Printer FriendlyBefore Looking for Employment
Before attempting to find on-campus employment of any kind, verify that you are eligible to work by contacting our office. Also, it will be valuable to have a current resume. The office of Career Services can help you prepare and format your resume as well as provide practice interviews. Career Services is located on North Campus in Southwick Hall, Room 200. A guide to all of the services they offer may be found on their Web site.
Graduate Assistantships (Teaching Assistant/TA and Research Assistant/RA)
Very few departments fund international students for teaching assistantships (TA) in their first semester of a master's program. Generally speaking, to qualify for a teaching assistantship you need to complete at least one semester with a higher than average GPA. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required of all TA's and RA's. If the department has funding available for the spring semester, you might be able to get an assistantship. However, assistantships are typically awarded in the fall semester. If you are interested in a TA or RA position, it would be helpful to talk to your department’s graduate coordinator and other faculty members as they will know if any funding is available. In some instances a research assistantship (RA) may be available in the spring for someone with very strong research qualifications. Speak with your graduate coordinator or department chairperson to see if there are any RA positions available and what the requirements are.
On Campus Employment
Verify that your visa status allows you to work on-campus before starting your job search. If eligible, you can work 18 - 20 hours a week during the semester, and 37.5 - 40 hours during school breaks.
The first step in finding employment is to apply to all the jobs available on campus. Typical on campus jobs include working for Barnes & Noble, Multimedia Labs, Aramark Dining Services, the UML Library, Wannalancit Mills, Escort Services, the Recreation Center, Access Services, etc. Open positions may be posted on bulletin boards around campus, on the organization’s Website, or in their respective office areas. If you are selected as an applicant for the position, you will be called for an interview. You should tell the interviewer that you don't have a SSN yet. If your interview is successful, and you get a contract, you will need to get a social security number. Please follow the directions in Laws Governing Employment. If you have an offer of employment from Barnes & Noble or Aramark Dining Services, they will provide you with an offer letter. You can then follow the directions contained in Laws Governing Employment.