In support of the Institute’s strategic value Students are our Top Priority, this policy provides campus departments with employment guidance by detailing the eligibility parameters for students to be hired as student employees of the Institute.
Degree seeking students currently enrolled at Georgia Tech, and previously enrolled students taking only a one or two semester break from classes, are eligible for student employment at the Institute. In specific instances, a student enrolled at another University System of Georgia (USG) school may be eligible to be employed in a student position at Georgia Tech (see Student Assistant section below). The eligibility rules for specific student employee positions depend on the type of position and the student’s status as a graduate, undergraduate, Federal Work Study (“FWS”) student, Resident Assistant (“RA”), or President’s Undergraduate Research Award (“PURA”) recipient. Student employee positions are considered temporary and non-benefits eligible. Georgia Tech will comply with all federal, state, and local laws regarding the employment of USG students.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students are eligible for several types of student positions. Click here to view undergraduate job codes and associated pay groups.
Student Assistant
Students actively enrolled at Georgia Tech, or another University System of Georgia (USG) school, are eligible to be employed at Georgia Tech in a Student Assistant position. Previously enrolled Georgia Tech and USG students taking only a one or two semester break from classes are also eligible for Student Assistant positions.
Most Student Assistants are in a student pay group and employment is limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week. In certain situations, a student may be eligible to be hired as a Student Assistant in a temporary pay group for a maximum of 40 hours per week. Note: Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C is the only student job-code/pay-group combination where a student may be employed more than 20 hours per week. For eligibility details see Registration, Courseload and Allowable Employment Hours section below.
Resident Assistant
Students in Resident Assistant (RA) positions must be full-time degree-seeking Georgia Tech students selected by the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Learn more here.
Student Assistant - PURA
Only Georgia Tech student recipients of President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) salary awards are eligible to be employed in Student Assistant- PURA positions. Learn more about PURA here.
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
Only Georgia Tech student recipients of a Federal Work-Study Award administered by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid are eligible to be employed in FWS positions. Learn more here.
Graduate Students
Graduate students are eligible for several types of student positions. Click here to view a list of graduate student job codes and associated pay groups.
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) and Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
Only Georgia Tech graduate students registered for full-time coursework (12+ credit hours) are eligible for GRA and GTA positions. Eligible students must be hired in these roles for a 33-50% FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) workload. Refer to the Graduate Student Enrollment and Employment policy to learn more.
Graduate Assistant – Monthly
Only Georgia Tech graduate students concurrently employed as either a GRA or GTA are eligible for Graduate Assistant- Monthly positions. These positions are only used to facilitate additional Graduate Assistant workload on top of a GRA or GTA position (e.g., a second campus job with a different department).
Graduate Assistant – Hourly
Only enrolled Georgia Tech graduate students satisfying minimum enrollment requirements, and not concurrently employed in a monthly-paid position, are eligible to hold Graduate Assistant-Hourly positions.
International Students
International students with valid F-1 or J-1 student status issued by Georgia Tech are eligible to work on campus as student employees. F-1s must have a Georgia Tech I-20; J-1s must have a Georgia Tech DS-2019.
International Students in lawful F-1 and J-1 status may work more than 20 hours per week during school holidays and breaks. See Holidays and Short School Breaks section below.
New Students
New Georgia Tech students cannot begin working in a student job until the start of the pay period that includes the first day of classes during their first enrolled semester. Pay periods are monthly or biweekly depending on position. See GT Payroll for pay period dates.
Registration, Courseload and Allowable Employment Hours
Students who are registered for half-time or greater courseload are eligible to be employed for a maximum of 20 hours per week (all GT jobs combined) and must be employed in a student job code and in a student pay group. (This excludes students registered for only Co-Op/Internship credit hours with GT as the employer – see Co-Ops/Internships at Georgia Tech section.) A half-time courseload is considered 6 credit hours for undergraduates and 3 credit hours for graduate students.
