Find the 2024-25 Work-Study calendar here and the work schedule planner here.

You can find the Work-Study affirmation here.

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Once hired, you will meet with your employer’s HR Officer to complete four
benefits enrollment processes:

• I‐9 Verification
• Federal Payroll withholding (for federal taxes)
• NC Payroll withholding (for state taxes)
• Direct Deposit Enrollment (may not be required for off‐campus positions)

You will need to provide certification documents for the I‐9 process. You can find a full list of acceptable documents here.

On or before the first day of work:

• If you are working on-campus you will meet with your supervisor to complete University‐required training on the TIM system, which you will use to log your work hours for payroll purposes
• If you are working off‐campus you will be trained on job‐specific systems.

You will also be provided with any required training on topics such as confidentiality, workplace safety, or material handling. Supervisors will also use this time to help you become better acquainted with your workplace and duties.

This usually includes:

• Tours of the workplace
• Introduction to coworkers
• Training on workplace equipment

On average, you will work between 10 and 12 hours per week. The exact number of hours worked will depend on your individual needs and the position. Under program regulations, you cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring terms. Some positions do not require you to work any hours during specific weeks at points during the academic year.

If your employer wants you to work more hours, be sure to check the original job posting and hours section for your position. If the job posting stated 8-10 hours per week and you are working within that, no changes are needed. If the supervisor communicates that they need you to work more hours than the original job posting, have them reach out to us for help in hiring additional Work-Study students who are still searching for employment.

If you are wanting to work the additional hours but are worried you will exceed your offered Work-Study award offer, please reach out so we can help you to plan.

While the majority of Work-Study positions are for fall and spring, you can work in only one semester if you choose to do so. Each job posting will state whether it is for the fall, spring, or the full academic year.

Most Carolina Works positions are also for the fall and spring, but some may offer a separate summer work opportunity. Only students who are enrolled during the summer term are allowed to hold summer Work-Study jobs.

If you participate in the Federal Work-Study or Carolina Works program during the fall and/or spring terms and will be enrolled during the summer, you may qualify to participate in the summer Work-Study program. As funding for this program is limited and reliant on donor and employer support, we can not guarantee the program will be offered to all qualifying students each year.

If you qualify for available funding, you will receive a summer Carolina Works award as part of your summer term aid package. If you qualify but do not receive a summer Carolina Works award, you can contact us for reconsideration of funding.

Work-Study positions are normally for the academic year, meaning you work from the time you are hired until the end of the spring term. You can return to the same position in future aid years if you find it to be a good fit and have Work-Study offered to you.

Both students and supervisors have the right to cease employment at any time. If you are unhappy with your position, you are free to leave and search for another job at any point during the academic year after providing notification to your supervisor.

Unlike other forms of financial aid, Work-Study funding is not paid out at the beginning of the semester. Instead, it is disbursed as you work through the Work-Study program. As such, Work-Study awards are not available to pay for initial balances with the university at the beginning of the semester.

If you work on campus, you are paid on Carolina’s SHRA biweekly schedule, meaning you are paid every two weeks. You will set up a direct deposit system for your paycheck during onboarding. Through this, your earnings will be deposited into a bank account of your choice. Because of the logistics of payroll cycle, earnings are usually provided to you two weeks after the end of the payroll cycle during which work was performed.

If you work off campus, you are paid according to the employer’s pay cycle. Usually this will be monthly or biweekly. Under program regulations, you must be paid at least monthly. You will either set up a direct deposit system or a process specific to your employer. This process may include receiving a paper check.

You are considered an hourly employee and will be paid according to how many hours you work during a given pay period. In keeping with program regulations, the hourly wage rate is based on duties and requirements outlined on the job posting. You can see the wage range and estimated number of hours per week for each position when reviewing job postings in JobX.

Work-Study earnings are a form of financial aid and can be used to pay for any college-related expense. This can include charges paid directly to the university as well as expenses related to attending school such as books, food, rent, transportation, medical expenses, or basic living expenses.

Although Work-Study earnings can be used to pay university charges, earnings are paid out over the academic year as you work rather than being paid out in a lump sum at the beginning of the term. These funds are not usually available to assist with initial Cashier’s bills which occur at the beginning of the academic term.

Earnings are not intended to cover expenses unrelated to college. Using Work-Study earnings to cover such items as vacations or gifts would not be in keeping with program guidelines. You are not required to submit documentation regarding how your Work-Study earnings are used.

Work-Study earnings are subject to federal and state taxes just like earnings through any other employer. However, you may be able to reclaim part or all of your taxed income by filing a tax return.