Information for Summer Term Pre-College Programs Staff

We are currently seeking responsible and motivated Boston University students (undergraduate and graduate) to work as program assistants for our summer pre-college programs.

If you have any questions, please contact us at summerhs@bu.edu.

• Program Assistant Job Description
• Program Assistant Application*

*In order to access the application, you must be signed into a Google account.

The priority application deadline is Friday, February 13th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after this date.

Program Assistant Job Description

As a program assistant, you will live on the same floor as your students in a BU residence hall. You will be responsible for mentoring and guiding students, leading activities, and ensuring that students are safe and comply with the program rules and guidelines. This is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills, be a mentor to high school students, plan and implement social programming, and build effective working relationships as you enjoy a fun and rewarding summer.

This is a part-time position (30 hours/week); however, the actual time worked will vary from week to week.

Compensation includes a weekly salary ($450), dining plan (19 meals/week), and an air-conditioned private room in a BU residence hall for the duration of your summer employment.

PAs may have an additional part-time work commitment if their hours are approved by the Summer Term office. The PA role must be your first priority for the duration of your employment.

Eligibility for the PA position requires that an individual be a current BU student (undergraduate and graduate students are eligible). Students graduating in Spring 2026 will be considered with permission from the Summer Term office. Applicants must be in good academic standing.

Program Assistant Job Tasks:

• Coordinate program check-in and help students move out.
• Educate participants on program rules and reinforce their compliance.
• Plan and implement social programming activities for participants.
• Chaperone and participate in scheduled afternoon, evening, and weekend activities.
• Be on call to provide support for student issues and emergencies.
• Lead student floor meetings and nightly curfew checks.
• Serve as a resource and guide for program participants’ questions and needs.
• Attend scheduled weekly staff meetings.
• Perform administrative and office duties as needed.

 

We are currently seeking responsible and motivated Boston University graduate students to work as student life coordinators for our summer pre-college programs.

The priority application deadline is Friday, February 13th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after this date.

To apply for the position, please send a cover letter and resume to summerhs@bu.edu, describing your student life experience and interest in the position.

Student Life Coordinator Job Description

The BU Summer Term Pre-College Programs office is currently accepting applications for student life coordinators to oversee the residential component of four pre-college programs. The position runs from June 1 to August 8, 2026.

Ideal candidates will be BU graduate students with residential life experience and experience working with high school students. Recent graduates of a BU graduate program will be considered with permission from the Summer Term office. Applicants must be in good academic standing.

Time commitment:
This is a part-time position (30 hours/week) primarily on nights and weekends; however, the actual time worked will vary from week to week. The position must be the SLCs’ primary time commitment. The SLCs are expected to live in the assigned BU residence hall from June 7 to August 8, 2026.

Responsibilities:
The SLC’s goal is to ensure our students’ well-being and safety. Responsibilities include being the point person for student issues that arise in the evenings and on weekends; helping to organize and run program assistant training; attending staff meetings, program check-ins, and student orientations; and participating in various activities over the summer.

1. Being the primary contact person for issues that arise in the evening and on weekends means:

a. Serving as a resource for PAs dealing with issues in the dorm during the evenings and weekends.
b. Assisting with student disciplinary problems (i.e., alcohol, drugs, curfew, and other policy violations).
c. Communicating with University resources, senior program staff, and parents in the event of an emergency.

2. Other responsibilities include:

a. Facilitating residential policy training for program assistants (June 8-June 12, 2026 and June 22-June 26, 2026).
b. Attending four one-hour student orientations.
c. Attending 10-12 program activities over the summer.
d. Attending three staff meetings per week.
e. Attending four program check-ins over the summer (June 15, June 28, July 5, July 19).

Compensation:
Weekly salary ($500), dining plan (19 meals/week), and an air-conditioned private room in a BU residence hall from June 7 to August 8, 2026.

If you’re interested in the position and would like more information, please contact the Summer Term High School Programs office at summerhs@bu.edu or 617-353-1378.

To apply for the position, please send a cover letter and resume to summerhs@bu.edu, describing your student life experience and interest in the position.

 

Below you will find a collection of common questions we receive about our residential roles. If you have a question about something that is not mentioned here, please reach out to us at summerhs@bu.edu or 617-353-1378.

