Carnegie Mellon University
Office of Human Resources  ›  HR Services  ›  Student Workers  ›  Supporting Student Workers

Supporting Student Workers

Once you've hired a student worker, find the information you need to help you onboard and support your student here.

Looking to hire a student worker? Visit the Career and Professional Development Center for instructions on posting a position and hiring a student.

On this page:

Helpful Links

Need Help? Contact Student Worker Services

  • Email us
  • Phone: 412-268-4600 / Toll-Free: 844-625-4600
  • Hours: Monday – Friday | 8:30 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m. ET

QR Codes Poster

Looking to help students easily navigate to the Student Worker website? Hang up a QR Code poster [pdf]!

Onboarding and the Form I-9

Newly hired student workers are required to complete the Form I-9 and other important tasks as part of the Workday onboarding process, which begins as soon as the student worker is hired by the student transaction initiator.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that student workers complete the Form I-9 within three days of their start date. Student workers who do not complete the Form I-9 within the required timeline are not permitted to work.

Resources for Student Workers

Social Security Number (SSN)

An SSN is required for anyone who works and receives their pay in the U.S. International student workers who do not have an SSN at the time of hire can complete the Form I-9 and start work. However, they must obtain and provide an SSN as soon as possible.

SSN Application Process for International Student Workers (F-1 and J-1):

  1. Complete the Social Security Number Form: F-1 or J-1 Student On-Campus Employment [pdf].
    1. Requires handwritten signature from hiring department/supervisor.
  2. Take the completed form to the Office of International Education.
  3. Apply for an SSN. Students can refer to the Social Security Number Application Instructions [pdf].
  4. Enter their SSN in Workday.

Resources for Student Workers

Approving Time for Hourly Student Workers

Hourly student workers enter time in Workday and are paid on a biweekly basis. Each biweekly pay has an associated time entry deadline, by which hours for the pay period must be entered by the student and then approved by the time approver.

The Student Worker Biweekly Pay Calendar [pdf] outlines biweekly pay periods, time entry deadlines and pay dates.

Resources for Student Workers

Work Hours

Regular Academic Year (Fall and Spring Terms)

  • Domestic students: Up to 37.5 hours per week
  • International students (F-1 and J-1): Limited to 20 hours per week in total for all on-campus employment. 

Summer Term

  • Domestic students: Up to 37.5 hours per week
  • International students (F-1 and J-1) enrolled full-time in summer courses: Limited to 20 hours per week
  • International students (F-1 and J-1) not enrolled full-time for summer, continuing in fall: Up to 37.5 hours per week

Break/Vacation Period

  • Domestic students: Up to 37.5 hours per week
  • International students (F-1 and J-1): Up to 37.5 hours per week if there is at least one full week off.
    • Full time work is permitted during fall, winter, and spring break
      • During winter break, full time work may begin the Sunday after fall grades are due until the last Friday before spring classes start
    • Full time work is not permitted during Thanksgiving break or Spring Carnival. 

Multiple University Jobs

Generally, student workers are permitted to have more than one job within the university at the same time if all jobs are classified as student positions.

Students with multiple paid positions are required to coordinate their work schedules with all supervisors to ensure that the total hours worked across positions complies with work hour requirements.

Compensation

Hourly Student Minimum Wage

Effective November 7, 2022, the hourly minimum wage for CMU students in Pittsburgh is $10.00 per hour.

Federal Work-Study Limits

  • Undergraduate: $13.00/hour
  • Graduate: $17.00/hour

For more information on Federal Work-Study, please visit Student Financial Services.

Pay Rates for Hourly Teaching Assistant Positions — Effective 1/3/2023

This information is applicable to undergraduate and graduate roles that are paid hourly by a hiring department. It is not applicable to Ph.D. or master's students who serve as TA's and RA's as part of their academic program in exchange for stipend.

Graduate

Job Level Teaching Assistant Levels Minimum Rate Responsibilities
Level 3 Graduate TA - Teaching Assistant $17.00 Grading, Student Contact, Office Hours, Recitation, Teaching
Level 2 Graduate TA - Course Assistant $15.00 Grading, Student Contact, Office Hours, Recitation
Level 1 Graduate TA - Grader $13.00 Grading

Undergraduate

Job Level Teaching Assistant Levels Minimum Rate Responsibilities
Level 3 Undergraduate TA - Teaching Assistant $15.00 Grading, Student Contact, Office Hours, Recitation, Teaching
Level 2 Undergraduate TA - Course Assistant $13.00 Grading, Student Contact, Office Hours, Recitation
Level 1 Undergraduate TA - Grader $11.00 Grading

Student Worker Job Profiles and Pay Ranges

Pay Rate Validation for Hourly Student Workers

Documentation validating rate of pay is required for all hourly student worker positions and must be uploaded to Workday at the time the student is assigned a position.

The following documents are acceptable forms of pay rate validation:

Additionally, please note on-campus hourly employment opportunities are available to any student who is enrolled at least half time (18 units) in a degree-granting program at CMU.

To qualify to work during the summer session, the student must be admitted to, or continuing in, a degree-granting program at Carnegie Mellon the following semester.

Transitional Graduate Hiring Process

Upon graduation, a CMU student may be hired to continue to perform academic work (e.g., publication, report or research) that began as a student. Transitional graduate positions are non-renewable, temporary staff positions that may not extend past four months.

Supervisors must initiate the process by following the steps outlined in the Hiring a Recent CMU Grad into a Transitional Graduate Position Guide [pdf] and filling out the Transitional Graduate Hiring Request Form [pdf].

Student Worker Services assists departments by completing the offer letter for the new position and managing the transfer in Workday.

Workday Student Worker Support Roles

Workday is used to manage information related to student hiring, managing time, and pay. Workday roles, which provide users with access to perform specific tasks, are assigned to individuals in a department who support student workers.

Supervisor Role

  • Supervisor: The supervisor oversees a student’s work. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring the student worker completes the Form I-9 within the required timeline.
    • A student worker can only have one Workday supervisor.

Time Entry Roles

  • Time approver: The time approver role ensures a student is tracking hours accurately and approves time in Workday. The time approver is responsible for ensuring that a student’s hours are approved before a time entry deadline.
    • Departments should consider assigning multiple time approvers to student worker supervisory organizations.
    • Supervisors must also be assigned the time approver role if they will be approving a student worker's time.
  • Timekeeper: The timekeeper monitors and manages time and absence for a department. A timekeeper can enter and delete time on behalf of a student worker.
    • A department should have a limited number of individuals assigned to the timekeeper role.
    • A timekeeper cannot be a student worker’s time approver.

Transactional Roles

  • Student Transaction Initiator: The student transaction initiator processes Workday transactions for student workers. The student transaction initiator is responsible for managing student positions, hiring, and updating student worker position and compensation information.
  • Student Approver: The student approver reviews Workday transactions for student workers. The student approver is responsible for ensuring the data entered by the student transaction initiator is correct.

Resources for Roles