Student who are registered for less than half-time credit load (or registered for only Co-Op or Internship credit hours) may be hired for up to 40 hours per week (all GT jobs combined). A less than half-time credit load is less than 6 credit hours for undergraduates and less than 3 credit hours for graduate students.
Previously enrolled students, who are temporarily not registered for any credit hours for only one or two semesters, may also be hired for up to 40 hours per week. However, any student employment exceeding 20 hours per week (up to a maximum of 40 hours per week) must be in a Student Assistant position and cannot be in a student pay group.
Co-Ops/Internships at Georgia Tech
An enrolled USG student in the designated work semester of a Co-Op or Internship program with Georgia Tech as the employer, and registered for only Co-op or Internship credit hours, is eligible to be employed for up to 40 hours per week. (The 40-hour per week employment cannot be in a student pay group; therefore, a Co-Op or Internship student working more than 20 hours per week should be employed as a Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C.)
Holidays and Short School Breaks
Most student employees are eligible to be employed and continue working in their existing positions, with their supervisor’s approval, during school breaks of less than five weeks (e.g., winter break, spring break, campus holidays). Notable exceptions include Student Assistant-PURA and FWS employees. PURA recipients are only allowed to work during the semester of their award (not between semesters). FWS employees are only allowed to work when classes are in session (not during holidays or official school breaks).
While classes are not in session, during a school break less than 5 weeks, eligible hourly student employees (hired for 20 hours or less) are, with supervisor approval, allowed to work and report hours in excess of 20 hours per week (up to 40 hours per week) without the need to change their pay group or official employment hours. This applies to both US and International students.
Graduation Considerations
A student who has graduated and is not continuing enrollment toward another USG degree, is not eligible to continue working in a student position.
United States Citizen and Permanent Resident graduating students can work in student positions only until the last day of the pay period that includes their graduation (i.e., the last day of the month or the last day of the bi-weekly pay period depending on position pay frequency).
Graduating F-1 and J-1 student visa holders can work in a student position only until their SEVIS program end date. The end date is printed on the I-20 or DS-2019.
A student who is graduating and continuing toward another USG degree may be eligible to be hired as a Student Assistant in temporary pay group 03C during a semester break between degree programs. Contact the Student Employment team in GT Human Resources to determine eligibility (email student-employment@gatech.edu).
Employment Status
Student employees are considered "at-will" employees. Their employment is temporary and incidental to the pursuit of a degree. Student employees may be terminated at any time without the right to appeal.
Non-USG Students
Individuals enrolled at non-USG schools are not eligible to be hired into GT student employee positions.
This policy applies to all student employees and the GT departments that hire them.
Enrolled
Currently registered for one or more credit hours at Georgia Tech (or another USG school).
GT Human Resources – Student Employment
Student Employment is responsible for the overall administration of this policy, and for providing general student employment eligibility guidance. https://hr.gatech.edu/student-employment
Office of Graduate Education
Graduate Education is responsible for providing guidance specific to the employment eligibility of graduate students, including credit hours and FTE requirements. https://grad.gatech.edu/hiring-supervision
Office of International Education (OIE)
The International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) unit in OIE is responsible for the issuance of F and J student status to international students attending Georgia Tech. https://isss.oie.gatech.edu/
Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
The Federal Work Study unit within Scholarships and Financial Aid is responsible for administering Federal Work Study awards and determining student and job eligibility for Work Study positions. https://finaid.gatech.edu/undergraduate-types-aid/federal-work-study
The Office of Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate Research is responsible for student eligibility, rules and application procedures for the President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) recipients. https://undergradresearch.gatech.edu/pura-salary
Department of Housing and Residence Life
Housing is responsible for determining the qualifications and application process to select students to be employed as Resident Assistants (RAs). https://housing.gatech.edu/reslife/employment
Individuals who are not eligible to be employed in student positions will be denied student employment – but may potentially be hired in other (non-student) positions. Any student employee who loses eligibility for their position, or who was hired in error (without eligibility), will have their employment terminated.