Paying Students

Please review the instructions for paying student employees, below:

Dates, hours, and rates

  • Dates

Work study allocations must fall within given dates.  These dates vary between terms and school, and are provided on the Work Study Verification Form.  The student's financial aid office provides this Work Study Verification Form to the student and the student provides it to the hiring department.  All (100%) of student wages earned outside of the allocation dates will be deducted from the department's cost center.

Please note: All requests for reimbursements for work performed between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, must be submitted to the Undergraduate Financial Aid Office by July 13, 2012.  The Undergraduate Financial Aid Office processes these requests for all students, including graduate students.


  • Hours

It is critical that a student's campus employment be a manageable part of his/her academic career, not an overwhelming experience.  Please discuss with your student employees the number of hours they feel comfortable working given all other obligations of their time.  We highly recommended that students not be required to work the maximum number of hours each week.

Students Enrollment Status Max Weekly Hours
Undergraduates Enrolled 19.9
Not enrolled*
 39.9
Graduates Enrolled 39.9
Not enrolled*
 39.9

*Periods of non-enrollment include holiday vacations, spring break, and summer (if not enrolled in classes)


  • Rates

The 2011-2012 rates for hourly student employees are as follows:

Position TypeMinimumMaximum
Student Assistant - General $8.50/hr $14.00/hr
Student Assistant - Specialized $9.50/hr $17.00/hr

(Specialized examples include research assistances, advanced computer work, and technical work)

Placing a student on payroll

Student employees are paid on the Duke University bi-weekly payroll system, with the exception of PhD graduate students employed as teaching assistants who are paid on a monthly basis. 

  • The cost center and GL account are located on the students Work Study Verification Form.  Please use the same GL account for both cost centers.
  • Complete the necessary forms to place the student on payroll.
  • Direct deposit is required for all student employees.

Duke departments needing assistance in placing students on payroll should contact Duke's Corporate Payroll Services for help.

Students with multiple jobs

If a student wishes to hold multiple work study jobs, the two (or more) employers must first agree on how much of the student's allocation will be earned at each of their departments.  This is accomplished by completing the Multiple Work Study Job Form and returning it to the student's financial aid office before placing the student on payroll.  

Students under age 18

A student employee under age 18 must obtain a Youth Employment Certificate.  This certificate must be completed and submitted with the other payroll documents before the student can be placed on payroll.

Exceeding the work study allocation

The hiring department is responsible for any earnings that exceed the student's work study allocation. 

If your student employee has not yet exceeded but is about to exceed his/her work study allocation, you must take the following steps immediately:

  1. Either remove the student from payroll or transfer the student to 100% earnings from your department
  2. Notify the student of the change

 

If your student employee exceeded his/her work study allocation, you must take the following steps immediately:

  1. Review your pay records and determine the date the student exceeded the work study allocation.
  2. Remember that payroll operates on a prior week basis; determine any outstanding paychecks for the student.
  3. Either remove the student from payroll or transfer the student to 100% earnings from your department, and
    1. Notify the student of the change
    2. Submit a Manual Salary Cost Transfer iForm with an effective date reflecting the time immediately preceeding the exceeding of the student's work study allocation, using either
      • a 6077 GL account when transferring the student to 100% from your department, or
      • a non-work study GL account specific to your department

Contacting the student's financial aid office