For Students

USC Upstate employs hundreds of student employees in a wide variety of on-campus jobs each year. Job postings can be found by clicking the link JOB POSTINGS and searching for student jobs.

Eligibility Requirements

Before you start searching for a student job or working as a student employee, review the following criteria to ensure that you meet eligibility requirements.

• Eligibility Criteria – Any student who is at least 16 years of age, is enrolled at USC Upstate on a full-time or part-time basis and is associated with the university primarily in the pursuit of an undergraduate or graduate degree.
• Summer Employment Eligibility – Students who meet any of the following criteria are eligible for summer employment:
  1. Any student who is enrolled for the summer term,
  2. any student who is registered during the prior spring term and is planning to continue as a student during the fall semester, and
  3. new students or pre-registered continuing students accepted for the next fall term.
• International Students – International students are permitted to work on-campus as part of their immigration status. There are different types of work authorizations depending on the purpose of employment and the student’s immigration status.

Work Study

Federal Work-Study is a financial aid program funded by the federal government and administered by the university. Students can find employment to help pay for college expenses beyond tuition bills both on campus and in community service agencies. The Office of Financial Aid provides more information on Federal Work-Study eligibility and requirements.

Onboarding

Onboarding refers to the process through which you are hired as an Upstate employee and learn how to perform the duties and responsibilities of your new job. While each department has a unique onboarding process, all new student employees must complete certain required forms.

• Receiving an Offer – Prior to your first day of work, you should receive an offer email or letter outlining the specifics of the job including start date, pay rate, hours per week, etc. Contact your supervisor or hiring representative in the department in which you will be working with any questions.
• Background Screening – Most students do not require a background screening unless they fall into certain categories:
  1. handling money,
  2. working with minors,
  3. involved with direct patient care, or
  4. have key access.
     
     If a background screening is required, you will receive an email from HireRight that will direct you to complete online forms. The background invitation must be completed within 5 business days or the invitation will expire, and your department will be notified. To ensure there is no delay in processing your background screening provide all required information.
• Form I-9 – All U.S. employers are responsible for the completion and retention of Form I-9’s for each individual hired for employment in the United States, including citizens and non-citizens.
  You will receive an email to your USC Upstate email account from I-9 Advantage and you must complete Section 1 of the I-9 form in this automated system.You will then need to bring original identification/employment eligibility verification documents to the Upstate Office of Human Resources no later than the 3rd day of work (within three days of your hire).
  
  Visit USCIS I-9 Central for a list and examples of acceptable documents. Unless you have completed a Form I-9 AND had your documents verified by a hiring representative within 3 days of hire, you are not permitted to work or receive a paycheck.
  
  Visit USCIS I-9 Central for a list and examples of acceptable documents. Unless you have completed a Form I-9 AND had your documents verified by a hiring representative within 3 days of hire, you are not permitted to work or receive a paycheck.
  
• HR/Payroll System Onboarding – Once your hire is approved in the HR/Payroll system, you will be prompted to log in and complete several onboarding tasks in Self Service. These will include some key steps which help to ensure you receive your first paycheck in a timely manner. To complete these tasks sign in to the HR/Payroll system. When logging in, you will use your Network Username and password. This single sign-on requires two-factor authentication (DUO).
  1. Direct Deposit: If it is your first time working as a student employee at USC Upstate, or if it has been a while since you received a paycheck, you MUST set up/update your Direct Deposit information in the HR Payroll system to ensure your direct deposit account is ready for your first paycheck. Follow the step-by-step direct deposit instructions to ensure the timely deposit of your paycheck. Failure to complete this critical step may cause a delay in the receipt of your pay.
  2. W-4 and SC W-4 – As a new student employee, you are required to complete Form W-4 and SC W-4 for tax withholding. These forms tell your employer how much federal and state tax to withhold from each paycheck. As your employer, USC Upstate will remit the tax withheld from each paycheck to the IRS and the state of South Carolina on your behalf. The Payroll department provides information and resources to help you complete the W-4 and SC W-4 tax withholding forms. As your employer, USC Upstate is prohibited from giving you any tax advice, including what to put on a tax form, and you should rely on the official instructions or a tax advisor.
  3. ACA Acknowledgment – As your employer, USC Upstate is required to provide you the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Market Exchange Notice, which includes answers to questions regarding the Health Insurance Marketplace. You are required to complete an acknowledgment form that you have received the notice and that you understand the provisions regarding health insurance and its potential impact on you.
• New Student Employee Checklist – Download this Student Employment Checklist  to track completion of required tasks.
• Work Schedule and Leave – The following information outlines relevant policies and best practices regarding work schedules and leave for student employees.
  1. Graduate Students – If you are a graduate student employee, it is recommended that you not work more than 20 hours per week.
  2. Undergraduate Students – If you are an undergraduate, you should not work more than 20 hours per week during the academic terms in which you are enrolled and 37.5 hours per week during official school breaks. If you are an undergraduate working multiple jobs, you may not work more than a combined 40 hours per week.
  3. Federal Work Study Students – If you are a student employee holding a Federal Work Study job, under program regulations, you may not work more than 20 hours per week and 37.5 hours per week during official schoolbreaks in that position.
  4. International Students – If you are an international student employee, you may not work more than 20 hours per week except during official school breaks.
• Vacation and Leave – Student employees are not eligible to receive vacation or sick leave. Talk to your supervisor about their preferred means of communication and documentation when you are unable to work.

