Hired Student Employees

We are excited to be working with you this coming semester! This page contains instructions for completing your employment paperwork (as well as some helpful tips for the W-4 and I-9) and how to keep your time (as an OA or TA). Please be sure to make note of the IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND MEETINGS. If you have any questions, please contact BULA staff.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND MEETINGS

Please note the employment paperwork process is different for international and non-international students, and follow the section that applies to you, below.

NON-INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Please complete and bring to Check-In the paperwork detailed below. YOU MUST BRING ALL THE ORIGINALS OF YOUR ID’S with you to Los Angeles. Prior to completing your paperwork, please read the directions and tips below.

PAPERWORK NEEDED TO BE SUBMITTED:

  1. 2015.W-4: Please sign and return ONLY page one. Don’t forget to use the allowances worksheet to determine what (if any) withholding you will enter in box #5. If you claim “Exempt” in line 7, you MUST leave line 5 completely blank (no numbers, including even a “0”).
  2. FERPA: Please sign and return this sheet.
  3. I-9: Please read the instructions below on who needs to return this sheet and how to do it:
    1. WHAT YOU NEED TO RETURN: Please print out Section 1 and 2, complete and sign Section 1 of page seven. BULA will complete section 2 on the next page.
    2. DOCUMENTATION (ID) THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED: We will need for you to scan and send copies of the front and back of your ID documentation so we can complete section 2 of the I-9. Please send front and back scans of the following documents in either group:
      1. OPTION 1:
        1. Your valid (non-expired) US passport
      2. OPTION 2:
        1. Your valid (non-expired) driver’s license and birth certificate
        2. Your valid (non-expired) driver’s license and social security card

AFTER PAPERWORK IS SUBMITTED AND ACCEPTED:

  1. DIRECT DEPOSIT:
  • Every BULA Student Employee must sign up for Direct Deposit as soon as possible. You may sign up for Direct Deposit after you have turned in your W-4 and New Hire Paperwork to our office and you are notified that you have been entered into the “BUworks” system. Once you receive this email notification from BU, log into BUWorks at to: http://www.bu.edu/buworks/. (*Please only use a Firefox web browser to access BUWorks to avoid technical issues.)
  • Click on the green button “Launch BUworks Central,” then login with your BU login name and Kerberos password. When you enter the Buworks Central Portal, click on the “Employee Self-Service” tab, then the “Benefits and Pay” button, then the “Direct Deposit” link. Here you will enter your bank routing number and account information to set up your direct deposit. Also, to change your tax deductions on your W-4, follow the instructions above to “Benefits and Pay,” then click on “W-4 Tax Withholding.”
  • If you experience any issues with setting up direct deposit, take a screen shot of the error message and send it to BU Tech Support at: ithelp@bu.edu. This will likely resolve your problem if it is a tech issue. If not, please contact the Student Employment Office at: stupayro@bu.edu for assistance.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The process is slightly different for International Students. Please complete the steps below. You will need to obtain work authorization from ISSO. You will also need to obtain a social security number if you do not already have one. The I-9 needs to be completed by ISSO. The W-4 and the FERPA needed to be given to your supervisor (a member of the BULA staff). If you have a social security number, you can complete the W-4 and FERPA and email them your supervisor. If you do NOT have a social security number then you will complete these forms in LA.

PAPERWORK NEEDED TO BE SUBMITTED:

  1. Let the Program Specialist know if you need to obtain a social security number ASAP.
  2. I-9: Before you leave Boston, please visit ISSO to complete an I-9 and obtain on-campus work authorization. You will need to bring the following information/documentation with you to ISSO The date of the very first time you entered the US as an F-1 visa student:
    1. Pages one and three of your Form I-20
    2. Passport data page (one with photo, passport number, date of expiration) which is usually one page
    3. I-94 card – front and back
    4. F-1 visa stamp
  3. If you need a social security number: 
    1. Let your supervisor know that you do not have an SSN as soon as you are hired. You will need to complete this process after you arrive in Los Angeles and once you receive your CPT Authorization Letter and new 1-20 for your internship in the mail from the ISSO (usually shortly after arriving). You will receive instructions on how to apply and what documents to take with you from your supervisor.
  4. If you already HAVE a social security number: Please also complete the following forms:
    1. 2015.W-4: Please sign and return ONLY page one. Don’t forget to use the allowances worksheet to determine what (if any) withholding you will enter in box #5. If you claim “Exempt” in line 7, you MUST leave line 5 completely blank (no numbers, including even a “0”). See additional tips below.
    2. FERPA: Please sign and return.

