidence.
Federal Work-Study is a work program funded by the federal government and Brandeis University. If you are eligible for FWS funds, you will be assigned an allotment in your financial aid package. The current balance of your allotment is available by contacting SFS.
You must reapply for financial aid each year to be considered for FWS. It is important to note that wages earned through FWS will not be included in total income when determining financial aid eligibility for the following year. However, wages earned by all other employment will be included. All wages, however, must be reported as taxable income on your state and federal income tax returns.
Students must apply for financial aid via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and meet federal eligibility requirements each year to receive a work study award. Awards are calculated in the student’s financial aid package by the Office of Student Financial Services.
No. Federal Work-Study is not a guarantee of on-campus employment. FWS, however, provides you the opportunity to also explore off-campus employment opportunities with nonprofit organizations as well as with city, state and federal government offices. Federal Work-Study offers a wide range of employment options, but it does not guarantee a job.
University Employment is a work program funded solely by Brandeis University and is awarded to eligible international students as part of their financial aid package. Although some on-campus employers may only hire Federal Work-Study students, most positions are available to students funded by either employment program.
On- and off-campus employment opportunities are located under Job Opportunities.
The following forms are required if you have not worked previously for the university. You may download these forms here or pick them up at the Office of Student Financial Services in Usdan:
Form I-9 (Federal Employment Eligibility Verification) — will be completed online in Workday once a job offer has been issued
Foreign National Information Form (for International Students)
Please note that the Internal Revenue Service requires the university to verify the Social Security number of all employees. You should be prepared to provide your Social Security card to the Office of Student Financial Services for review if your name or Social Security number is in question at any time.
Refer to the “On-campus Job Registration Procedures” section of the Student Employment Handbook for detailed on-campus job registration procedures.
You must be physically present in the US for at least 10 days prior to applying for an SSN. International students who are located outside the United States and have no social security number are not able to be hired.
To apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), please do the following:
International Student On-Campus Employment Form (for students with on-campus jobs) OR
Fellowship award letter (PhD students only) OR
Job offer letter (for students, scholars, researchers) OR
J-1 sponsored student letter issued by visa sponsor
Take the On-Campus Employment Form and the following documents to a local Social Security Administration Office to apply for your Social Security Number:
Valid passport and visa AND
Most recent I-20 (for F-1 visa holders) OR DS-2019 (for J-1/J-2 visa holders) AND
Print out of most recent electronic Form I-94
Once you receive an SSN, you must complete Form I-9 with the Office of Student Financial Services before you may begin working. You should bring your Social Security card, passport and all visa documents with you to complete Form I-9.
** Due to COVID-19, Social Security Administration offices are closed to visitors until further notice. However, they are still accepting phone calls and processing applications. Locate your nearest SSA Office using the Social Security Office Locator. If your closest SSA Office is located in Waltham we have included instructions below that we have received from these offices about the current process for applying for a SSN. Although we have procedures listed here for the Waltham office, we still highly recommend calling the office first to confirm that the procedure is still accurate. Please note that the Cambridge office is only accepting applications from current Cambridge residents.
Before following the process below, we highly recommend that you call the Waltham Social Security Office to confirm that this procedure is accurate and to make them aware that you are planning on mailing your documents.
As you would be mailing important documents, especially your passport, it is advisable to choose a mailing option that includes trackable shipping so that you are be able to track where your documents are located at all times. Furthermore, it could be useful to include a trackable return envelope with your application for the Social Security Office to use when returning your documents. This way, you'll also be able to track your documents as they are returned to you.
Mail the following documents via certified mail:
The address to mail the application to is:
Waltham Social Security Office
135 Beaver St. Suite 120
Waltham, MA 02452
If your closest SSA Office is not in Waltham or Cambridge, we recommend giving that office a call to see what your options are for requesting a SSN.
If your application is accepted, you will receive a receipt confirming that you have applied for a SSN and your SSN card will arrive in the mail within 2 weeks. Please note that there might be delays in receiving your SSN.
In order to comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all students who intend to work on campus will be required to present identification to the Office of Student Financial Services that satisfies the requirements of Form I-9 (Employer Eligibility Verification) prior to beginning employment. Students must show one document from List A or one document from List B and one document from List C. Please refer to the form I9 for a complete list of acceptible documents. Common documents include:
| List A | List B | List C |
|---|---|---|
| Unexpired U.S. Passport | State-issued driver's license or ID card with photo or identifying information | Original Social Security Card |
| Unexpired foreign passport with I-551 stamp or attached INS Form I-94 indicating unexpired employment authorization | U.S. Military card | Original Birth Certificate with seal or other certification |
| Alien Registration Card with photo | University ID card with photo | Unexpired INS Employment Authorization document |
No. All documents must be original; with the exception of a birth certificate which may be a notarized copy.
Read the instructions on the form and speak with your parents or a tax advisor for advice about completing a W-4 form or local tax forms. Brandeis University cannot give you tax advice. This form can be completed online through Workday.
Being a student does not automatically exempt you from paying taxes. Your earnings are subject to both federal and state income taxes. If you work during the summer, you will also have Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from your paychecks. Contact the payroll office at payroll@brandeis.edu for questions regarding taxes.
Work-study earnings are taxable income. Being on work study does not exempt you from paying taxes.
Yes, international students are subject to both state and federal income taxes. However, some students may be eligible to exempt a portion of their earnings from taxes if their country has a tax treaty with the United States. All international students should complete the Foreign National Information Form and submit it to the payroll office to determine eligibility for treaty benefits. Visit the International Students & Scholars Office for basic information.
