• Work-Study is a federal and state funded work program with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Education. At UTA, federal and state funding covers 75% of the student’s wages, and the remaining 25% is covered by the department.
• The Office of Financial Aid determines whether or not a student is eligible and how much work-study funding an eligible student receives. Neither Student Employment nor the Career Development Center plays any role in the decision about who gets what amount of a work-study award. Please note, a student must show a financial need in order to be eligible for a work-study award.
• Calculating Award Amount: Students are not authorized to earn more than their allotted work-study award amount during a given school year. Therefore, it is important for students and employers to work together to monitor a student employee's hours.
  • Divide the total award/how many weeks are in the semester
  • Then divide that number by the hourly wage
    • Ex: $2000 (total award)/16 (weeks in the semester) = $125 per week
    • $125/8 (hourly rate) = 15.5 hours per week 
    • Department would pay $500 and work-study award would pay $1500. 
    • $125/8 (hourly rate) = 15.5 hours per week

Post your job using Handshake.

Complete the fields on basics, details, preferences, and preview screens with as much detail as possible to find students who are qualified and interested in the position. View our job description template.

Learn how to duplicate a job posting here.

1. Login or Create your profile on Handshake
   • Login to your employer Handshake account at uta.joinhandshake.com with your full UTA email address. Check out our login guide.
2. Post your job using Handshake.
   • Complete the fields on Basics, Details, Preferences, and Preview screens with as much detail as possible to find students who are qualified and interested in the position. View our job description template.
   • Learn how to duplicate a job posting here.
3. Review your applicants using Handshake.
   • When you are ready to review applicants for a position, click "Jobs" on your Handshake home screen. Then click the title of the job you want to review. Click "Review Application" to see materials for students who applied for the position. 
4. Schedule interviews with your candidates.
   • After reviewing your applications, set up interviews with candidates. Unsure what to ask? Here is a list of pre-approved interview questions. Need interview space? Interview rooms are available in the Career Development Center.
5. Make an offer, pending a background check.
   • We have a sample offer letter template for student employee positions. Don't forget to discuss starting pay, start dates, background checks, dress codes (if any) and any other pertinent information! 
6. Do the required paperwork.
   • E-forms & TCE
   • Don't forget to fill out all the required paperwork. A background check must be done for every offer. An e-form must be submitted for all new assignments. Collect and submit any work-study forms from work-study eligible students (available in MyMav 10 days before class starts). New employees must attend a paperwork session within 3 days of employment! 
7. Welcome your new employee.
   • Onboarding and Training.
   • You hired someone - make sure they have everything the need to succeed in their new job. Check out our resources under Supervisor/Training Resources, for sample onboarding and student employee manuals to help you get started.
   • Performance reviews are strongly encouraged for supervisors as they have been shown to aid in the growth and the development of your student employees. We recommend conducting them each semester. To make it easier for you, we have provided an evaluation sheet that is based on the same characteristics as the Student Employee of the Year.

In order to make the process of hiring a student employee as easy and laid out as possible, we created a step-by-step guide to ensure your department checks all the boxes necessary.

Student Employment Process Step-by-Step Guide

Student Employment Faculty & Staff Workshops

• The Student Employment Team hosts several workshops throughout the semester to help you and your student employees succeed!

• Workshop announcements will be in our monthly Student Employment newsletter and dispatch. If you are student supervisor and have not received our Student Employment newsletter, please contact us at studentemployment@uta.edu.