    AFTER YOUR PAPERWORK IS SUBMITTED AND ACCEPTED:

    1. DIRECT DEPOSIT:
      • Every BULA Student Employee must sign up for Direct Deposit as soon as possible. You may sign up for Direct Deposit after you have turned in your W-4 and New Hire Paperwork to our office and you are notified that you have been entered into the “BUworks” system. Once you receive this email notification from BU, log into BUWorks at to: http://www.bu.edu/buworks/. (*Please only use a Firefox web browser to access BUWorks to avoid technical issues.)
      • Click on the green button “Launch BUworks Central,” then login with your BU login name and Kerberos password. When you enter the Buworks Central Portal, click on the “Employee Self-Service” tab, then the “Benefits and Pay” button, then the “Direct Deposit” link. Here you will enter your bank routing number and account information to set up your direct deposit. Also, to change your tax deductions on your W-4, follow the instructions above to “Benefits and Pay,” then click on “W-4 Tax Withholding.”
      • If you experience any issues with setting up direct deposit, take a screen shot of the error message and send it to BU Tech Support at: ithelp@bu.edu. This will likely resolve your problem if it is a tech issue. If not, please contact the Student Employment Office at: stupayro@bu.edu for assistance.

    TIPS FOR FILLING OUT YOUR FORMS:

    Employment forms can be confusing, but a careful reading of them will help dispel any mystery. Take the time to learn how to do them correctly and save yourself stress down the road. Ask your parents or another trusted adult for help if you have any difficulty. While we can’t tell you what to put in each line,we can tell you some of the common ways students may complete the forms. Please see the following bullets:

    • In general, when completing employment forms, do not write anything in a field unless you have specific information (ex. Instead of writing “0” (zero) in a field, leave it blank.)
    • The IRS does not like to see scribbles or white-out. Take your time, and if you make a mistake, print the form again and start over.

    The W-4:

    • For the W-4, all that BU in LA needs is page 1. It is highly unlikely that you will need to do anything with page 2 at this point in your career.
    • For the W-4, the top portion of page 1 (Personal Allowances Worksheet) is to help you determine what number you need to enter in line 5 at the bottom.
    • For the W-4, most students will wind up entering a 1 or a 2 in line 5. If you come up with a different number, ask for some advice.
    • For the W-4, most students leave line 6 blank.
    • For the W-4, some students also claim “Exempt” in line 7. If you are not sure, leave it blank or ask a parent. It is better to have the IRS take the money out and then get it back at tax time then to wind up owing them a couple hundred dollars.
    • For the W-4, if you claim “Exempt” in line 7, you MUST leave line 5 completely blank (no numbers, including even a “0”).

    The I-9:

    • For the I-9, we only need page 4 to be returned. Pages 1-3 are instructions/additional information. Please complete Section 1 of page 4. We will complete Section 2.
    • For the I-9, page 5 has a list of the appropriate documents you can provide me so that I can complete the form.
    • For the I-9, We only need you to present ONE of the items in column A on page 5. A passport is most common. If you do not have a valid passport or one of the other items in column A, then I need one of the items from column B AND one of the items from column C. This part trips people up. Read it again. Ask someone if you have a question.
    • For the I-9, please also email me a scan of your documentation from column A, or B and C so I can complete the employer section of the I-9.

    TIMEKEEPING

    The work week is Monday to Sunday. You will enter your time electronically on a weekly basis, BY 11:59PM ON THURSDAY OF EACH WEEK. If you know you need to work on a weekend, please estimate your hours and notify your supervisor. Please note that if we do not received your hours by end of Thursday, your payment may not be processed for the work week and may be delayed by one week.

    Follow these steps to enter your time:
    1)      Log on to http://www.bu.edu/studentlink (*Please only use a Firefox web browser to access Student Link to avoid technical issues.*)
    2)      Select the “Work” tab.
    3)      Select the “Employee Time Entry” Option.
    4)      The your Job Title with BULA should appear, with all the info to input your work hours.
    5)      Enter your hours.
    6)      Select “Save” to save and come back later to edit. Note that if you do this, DOES NOT release the hours for supervisor approval
    7)      When you are done, select “Submit” to release your hours for supervisor approval. No more edits can be made.

    Your time will be reviewed and approved by our office and you will be paid the Friday of the following week that you worked.

    IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES: Take a screen shot of the error message or issue and send it to BU Tech Support at: ithelp@bu.edu. This will likely resolve your problem if it is a tech issue. If this does not work it may be a problem with your account. Please email the screen shot and a brief, but complete description of the problem to your supervisor IMMEDIATELY.