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Employment

Need-based employment is designed for out-of-pocket personal expenses. It’s a great way to gain independence and work experience, and get involved on campus.

Hours and payment

Student employment wages begin at NYS minimum wage and increase based on experience and job responsibilities. The expectation is that you will be able to earn about $4,000 during the academic year. This represents about ten or twelve hours a week of work on campus. In general, you should not work more than 20 hours a week during any week in which classes are held, and no more than 40 hours a week at other times, including summer. The University does not replace declined or unearned work eligibility with grant funding. Students can utilize outside scholarships or student/parent loan options to help cover any work eligibility not used.

Because of your academic schedule or extracurricular activities, you may want to replace part or all of your academic year employment expectation with non-need-based borrowing. You may do so within the limits of the loan programs.

Paychecks are issued directly to student employees on a biweekly basis. It is your responsibility to see that your hours of employment are properly recorded on time sheets and that they are submitted to your supervisor for timely approval.

Types of jobs

On-campus employment opportunities include work in the University’s food service, athletics, facilities and services departments, libraries, laboratories, art gallery and studios, and academic and administrative offices. Although about one-third of Rochester undergraduate students are employed on campus during the academic year, the Financial Aid Office and the Student Employment Office cannot guarantee that you will be able to arrange a specific type or amount of work.

Categories of employment

There are two categories of academic year employment:

Federal work-study program (FWS)

A federal program under which students with financial need may be employed either on campus by the College or off campus by a governmental agency or non-profit organization in nonsectarian and nonpartisan activities in the public interest. Wages are paid through a combination of funds from the federal government and the University.

Once you are registered, you can start searching for job opportunities on campus! To search for open positions:

  1. Login to your Blackboard account using your NetID and password
  2. Click Services (across the top banner)
  3. Click Jobs and Internships (across the secondary banner)
  4. Click JobLink

Institutional employment

Work on campus that may be assigned without regard to your financial need and for which the College bears the full cost of compensation. Once you are registered, you can start searching for job opportunities on campus! To search for open positions:

  1. Login to your Blackboard account using your NetID and password
  2. Click Services (across the top banner)
  3. Click Jobs and Internships (across the secondary banner)
  4. Click JobLink
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