Eligibility and Hiring Process

I am an undergraduate student. Can I apply for the SLC role?
No, undergraduate students are not eligible to apply for the SLC role. You must be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at BU.
If you are a graduating senior and have residence life experience, you may be considered for the SLC role. Please reach out to the office (summerhs@bu.edu) if this applies to you.

I am graduating in Spring 2026. Am I eligible to apply for the SLC or PA position?
Yes! Students graduating in Spring 2026 will be considered with permission from the Summer Term office.

I am an international student. Am I eligible for these roles?
Yes! We love having international students on our residential staff team. Please consult the Student Employment Office guide for international students and reach out to them with any questions.

There are a few specific reminders we like to give international students:

• A Social Security number is required for this position. Please consult this guide for more information.
• International students here on a student visa may work full-time (40 hrs) during vacation periods: winter intersession, spring break, and summer recess. Residential staff positions are 30 hrs/week. Please keep this in mind if you have any other campus employment.
• We recommend consulting this guide on tax information for international students.
• If you will no longer be on a student visa at the time of employment, we cannot hire you until you have (in hand) the proper documentation authorizing you to work in the United States.

I am currently studying abroad. Can I still apply?
Yes! Please note this in your application since we need to account for this during the interview process.

What does the interview process for the PA role entail?
Once you submit a complete application and we receive at least one letter of recommendation, your materials are reviewed by our team. If you are invited to interview, there are two stages:

The first round is a group interview that lasts approximately 1 hour and takes place at the Summer Term office at 200 Riverway (Fenway campus).

The second round is a 30-minute video or phone interview where you meet with the hiring manager one-on-one.

Do I get to pick which Program Assistant team I am placed on?
It depends! We try to give our applicants as much choice as possible during the hiring process. Discussing a candidate’s interest in working with specific student populations/programs or working certain dates is a part of the second round interview.

What are the benefits of applying by the priority deadline?
Applying by the priority deadline ensures your application is reviewed with the first round of candidates and that you are invited to the first round of interviews. Since our process is rolling, we prioritize decisions for all individuals who apply by the priority deadline. While not guaranteed, nearly all applicants who apply by the priority deadline are placed on their preferred team.

This year, the priority deadline is Friday, February 13th, 2026.

When do you stop accepting applications?
We stop accepting applications when all positions are filled. Hiring is done on a rolling basis after the priority deadline.

Compensation and Accommodations

Where will I be housed?
Most recently, all participants and staff were housed on West Campus in Sleeper and Rich. We expect to be placed in West Campus again in summer 2026.

Residential staff are given their own room. It may be a single or a double room.

Is there air conditioning?
Yes! We are pleased to announce that this summer, all staff and participants will be housed in air-conditioned rooms.

Will I receive a meal plan?
Yes, all residential staff (PAs and SLCs) receive 19 meals/week.

On the Job

How many hours per week is the Program Assistant position?
On average, the position is 30 hours per week. Depending on your specific schedule in any given week (assigned activities, on-call days, etc) the hours may be more or less.

When is training?
Student Life Coordinators are in training from June 1 to June 5, they also join both of the PA training weeks noted below.

Program Assistant training is in person the week before participants arrive. The Summer Challenge PA team training is from June 8 to June 12. The Honors, RISE, and AIM PA team training is from June 22 to June 26. The final training week schedule is sent to the team in May, but we typically meet from 9am to 5pm each day that week. You are paid for the training week.

What does a typical week in the Program Assistant role look like?
This is a hard question to answer since every week looks a little different! PAs perform curfew checks every night at 11pm or midnight and we have a weekly team meeting, which typically occurs on Fridays.

During training week, we assign the staffing of program activities and the on-call schedule for the entire summer.

Additionally, all PAs must attend large-scale/program-wide events, which occur several times during the program (typically after 4pm on weekdays or during the weekend).

How many program participants will I be assigned to work with?
We aim for a maximum ratio of 1:15 (Program Assistant:participant), but oftentimes you will have fewer participants assigned to you.

Can I take a summer class or have another part-time job over the summer?
Yes. However, this needs to be approved by the Summer Term office to ensure there are no conflicts. The PA or SLC role must be your top priority in the summer.