This page contains information for departments with work study student employees. Use the Table of Contents button on the right-hand side of the page to jump to a topic. Contact the University Work Study Administrator using the contact information on the Work Study page after reviewing this page.
Work Study Assignments
Departments are responsible for initiating HRMS eDocs for work study assignments. It is imperative that the correct type of work study assignment is created. Please refer to the Work Study Chart for a list of descriptions, object codes, and earn codes associated with each type of work study assignment.
If you need to make a change to work study assignment, you must use an HRMS eDoc. Changes include pay rate changes, extending work study appointments, as well as terminating appointments. For more information about using eDocs with work study appointments, please review the Work Study eDoc instructions.
Tracking Student Earnings
It is the responsibility of the department to make sure that the student does not exceed his or her limit of earnings during his or her work study appointment. To accomplish this, use the IUIE report Work Study Limit of Earnings to monitor the student’s remaining work study limit amount. Review the Work Study Limit IUIE report instructions for a step-by-step guide to running this report.
Additional Information for Departments
Limit of Earnings
Each student is assigned a dollar limitation of earnings as indicated on the student’s Work Study Authorization Form. The limit of earnings is the gross amount the student may earn, and it includes the department’s percentage share and the federal percentage share.
Students are not allowed to earn more than their limit of earnings during the authorized period. When a student reaches his or her maximum limit of earnings, your department must either discontinue the student's employment or hire the student to your department as a part-time employee. You should make this expectation clear to the student at the time of hiring. Please contact your campus work study administer with questions regarding hiring work study students as part-time employees.
Your department is responsible for monitoring that the student does not exceed this limit of earnings. After the close of each payroll, the department should run the Work Study Limit Earnings IUIE report to review their students’ earnings and remaining balance. Step-by-step instructions for running this report can be found here. You may wish to adjust the schedule working hours per week in order to spread the student’s employment throughout the academic period.
If the student’s limit of earnings is exceeded, or if your department submits late timesheets after the end of an academic year or summer session, then your department is responsible and will be billed for 100% of the student’s wages. If additional hours are required or a student nears his or her limit, your department always has the option of contacting Student Financial Assistance to determine whether or not an increase in limit can be approved. If the limit of earnings changes during the authorized period, your department will receive a Change in Limit of Earnings form indicating the new limit.
Limit on Hours Worked
We recommend that your department limit the hours of students who are working part-time and attending class full-time to an average of 20 hours per week while classes are in session. The 20 hour average is calculated over the period of enrollment for which the student has received an award. During vacation periods, holidays, and between semesters, students awarded work study may work up to, but not to exceed, 40 hours per week. The 40 hour weekly limit applies to the total of hours worked on all jobs for your department and Indiana University. Students may not work when they are scheduled to be in class.
Hourly Pay Rates
The student’s hourly pay rate is determined by your department, subject to Indiana University’s minimum wage of $10.15 per hour. Federal regulations require that a student be paid the same amount normally paid to any other person with the same abilities performing the same functions. Your department may not pay a student a greater or lesser amount because the federal government is paying a greater percent of the wages. For any subsequent changes to a student’s pay rate, your department must complete a new Indiana University Work Study Appointment and send it to your work study contact person.
Percentage Share of Wages
Your students' wages will split 75/25 when payroll is processed. The federal work study account is charged 75% of the students' wages, and your department account is charged the remaining 25%.