Welcome to the new Student Employment Office website

What is Work-Study?

Work-study is a form of financial aid that provides part-time employment opportunities for students with demonstrated financial need (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA).

Federal and state work-study funding supports most students’ wages earned in work-study jobs. This allows and encourages hiring departments on and off-campus to employ eligible students while saving department costs.

How do students determine eligibility?

Admitted students who are offered work-study will be notified during the admit cycle. All students offered work-study will see their eligibility listed on their financial aid notice, which is available in mid-July on the My Finances site. 

If a student is not initially offered work-study but wants to be considered for it, they can submit an eligibility review request through askSFS. The Student Financial Services (SFS) team will review the request to see if work-study can be offered. 

What are the requirements when using Work-Study?

To be eligible, students must: 

1. Be enrolled in at least six credit hours during the semester of employment. 
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. 
3. Work schedules should not interfere with classes. 
4. Limit work to 20 hours per week during the semester. 

It is possible to work multiple work-study jobs during the academic year, but the combined hours should not exceed the weekly limit set by your financial aid award. (20 hours a week) Students should communicate with their supervisor to manage their schedules effectively. 

Frequently asked questions about Work-Study

Fall/Spring

Admitted students offered work-study will be notified during the admit cycle, and eligibility will be posted on their financial aid notice, available on the My Finances site in mid-July. Student Financial Services (SFS) will send an email in mid-August to all eligible students with instructions on finding employment and using work-study funds.

If a student is not offered work-study but wants to be considered for it, they should submit an eligibility review request through askSFS. SFS will review all requests and determine if work-study can be offered. 

Work-study is available only during the fall and spring semesters while students are enrolled in classes, from the first day of class to the last day of exams.

Summer/Winter

Work-study is not offered automatically for the summer and winter sessions. Whether enrolled or not, students should submit an eligibility review request, via askSFS. The expected response time is within 10 business days.

Work-study funding is limited, and the amount offered depends on the overall allocation and how many students request work-study for the summer or winter sessions. 

For Students Enrolled in Summer/Winter Courses:

• Each summer or winter session is treated as its own term for work-study purposes, and eligibility is determined based on that specific session. 
• If a student drops their summer courses, their work-study award will be applied to the fall semester instead. Dropping winter courses will reduce the remaining work-study eligibility for that academic year. 

For Students Not Enrolled in Summer/Winter Courses:

• If a student is not enrolled but wishes to use work-study during the summer or winter, the funds awarded will count toward their fall semester eligibility. 
• For non-enrolled summer work: Using fall work-study eligibility during the summer will reduce the amount available for the fall semester. 
• For non-enrolled winter work: Any work-study used in winter will reduce work-study eligibility for the rest of the academic year.

Step 1: Explore and Apply for Jobs

Browse available job opportunities on the Student Jobs Page. Apply to any positions that align with your interests or qualifications.

• If the position is work-study funded, your eligibility will be verified after you submit your application. You can check your status by logging into UDSIS under the "My Finances" tab.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need to return to or complete an application, simply login to your My Dashboard from the Student Jobs page (located in the top right corner.)

Step 2: Application Status and Hiring Timeline

After submitting your application, you'll receive a confirmation email. Hiring managers typically review applications within 1-3 weeks, or soon after the job posting closes. Be sure to review the job description for details on the start date and the timeline for application reviews.

• Keep in mind that many other students may be applying for the positions you're interested in. If you're not selected, please don’t be discouraged; continue to check for additional opportunities.
• If you would like to check on your application status or learn more about why you may not be moving forward, please contact the Student Employment Office.

Step 3: Interview Process

If selected for an interview, you will receive a communication from the hiring manager. They will outline the interview process, including the format and scheduling details.

• Reminder: Be sure to respond promptly to interview requests, as hiring managers may proceed with other candidates if communication is delayed.
• Follow up with the hiring manager directly with any questions about the role or your status once interviewed.

Step 4: Job Offer and Onboarding

If offered the position, carefully follow all instructions provided by the Student Employment Office, your hiring manager, and your department's HR representative to complete the onboarding process.

• Reminder: Completing the onboarding steps is essential to ensure you are ready to begin working on your start date.

The hiring department will work with newly hired students to complete onboarding. The onboarding process is outlined below.

Step 1: Criminal Background Check (CBC)

• All UD employees must complete a CBC.

• Background checks are initiated via an email from Sterling with the subject line “Background Screening Instructions.” This should be completed upon receiving the email.

Step 2: I-9 Documentation

• Once the criminal background check is complete, an email from Sterling with the subject line “Action Required - Your Form I-9 from HR at Sterling Talent Solutions” after receiving the email, start the online I-9 form.

• The documents used to complete part one of the I-9 will be needed to complete part two during the onboarding appointment. These should be original and unexpired government issued documents.

• List of Acceptable I-9 Documents

Step 3: Onboarding Webforms (These are housed in the onboarding portal)

• Employee Demographic Data

• Bayh Dole Agreement

• W4

• Direct Deposit

  • All UD employees are compensated via direct deposit.
  • The form should include the full account and routing number for the deposit with a support document that also displays the full account and routing number. (Screenshots / Photos from banking websites, apps are accepted)

Student employees are paid bi-weekly, unless otherwise noted. Students should log their hours online using UD Workforce. Supervisors will approve the timesheets in UD Workforce ahead of each scheduled pay date. 

UD Workforce-Roles and Training

Payroll Calendar

Questions regarding pay should be addressed to the student's supervisor and/or Payroll, PR-Staff@udel.edu