Job Description 

• Ensure that your student position job description is an accurate reflection of the job you are hiring for. We have provided a template outlining the required fields to help you create or update your student job for Handshake.
  • Sample Job Description
  • More about Handshake 

Interviewing Students 

• Whether it’s your first time hiring a student worker, or you would like to update the questions you ask the Career Development Center is here to help. We have created a resource that lays out a variety of interview questions based on question type. We also have a resource to help with making reference checks as well.
  • Interview Questions
  • Reference Check Questions

Offer Letter 

• It’s important that when offering a student, a job position it comes with an offer letter detailing such items such as: start date, hourly pay, hours per week/schedule, length of job. See our standard offer letter template that you can customize for each position you have.
  • Sample Offer Letter

Onboarding Checklist

• Onboarding your new student employee ensures they have a successful start with their new position and as part of your team. We have created a checklist as a guide to successfully on-board and train your new student employee. You can adjust as needed depending on the requirements for your department.
  • Onboarding Checklist for Student Employees

Student Employee Manual

• A student employee manual can help when onboarding your new employee. It can also help establish and enforce rules and procedures for your student employees. While it may seem daunting to create at first, it doesn’t have to be. Our sample manual will help get you started.
  • Student Employee Manual

Remote Work Resources

• Is your student employee working remotely? Check out our remote work ideas and tips for your remote student employee:
  • Remote Work Ideas for Student Employees
  • 8 Tips for Student Employees Working Remotely

Performance Reviews

• The performance evaluation is an integral part of every employment position. When thoughtful time is invested in the process, performance reviews serves as the foundation that allows managers and employees to discuss student employees’ contributions toward the achievement of departmental and University goals and objectives, clarify job expectations, ask for feedback, make suggestions, and possibly reward a student for exceeding expectations. While not mandatory, the time spent in discussion with the employee about his/her performance signals to your employee that you are personally invested in his/her development. The links below include two examples of different types of student employee performance reviews, including student employee self evaluations.
  • Student Employee Performance Review - Example 1
  • Student Employee Performance Review - Example 2
  • Student Employee Self Evaluation

Confidentiality Agreement

• If you have students that will have access to confidential information, it’s important that they are aware this information cannot be shared outside of work. This confidentiality agreement has been approved by legal for use in your departments with students.
  • Student Employee Confidentiality Agreement

Students make up an important and valuable part of the workforce at the University of Texas at Arlington.

To celebrate their vital contribution, the National Student Employment Association (NSEA) designates the second week of April each year for universities and colleges across the country to recognize the substantial contributions of students who work on campus. 

Here at UTA over 3,500 students are employed by the university, playing a key role in our educational, research, and operational excellence. Student employees perform invaluable services with enthusiasm, dedication, and initiative. At the same time, they develop important skills and experience. 

All schools, colleges, and departments in the university are encouraged to take the opportunity during National Student Employee Appreciation Week and throughout the year to thank their student employees and let them know that their efforts are valued. On this page you’ll find some suggestions for ways to let your student employees know how much their work is appreciated. For our current situation, they are all virtual friendly! Acknowledging the contribution made by your student employees encourages them and motivates them to do their best for the university. 

Below you will find some suggestions to let your student employees know how much their work is appreciated. Acknowledging the contributions made by your student employees encourages them and motivates them to do their best for the university!

1. Encourage your student to attend our upcoming Student Employee Appreciation Event - On Tuesday, April 16^th, join the Career Development Center at Brazos Park in recognizing student employees across UTA. Free pizza, yard games, and more!
2. Send a card (virtual or physical) - This is one of the easiest ways to celebrate your student! Create an individual one or a group card for your office to sign. You can use this free website to send virtual cards to your student.
3. Post on social media boasting of the terrific work your student employee has done - Share your student worker’s accomplishments on social media! Let everyone know what you’re proud of your student accomplishing. Tag us on social media using @hireamav with the hashtag #studentemployee! 
4. Have their favorite food delivered to them and/or available in the office - Not only can this help a small business, but you can surprise your student with breakfast, lunch or a treat!
5. Have your staff take pictures with signs saying thank you - Make a video or card using your staff! Take a picture or video holding a sign that shows your appreciation for your student employees. Free website to edit pictures or videos.
6. Send them e-books or book - Does your student like to read for pleasure? Professional development? Whatever it may be, if they like to read think about sending them a book or e-book! Click here for how-to on sending e-books via Amazon. 
7. Use your screens - Post a thank you message like the one below on any TV screens or monitors in your lobbies or shared spaces. We created some  images for you with student employees who work throughout the university if you would like to use them! Click here to access the TV and monitor images.