The work week runs from Monday to Sunday. During the academic year, undergraduate students are allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week, and no more than eight hours per day. U.S. graduate students may work a maximum of 40 hours per week. Per Federal regulations, international students are not allowed to exceed 20 hours of work per week, regardless of class standing.
During vacation periods, U.S. undergraduate students may work a maximum of 40 hours per week. International students may work 40 hours during winter break and summer break.
Students who fail to comply with this policy will be terminated and lose eligibility to work on-campus. Please see the "Student Employment Policies" section of the Student Employment Handbook for more detailed information on work-week policies.
U.S. undergraduate students who are in good academic standing and would like to work more than 20 hours per week must contact the Office of Student Financial Services to apply for a waiver of this policy. The student must complete the top section of the Petition to Waive the 20 Hour per Week Work Limit and bring the form to the Office of Student Academic Services to meet with his or her dean to discuss the potential impact of additional work hours on academics.
If authorized, the student must then return to the Office of Student Financial Services with the signed form and meet with his or her financial aid counselor to discuss the potential impact on the student’s financial aid award. The student and his or her supervisor(s) will receive signed copies of the form within one to two weeks. The student may then begin working the additional authorized hours.
Pay is issued to hourly paid students on Fridays. Provided you and your supervisor have followed all the appropriate procedures, you should receive your first paycheck on the Friday of your second week of work. All pay will be distributed on schedule provided all required documentation, including your time sheets, were submitted on time. Holidays and school vacations may necessitate early time sheet deadlines or delayed delivery of paychecks.
No, paychecks go directly to you by direct deposit to your checking or savings bank account. You will be instructed to sign up for direct deposit once you have been officially hired into the system.
Direct deposit, a benefit offered by Brandeis University, is a safe and convenient way to deposit your earnings into your checking or savings account. Whether you are on break, away for a long weekend or sick on pay day, your money is automatically credited to your checking or savings account. Imagine never having to rush to the bank on payday; never worrying about losing or washing your paycheck and never having to stand in line to cash or deposit your check.
You must contact the payroll office located at 60 Turner St. and ask for additional instructions. Paychecks usually expire within three months of issue. This may cause your check to be rejected by your bank. Again, direct deposit is recommended as it offers convenience and less time being consumed by you or university offices, especially in such cases where extra research and technical steps need to be taken.
Yes. In order to prevent money from being deposited into a closed bank account, you need to immediately update your direct deposit information via Workday. Please contact the payroll office for additional information.
You are responsible for seeking an off-campus work study job at a non-profit agency that is of interest to you. For more information on getting an off-campus job approved, please read the Off Campus Job Registration Procedures section of the Student Employment Handbook.
No. Federal Work-Study is an opportunity for students to work in order to earn money to pay for college expenses, as well as to gain valuable employment experience. It is one component of an aid package that may be comprised of loan, scholarship/grant or work awards.
A student may choose to decline the work offer. However, you will not necessarily be eligible for additional aid if you decline the Federal Work-Study award.
Nothing; you will not be penalized for not earning all of your award. You will, however, forfeit the remainder of the award.
Students who are awarded an FWS or University Employment allotment as part of their financial aid package are given priority for jobs until Oct. 1. If you were not awarded such an allotment, you must wait to seek employment until after this date.
While some departments can hire only students who have Federal Work-Study, many others are able to hire students who do not have FWS. Check Workday to see the specific requirements for each job posted. You must have a valid Social Security number to seek employment on campus.
For a duplicate copy of your W2 please contact the Payroll Office
Beginning in Spring 2021 you should be able to access your W2 via Workday.
Before hiring any student you must follow the following procedures:
Develop a job description
Review and post the job in Workday
Conduct interviews
After selecting a candidate for hire, you must:
Generate and submit time sheets
For details on each step, please refer to the Supervisor sections of the Student Employment Handbook.
Yes. As a recipient of Title IV Funds, all available positions must be posted with the Office of Student Financial Services for a minimum of five business days. All jobs must be hourly paid positions with a job description approved by and on file with the Office of Student Financial Services. All open positions are posted on the SFS website and students apply directly through Workday.
Please create a job requisition through Workday! Please refer to the Create a Job Requition (Student) Job Aid for step by step instructions.
New student employees should come to Student Financial Services, located on the second floor of the Usdan Student Center to complete the required forms for student employment. All employees must complete a form I-9. Section 1 of the form will be done online through Workday. Section 2 of the form requires the applicant to show original documents which prove their identity and eligibility to work. Most other documents are completed online through Workday.
To terminate a student employee, the supervisor must complete the action in Workday. Actions, Job Change, and Terminate or End Additional Job. Under certain circumstances additional documentation may be required. Please consult with the Assistant Director of Student Employment if you have specific or confidential questions.
SFS process all hourly paid student employees. All job descriptions and pay rates must be approved by the Office of Student Financial Services before employers post the position. Please refer to the Workday Job Profiles for more information on pay scales.
Please review the guidelines for processing payments to Brandeis students
Get your job listing on the Office of Student Financial Services website as early as possible. Many students try to get their jobs settled before classes begin. Informative and detailed job descriptions also help, especially when particular skills are needed for the job. Thorough interviewing will help you to select the right candidate, and a comprehensive orientation and training session(s) will help you and your employee(s) to understand what is expected of the employee.