Review this section carefully.  This information is critical to your receiving timely payment for the work you perform and includes actions that you must take.

• Reporting Your Hours – In order to be paid on time if you are an hourly employee, you must complete your weekly timesheet in HCM Employee Self Service under Time and Absence tile by the timesheet deadlines. Timesheet deadlines are published by the Payroll Office and are listed by pay period along with all the paydays for the year. A guide to enter or adjust time on a timesheet can be found here: Enter or Adjust Time on a Timesheet – Hourly Employee.
• Pay Checks – All USC Upstate employees, including student employees, are required to participate in direct deposit in order to receive a paycheck. Your direct deposit must be set up in the HR/Payroll System immediately after your hire date. You may access your paystubs and direct deposit setup clicking this link and choosing HCM in the choices midway through the page.
• Pay Lag – You will be paid on a pay lag. A pay lag means earnings for the first half of the month will be paid at the end of the month and earnings for the second half of the month will be paid the following month on the 15th day.
• Pay Dates – All USC Upstate employees, including students, are paid on the 15^thand last day of each month.
• Taxes – As a student employee, you may be required to file income taxes each year that you are employed. Review these tax items to ensure you understand how they apply to you.
• FICA Exemption – If you are enrolled as a student and regularly attending class, you may be exempt from FICA. FICA is a payroll tax that employers are required to deduct and send to the IRS for Social Security and Medicaid. However, student employees are exempt from FICA if they meet the minimum enrollment hours requirements established by the university. Please note that these criteria are subject to change and exceptions may apply.
• W-2 – You will receive a statement of your earnings in January of each year to show how much you earned during the previous calendar year and how much was withheld in taxes from your paycheck. You will need your W-2 form to file federal and state tax returns. Your W-2 will be mailed out by University Payroll during the month of January, typically the last week of the month. You can opt to receive an electronic W-2 through our HR/Payroll system. However, if you do elect to receive the W2 electronically and you are inactive in the system in January, the W-2 will be mailed to the address on file.
• 1095-C – You will receive a statement reporting information about the health coverage offered by USC Upstate for employees who have been working for one or more months of the calendar year. Your Form 1095-C will be mailed out by the University’s Benefits Office, typically in early March. You can opt to receive an electronic 1095-C through our HR/Payroll system. However, if you do elect to receive the 1095-C electronically and you are inactive in the system in January, the 1095-C will be mailed to the address on file.

Some aspects of the hiring process are different for international students.  Please review this section carefully to be sure you take the right steps. Most onboarding tasks are the same for international students, but the following steps of the hiring process are different.

• Foreign National Tax Information Form – As a new international student employee, you will be required to complete the Foreign National Tax Information Form as part of your onboarding process. If you are rehired at any point in your student years, the form MUST be updated upon each rehire so that Payroll has the most up-to-date biographical information and travel history for you.
• W-4’s – As an international employee, your W-4 is subject to restrictions and therefore is issued and monitored by the Payroll Department. You will be sent a W-4 form to ensure you are completing the form correctly. Contact the Payroll Department if you have any questions.
• FICA Exemption – If you are a J-1 or F-1 student who is considered a non-resident alien for tax purposes and is performing services for the purpose of your visa, you are granted the FICA exemption under IRS Section 3121(b)(19). As your employer, USC Upstate is prohibited from giving you any tax advice, including what to put on a tax form, and you should rely on the official instructions of your tax advisors.