Getting Paid
Friday is pay day! Students will receive an email from Payroll stating that they have a pay statement available, whether the check is in physical form or direct deposited.
Student employees receive their first payment for the position on the Friday of the second week of work, provided all required paperwork has been completed by the employing department by the weekly deadline. If you have multiple jobs at Boston University, your earnings from all your jobs will be combined into one payment for each payroll period.
| Weekly Salaried students receive a set amount of money each week.
No time entry is required. |
Hourly-paid students receive payment based on the number of hours worked each week.
Time entry is required for hourly paid students through Student Link.
November and December 2022 Time Entry Deadlines |
Direct deposit is the preferred method of payment for all student employees, as it reduces paper waste and leaves no room for error. Prior to being set up for direct deposit, student employees will have their pay generated as physical paper checks and mailed to them through USPS. To learn more about physical paychecks, check our Paycheck Information and Procedures.
BUWorks Central Portal is the site for all pay/salary statements, taxes, and tax documents. Learn more about Setting up Direct Deposit and How to Read Your Salary Statement.
Student Employment and Payroll staff are not professionally cleared to give tax advice. All students are encouraged to meet with a tax professional or consult their parents/guardians regarding their tax withholdings and tax filing. Tax Information and Procedures can assist in giving students basic information regarding taxes on income from on-campus employment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What earnings are taxable?
All income as a direct exchange with or compensation for services rendered is taxable. This includes Work-Study earnings. Non-service stipends are payments provided to support students, not intended as compensation for services rendered, and are not taxed.
What is a “bulk payment”?
This consists of multiple weeks of payments combined into one check. There are many reasons why students could receive a bulk payment. Feel free to contact Student Employment to learn more about your specific situation.
What is the increase in taxes when receiving a “bulk payment”?
Each time you are paid, in accordance with tax regulations, your earnings are projected across a 52 week period to project what your earnings would be for a year. That total is then used to determine where your income would fall into the overall tax table to determine the rate at which you should be taxed. Since your earnings in the week’s pay was greater than the amount you received previously, your earnings projected into a higher tax bracket which means a higher percentage of tax was withheld.
When students file their taxes the next calendar year, it is possible to receive a portion of these earnings back.
What is the extra money on my paycheck in the month of October?
If you were not promoted, it is likely your FICA rebate kicking in from the summer.
FICA rebates for students who worked over the summer and met the enrollment standards to qualify for the FICA exemption will be in checks as of Oct. 1. Students can tell that they have a rebate by looking at their salary statement and they will see in the tax column Social Security and Medicare deductions with a minus sign in front of them.
Otherwise, if you made no changes in your federal or state tax withholding certificates, we recommend checking with your supervisor to see if the amount or hourly rate you are being paid changed.