Student Jobs

Federal work-study jobs allow you to earn money through an on-campus or off-campus job. You can use the money you earn for anything you need to—personal expenses, books, tuition, and more.

Your financial aid letter will note if you’ve been awarded Work-Study funding, and the amount you may earn for the year. The program is available to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens who have a financial need and have met criteria determined by the U.S. government.

Once you’ve been awarded Work-Study funding, you’ll need to apply for a job on-campus or at an approved off-campus location. Our Work-Study and Lesley Works portal has a listing of all available jobs each semester with application guidelines.

Things to know about Work-Study jobs:

• The U.S. government pays 75 percent of your wages, and Lesley University (or the approved off-campus employer) pays 25 percent.
• The university sets the hourly rate.
• You can work up to 20 hours/week when classes are in session and up to 27 hours/week during January or Spring break, until you reach your maximum amount.
• The maximum amount is $1,800/academic year.
• You don’t have to earn the full award. But, if you decline the money and don’t show how you replaced the funds, our Financial Aid Office will assume you didn’t need as much aid as you got. Your future financial aid package may be reduced.
• You may not use the funds for internships for academic credit.

If you didn’t receive Federal Work-Study funds, you can apply for part-time jobs on campus through Lesley Works.  International students may be eligible for Lesley Works jobs.

Things to know about Lesley Works jobs:

• The Lesley department you work for pays 100 percent of your wages.
• The university sets the hourly rate.
• You can work up to 20 hours/week when classes are in session (September to May) and up to 27 hours/week during January or Spring break.
• There’s no maximum amount you can earn in a year, except for the limit of the department’s budget.

Apply for Work-Study and Lesley Works jobs through our online Student Employment Portal. The application process for both programs is the same.

Our Financial Aid Office posts positions the Friday before Labor Day. We’ll email your Lesley account about how to apply.

Fill out these 2 forms and give them to our Financial Aid office before you start working:

1. W-4 Tax Withholding Form (PDF). Submit a new W-4 each year.
    
2. I-9 Form (PDF) and supporting documentation, as explained on the form. Submit once, as a new student worker. International students submit a new I-9 each year.

Lesley Works and Federal Work-Study jobs are for the academic year (September to May). If you want to continue working for the department through the summer, talk to your supervisor about the possibility of becoming a temporary employee.

Find an off-campus job through our Career Resource Center, for the academic year or the summer. 

Search for and apply to jobs in the Center’s Lesley Career Connection. This is a different portal than the one you may have used to find Lesley Works and Work-Study jobs.

Boston-area organizations looking to fill a range of jobs, and families looking for childcare and help in their homes, post positions in the Career Connection for our students and alumni.

Apply directly to the organization or family that interests you. Connect with the Career Resource Center for help with résumés and any questions about part time off campus work.

Become a graduate assistant to gain skills related to your professional goals. Graduate assistants work with faculty and administrators in research, teaching, programming, and scholarship. U.S. and international students can apply.

Schedule: Work 10 hours/week, October to May. The assistant and faculty member decide on the hours, usually Monday–Friday.

Stipend: Earn $3,600/academic year, paid in 8 monthly installments of $450.

Application Deadlines: Usually in the spring for the next academic year.

Three Types of Graduate Assistantships

Graduate School of Education Assistantships

• Open to graduate and doctoral education students who’ve been accepted into or are enrolled in a campus-based program.
   
• Projects vary widely, and change each year. Past projects have included researching a student or teacher group, updating multimedia content for a course, and working as a gallery assistant.
   
• To apply: Descriptions and application for the next academic year (Fall 2018) are posted here in Spring.

Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences Assistantships

• Open to all students, including low-residency students, who have completed 1 year of graduate study.
   
• Projects vary widely, and change each year. Past projects have included an oral history project, research on women leaders, and research on the impact of arts programs on loneliness.
   
• To apply: Descriptions and application for the next academic year (Fall 2018) are posted here in Spring.

Global Education Center Assistantships

• Open to students in the International Higher Education and Intercultural Relations graduate program who have an interest in education abroad.
   
• Work on projects in service to our goal in becoming a global university, including study abroad, international student support, and Global Education Center programming.
   
• To apply: Email your résumé, 2 references, and a cover letter to Claire Carroll at ccaroll3@lesley.edu. In the letter, discuss your interest in the position, how your skills or background would contribute to the role, and how the position would further your professional development.