Work Study Program

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General

No, the fall-winter Work Study program is one continuous cycle that starts in September and ends in March. 

There is no Work Study policy against additional (on-campus and/or off-campus) employment as long as it is not another Work Study position. If you have multiple work contracts with the University, be sure to inform each department. 

You should also consider other requirements beyond the Work Study program. For example, there may be a limit on the maximum hours per week you can work as allowed by your study/work permit (for international students) and/or a scholarship limit. 

No. In each Work Study cycle you are only allowed to accept one position so make sure it is the one you want! If you are unsure about the offer and/or need more time to finish other interviews you could ask the hiring department to consider extending your response deadline. 

Eligibility

Once you have been approved for a Work Study position, you must continue to maintain your Work Study eligibility (i.e., continue to be registered in the eligible course load) as outlined in your Letter of Offer.  

If you drop courses and subsequently become ineligible, you need to inform your supervisor and stop working. The hiring department will complete the off-boarding process and pay you for all Work Study hours worked until that time. 

Yes, being away in any academic term translates into ineligibility for Work Study. The program is designed with the expectation that students are present and available for the entire program period: September to March (for the fall-winter Work Study session) and May to August (for the summer Work Study session).  

If you accept a Work Study position you are required to remain located in geographical proximity to the applicable University premises, even if some (or all) of your job duties can be performed remotely. The University is based in Toronto and constituted according to Ontario law, therefore, it is our expectation that the provision of services to the University will be conducted in Ontario. 

No. If you are an undergraduate student you will not be eligible to apply since you will not be meeting the summer course load requirement.

Graduate students must ensure they are registered students in the summer session. 

To be eligible for the fall-winter program you must maintain continuous registration in a minimum 2.0 FCE across the fall AND winter sessions. A Co-op work term (in either fall or winter) indicates you would not meet this eligibility requirement, and should not apply for Work Study. 

No. For students going abroad (through a study abroad program and/or simply learning remotely) even if the sessional course load/registration requirement is met, the Work Study program is designed with the expectation that students are present and available to work in Ontario for the entire program period (May to August). 

Application Process

No. The CLNx system does not screen applications for program eligibility, therefore, you should only apply to Work Study postings if you meet ALL eligibility requirements (including a valid SIN/permit). 

Carefully review the Am I Eligible? section before applying to any Work Study position. 

Unless specified in the Work Study Job posting, students can view and apply to positions on any campus. 

To access your unofficial transcript, follow the steps on the Academic History/Unofficial Transcript webpage. 

Employment

No, all Work Study hires must be approved by the Work Study program before you begin working.  

After you have signed the Work Study Letter of Offer, the hiring department will submit the Online Hiring Approval Form to get you approved as a Work Study student. If you meet the program requirements, we will send an email to you, your supervisor, and their administrator, confirming you have been approved. 

DO NOT start working until you receive the approval notification; check with your supervisor if it’s missing. 

Once you are onboarded by the hiring department’s Business Officer (or equivalent), you will receive an automated notification to your utoronto.ca email indicating when the U of T AODA training has been assigned to you for completion. Until you receive this notification, you will not have access to the AODA training.  

If you require further assistance please connect with the contact listed in your Letter of Offer, or send an email to workstudy@utoronto.ca to confirm the Business Officer associated with your Work Study position. 

You and your supervisor will agree on a work schedule that fits the job requirements and your academic activities. All Work Study hours must be supervised and follow these additional guidelines: 

  • work must not occur during a university holiday 
  • work outside of regular business hours must be mutually agreed upon 
  • total weekly hours must not exceed 15 hours 
  • total program hours must not exceed the funded hours (100 hrs in summer cycle, 200 hrs in fall-winter cycle)  
  • all work study hours must be completed within the program start and end dates 

Work Study students are exempt from holiday pay and must not be working during any of the University of Toronto holidays. Please check the Holiday Schedule for specific dates. 

You will be paid by direct deposit on the appropriate pay dates according to the relevant bi-weekly or monthly Payroll Schedule available on the HR Service Centre. 

The internal payroll process may vary by department so you should confirm your hiring department’s process with your supervisor and/or their administrative contact. However, be sure to submit your work study hours as you complete them.  

Yes. Your Work Study income is subject to deductions required by law. It is best to consult with a tax specialist regarding your tax obligations.  

International students can find general guidance from the Centre for International Experience in the Income Tax tab. 

Your payroll documentation will be available online through Employee Self-Service (ESS).

To download your pay statements and T4 slip:

  1. Login to My HR Self-Service
  2. Click on Employee Self-Service
  3. Click on Pay and Benefits Information

You will need your University of Toronto Personnel Number. If you do not have this number, follow up with your hiring department for this information or send an email to workstudy@utoronto.ca (remember to include your student number). 

No, as outlined on the Work Study website you may accept only one Work Study position in each program cycle.  

Once you have been hired into one Work Study position (i.e., signed the Letter of Offer and received program approval), you cannot be hired into another Work Study position in the same cycle. 

Professional Development

The eModule and Workbook are optional but highly recommended, and your supervisor may choose to support your learning goals in another way. You can work on either the Work Study eModule series (web format) or the Professional Development Workbook PDF as preferred. 

Former Work Study Students

Inactive employees do not have access to the Employee Self Service and will receive paper tax forms in the mail. These documents will be sent to the most recently recorded mailing address in your U of T personnel file on HRIS. 2023 tax forms will be mailed from the University by the end of February.

Inactive employees who have moved or changed addresses in the past year must notify their Divisional HR Office to have their mailing information updated for future pay statements and tax forms.

Inactive employees who do not receive a tax slip in the mail may contact payroll.hr@utoronto.ca to request a paper copy. Please include the following information in your request:

  • Full name, as recorded in your U of T HRIS file.
  • Your personnel number.
  • Date of birth (YYYY-MM-DD).
  • Phone Number.
  • Delivery method:
    • Email—please submit your request in writing and provide a valid email address.
    • Standard mail—please provide a valid mailing address.

Requests for past pay statements should be directed to payroll.hr@utoronto.ca. 

Requests for a Record of Employment should be directed to payroll.hr@utoronto.ca. 

Requests for a letter confirming past employment, position and pay, etc. should be directed to the Divisional HR office relevant to your former Work Study employer.