Whichever way you choose to celebrate, don't let this week go by without recognizing all your student employees do for you and your department!

*Please note that gifts and awards to students based on their role as employees are subject to the rules stated in the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

Spring 2024 Student Employee of the Year Celebration

Each year, UTA recognizes outstanding student employees and awards a scholarship to ‘Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year’, ‘Graduate Student Employee of the Year’, and ‘Distinguished Student Employee of the Year’. Scholarship winners, as well as all student nominees, will be honored for their outstanding work at the Student Employee of the Year program on Tuesday, April 16^th, 2024 at Brazos Park from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM.

Supervisors can nominate their student employee, and a committee will review the nominations and select the winners based on these factors: Communication, Digital Technology, Problem Solving, Professionalism/Work Ethic, Intercultural Fluency, Career Management, Leadership, and Teamwork. 

Types of Student Positions

Student Employment covers a range of positions. Per UTA policy, student employment refers to:

1. Tutor – job code: 10064
2. Student Assistant – job code: 10076
3. Student Associate – job code: 10077
4. Work Study Student Assistant – job code: 10074
5. Work Study Student Associate – job code: 10075
6. High School Student Assistant – job code: 10078
7. Non-Affiliated Student Worker – job code: 10079

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) and Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) positions are not considered student employees and are handled on a department level. However, some departments may still choose to post these positions in Handshake. 

What Types of Work Do Student Employees Do?

Student employees perform general office tasks including greeting drop-in clients, answering phones, checking voicemail, responding to emails, explaining the function and resources of the office and assisting staff members as needed. They monitor compliance with University policies, such as entering facilities, using or checking out resources and notifying the appropriate staff member about instances of noncompliance.  Many students perform basic IT functions, social media assistance, research, and much more.

Student Work Hours and Schedules

How Many Hours Per Week Can A Student Work?

It is recommended that student employees work no more than 19 hours, on average, per week so that they can focus on their academic studies and so that more students can take advantage of the limited available student work opportunities. Students should only work outside of scheduled class time. Remember, student employees are students first. International students authorized to work under a visa must follow the regulations regarding hours worked set forth by their visa. Contact the Office of International Education for more details. 

Setting Your Student’s Work Schedule

The student’s schedule is jointly determined by you and the student, A typical schedule for a first-year student is about eight (8) hours per week. Remember: student employees are students first. Students are not permitted to work during scheduled class hours. Supervisors should be flexible with working hours during exam preparation periods, institutional holidays, extended breaks (winter break, spring break), and unexpected school closures. Students’ availability may change from semester to semester as their class schedule changes, so be sure to ask your student employee about scheduling changes before a new semester starts.

Work-Study Students’ Working Limits

Remember: student employees are students first. Per UTA policy, work-study students are not allowed to work more than 19 hours per week during the school year. Students are not permitted to work during scheduled class hours. Learn how to calculate the award under "Work-Study Explained."

International Students’ Working Limits

International students studying at UTA on F-1 or J-1 visas are strictly limited to working 20 hours per week during the school year. Contact the Office of International Education for more details.

Location: The Career Development Center is in the E.H. Hereford University Center.
300 W. First Street, Suite 180S, Arlington, TX 76019
Phone: 817-272-2932, Fax: 817-272-0268
Phone & Email: Call us between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday at or email us at studentemployment@uta.edu

Equal Opportunity 

It is the policy of The University of Texas at Arlington to provide an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits unlawful discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, and/or veteran status. The University also prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. Retaliation against persons who oppose a discriminatory practice, file a charge of discrimination, or testify for, assist in, or participate in an investigative proceeding relating to discrimination is prohibited. Constitutionally protected expression will not be considered discrimination or harassment under this policy. It is the responsibility of all departments, employees, and students to ensure the University's compliance with this policy. 

For all UTA employment policies, please visit this UTA Policies, Procedures and Forms.