Getting hired and paid by MIT
Here’s what you need to do to find an on-campus student job, get hired and get paid. If you’re looking for a paid community service position, click here.
Step 1 – Check your eligibility
- Registration – To work on campus, you must be registered or be eligible to register as an MIT student. If you’ve been accepted for the fall term, you may work on the student payroll during the summer before you start classes. Off-campus job requirements are at the discretion of the employer and Massachusetts Department of Labor regulations.
- Social Security – You must have a U.S. Social Security number to be paid on the student payroll. International students who do not have a Social Security number must obtain one immediately after they’re hired. See the Social Security Administration web site for details on how to apply.
Step 2 – Complete an I-9 form
Everyone in the United States, not just students, must complete this federal form when beginning a job with a new employer. For on-campus jobs, the employer is always MIT, so you need to complete an I-9 only once while you are at MIT.
Although the form itself is easy to fill out, you must also present an original document or documents that establish your identity and employment eligibility within three business days of the date that your employment begins. The most common documents students use to complete this form are their original Social Security card, birth certificate or a certified copy, or passport. The back of the I-9 form lists all other acceptable documents.
- Undergraduates: Visit SFS Student Employment (Room 11-320) to obtain and complete the I-9 form. SFS will keep it on file as long as you are at MIT.
- Graduate students: If you’re receiving a stipend, complete the I-9 form in your academic department. Other graduate students may complete the form in SFS Student Employment (Room 11-320).
- Off-campus student employees: Your employer will provide an I-9 form and will collect the completed form from you.
Step 3 – Find a job you’re interested in, contact the employer, and get hired
When you’ve completed Steps 1 and 2, go to the job listings section of our web site and start looking for a job that interests you.
Step 4 – Fill out a few more forms so you can get paid
- Tax forms – To specify how much income tax will be withheld from your paycheck (or to ask that no taxes be withheld), you must fill out online federal and state tax withholding forms: the W4 form and M4 form. To do this, log onto SAPweb Self Service and click on the “Money Matters” tab. If you claim no withholding, you still need to complete a W4 form each February. Contact the HR Payroll Service Center with any questions about completing these forms.
By the end of January, MIT send you a W2 form detailing the amount of taxes and any other money that was withheld during the previous calendar year. You will need this form to complete your tax returns. If for any reason you need extra copies of the W2, contact the Payroll Office (Room NE49-3131, payroll@mit.edu). - Direct deposit authorization form – MIT pays all employees, including students, by direct deposit. Paychecks are deposited electronically in a bank account an employee designates by completing a direct deposit authorization form, which is available online as well as in SFS and the Payroll Office (Room NE49-3131).
Step 5 – Get paid
Student workers fill out time cards electronically and then submit them for approval. You may fill out your time card by logging onto SAPweb Self Service and clicking on “Time Sheets” under the “Time” tab. If you get an error message, you might not have been set up in the payroll system for your job yet; ask your supervisor for help. It’s a good idea to enter your time at the end of each shift instead of waiting and entering all time for that week at once. Check with your supervisor for the deadline for entering your time.Once your time has been successfully entered and approved, your pay for that week will be deposited into your bank account on the following Friday. Because there is some setup time required to get you into the system initially, your first paycheck may be delayed a week. If you haven’t received pay you were expecting, contact SFS Student Employment at seo-www@mit.edu or 617-253-4971.
For students:
• Paid community service
• All job listings
• UROP
• Internships and careers
• Volunteering
For employers:
• Job posting page
• Electronic Student Personnel Action Form
(employers at MIT only)
Anyone who wants to work at MIT must complete an I-9 form and submit it (in person) in Room 11-320. When you have the right documentation with you, it takes very little time. And it needs to be done only once, as long as you don't take a semester off.
