Update for Spring 2025 semester - We will be posting work-study research assistant positions for the Spring 2025 semester beginning in December 2024. Positions will be posted through January 10, 2025. Faculty interested in posting a work-study opportunity for the spring semester should review the Program Overview and Guidelines listed below and then navigate to the "Submit an Opportunity" section to access the submission form.

Faculty interested in hiring a student through the Work-Study Research Assistant Program should review the Program Overview and Guidelines for Faculty Posting a Research Assistant Position.

• May 17, 2024 - WSRAP Submission Form opens
• June through August, 2024 - Students awarded federal work-study may apply for WSRAP positions through JobX
• August 1, 2024 - Students awarded federal work-study must accept their work-study aid in Student Admin
• August 9, 2024 - Deadline for faculty to submit a work-study research assistant position via the WSRAP Submission Form 
• August 23, 2024 - First day that work-study students may begin working, if all hiring processes are complete
• September 20, 2024 - Deadline for work-study students to secure employment (set by Office of Student Financial Aid Services - Student Employment)

Post-Submission (on-going from June through August)

Application Reviews/Interviews - Applications from eligible students (undergraduates who have accepted their federal work-study award for 2024- 2025 will be shared with faculty as they are received. Faculty review applications and begin interviewing select candidates. Faculty should review the WSRAP Interview Guidelines.

Job Offers/Hiring Process - Faculty are asked to make job offers to selected student(s) via email. If the student accepts the position, the Office of Undergraduate Research will coordinate the hiring process and onboarding activities for the student(s) (e.g., completion of the employment paperwork I-9 form/W-4 forms, review of employment documentation and Core-CT) with the student.

The Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) awards Federal Work-Study to students through its financial aid packaging process. Work-Study Award are limited and are awarded based on financial need and order of application filing date to eligible full-time students who submitted a FAFSA by the federal on-time deadline. The Office of Undergraduate Research does NOT have input into which students are awarded Work-Study in a given academic year.

Important Details - Federal Work-Study

• Students may only earn up to the limit of their Work-Study awards for the period of the award (semester or academic year).
• Work-study and the university will pay 100% of the student’s wages up to the dollar limit of their awards (e.g., $3,000 for the academic year). Faculty who wish to continue to pay the student for additional work (and their schedule permits) would be responsible for 100% of the wages, and would need to make the relevant payroll arrangements with their academic department, in consultation with OUR.
• The typical work-study research assistant would work approximately 90-100 hours (an average of 6-7 hours per week) in both the fall semester AND the spring semester. These numbers are based on the typical work-study award amount and the pay rate for the research positions we envision. OUR can provide exact numbers once faculty have selected a student to hire.
• The distribution of the hours of work is flexible within each semester, with the ability to roll hours forward from fall to spring, but not beyond the final day for 2024-25 work-study (May 9, 2025). However, it is expected that the workload will take the student’s academic schedule into consideration and be predictable from week to week. An even distribution of hours would be approximately 6 hours per week during regular classes.
• Students cannot exceed 20 hours per week (40 hours per pay period) during the academic semesters. During academic breaks, students may not exceed 40 hours per week as this could result in a student exceeding their award amount. For full information on work schedules, please refer to UConn’s Employment Guide for student employees.
• Faculty have control over the hiring process. Faculty will create the job description, review applications from eligible students, interview the student applicants, and select the research assistant they wish to hire. The only constraint is that the student must have a 2024-25 work-study award.

• Review the Guidelines for Faculty Posting a Research Assistant Position. Note: Many students who are awarded Federal Work-Study (FWS) as part of their financial aid package are actively seeking jobs over the summer. We encourage faculty to submit their WSRAP research assistant position as early as possible during the summer period. Faculty who have other commitments and who cannot interview applications until later in the summer period should indicate their preferred posting date in the submission form.
• Review the job descriptions below to determine the one most appropriate to your field
  • Student Equipment Design & Testing Assistant (201)
  • Student Interview & Survey Research Assistant (202)
  • Student Laboratory & Field Analysis Assistant (203)
  • Student Human Behavioral Research Assistant (204)
  • Student Research Review Assistant (205)
• SPRING 2025 submissions - Complete the WSRAP submission form to include the specific job responsibilities that you expect the work-study student research assistant to execute, the qualifications you are seeking, and the application materials you wish to receive.
• OUR will share applications from eligible undergraduate students who have accepted their federal work-study for the 2024-25 academic year. Faculty should plan to review applications promptly and conduct interviews of finalists (phone or virtual platforms are fine).

The following are the general expectations for faculty who hire a work-study student through this program.

• Discuss job expectations with the student research assistant and supervise his/her research work.
• Complete the EHS/OUR Safety Confirmation form for each student you hire who is working in a lab setting or a setting with hazards. If appropriate, add your research assistant to your group in the new HuskySMS training platform and note the required job activities in order to generate the student's list of required safety training courses. Follow up, as needed, to confirm that the student has completed any required COVID/safety training courses.
• Provide feedback to the student on an ongoing basis. Take time to conduct a formal evaluation of the student's work as evaluations play a critical role in a student's learning.
• Regularly review a time-tracking spreadsheet to ensure your assistant's work hours are reported accurately. Note that all payroll and timekeeping processes will be managed by OUR staff - these will not be the responsibility of your departmental staff.
• Submit a brief report on your assistant’s work by December 20, 2024 and May 15, 2025.