Overview
- Graduate students are limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week of university employment.
- International students on an F-1 Visa are also limited to 20 hours per week but should confirm with their ISSO advisor before beginning employment.
- The Student Employment website is an excellent resource for students interested in working on or off-campus.
COM Assistantships
All assistantship contracts must be submitted to COM Graduate Affairs by 5 pm on the University’s official last day to add a class in the semester in which you will hold this position.
- All graduate students are eligible for assistantships at the College of Communication.
- Faculty at COM are an excellent resource to identify assistantship opportunities. Speak to your professors and others to find faculty who need graduate assistants, teaching assistants, or research assistants for the upcoming semester.
- Steps Required Each Semester For Your Assistantship:
- Complete the Assistantship Contract. Your assistantship advisor and department chair must sign the contract.
- Submit the Assistantship form to Jackie Cummings at jmcummin@bu.edu once your supervisor and department have signed off on the form.
- You must submit a new Assistantship Contract each semester, even if you are continuing in the same role.
Please read the Assistantship Contract in detail before completing a contract. Directions are available on the second page.
Student Payroll Information
Please review the steps below to be added to the Student Payroll if this is your first job at Boston University:
- If this is your first job at Boston University, you will need to complete the Form I9:
- Section 1 of the Form I-9 is completed through the JobX Portal. You will receive instructions for completing the I9 via email once your Assistantship Contract has been processed. This should take less than five minutes to complete. For the second part of the I9, you will need to provide acceptable forms of identification either in person to Nat Taylor in room 110 in the COM Dean’s Office or by secure email to ntaylor@bu.edu. The second part of the I9 can also be completed in person with Jackie Cummings in room 130. Options for acceptable forms are listed in the I-9 which include passport, license, social security card, etc. International Students must show their passport, I20 and 194
- Depending on your position type, you may also be prompted to complete the FERPA form, the Confidentiality form, and the International form through JobX. If this is required, it will be noted in the same email that asks you to complete your I9.
- Complete the Form W-4 after you have been added to the payroll:
- You will also need to complete a W-4 form for tax withholding. This must be done by going to www.bu.edu/buworkscentral and logging in to the employee self-service tab. From there you can select W-4 information and also sign up for direct deposit. You will need to wait to receive your first paycheck before you can access the employee self-service tab. If you have questions or concerns, please email ntaylor@bu.edu.
- You will also need to complete a W-4 form for tax withholding. This must be done by going to www.bu.edu/buworkscentral and logging in to the employee self-service tab. From there you can select W-4 information and also sign up for direct deposit. You will need to wait to receive your first paycheck before you can access the employee self-service tab. If you have questions or concerns, please email ntaylor@bu.edu.
- Set up Direct Deposit:
- Instructions can be found on the Student Employment Office’s website, here: https://www.bu.edu/seo/students/pay/direct-deposit/
- Your first paycheck will automatically be mailed to the mailing address on file. You will be eligible to set up Direct Deposit after you received your first pay statement.
- If you are an international student and have never worked in the United States before, you can begin the process for applying for a social security number. A social security number is not required to get paid for your position, but you should begin the process when you are able to:
- Instructions for applying for a SSN: https://www.bu.edu/isso/employment-internships/social-security-cards/
- Copies of the SSN Certification Form on BU letterhead can be found in the Graduate Affairs Team Offices in COM Room 130, Room 130A, or Room 132.
On-Campus Employment
- Students may also apply for on-campus employment through the JobX Board
- Positions can range from an administrative assistant at the library to a lifeguard at the Fitrec Center.
- Positions are updated regularly. Please contact the Student Employment Office directly at 617-353-3594 or seo@bu.edu with any questions you have about positions posted on JobX.
- International students should review the Employment Guide for International Students before starting a position.
- Information regarding how to sign-up for Direct Deposit is available on the Student Employment page.