About student employment
This page outlines the various work opportunities for both University of Washington undergraduate and graduate students looking for employment at the UW.
Student hourly employment
Units may hire student hourly employees into positions directly related to their major field of study to provide a training opportunity or into jobs that provide for individual growth and development.
Student hourly positions are open to all students meeting enrollment and eligibility requirements.
Internships
Internship opportunities provide work experiences relevant to a student’s academic or career goals. Students who are participating in a documented and approved internship program which consists of an academic component and work experience are exempt from civil service rules.
The UW Career & Internship Center supports students by connecting their skills, experience, professional connections, and academic knowledge to pursue careers that lead to personal fulfillment, financial wellness, positive contributions to workplaces and communities, and continued engagement with the UW family.
Work Study
Work Study is a great way to help students pay for their education while gaining invaluable experience by working part-time through the Federal and State Work Study Programs while going to school. By participating in the Work Study Program student employees will learn work skills that are transferable to future career paths. The University’s Work Study office administers the work study programs.
Academic student employees
The UW’s academic student employees (ASEs), which include research and teaching assistants, readers, graders, tutors, and others, are represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 4121. ASE jobs are posted on a University jobs website such as UWHIRES, Handshake and elsewhere.
Volunteering
Volunteer opportunities for UW students exist in units across the UW and its medical centers. Volunteer experiences offer students a chance to enhance their college experience through public service in a field that relates to their academic pursuits.
Volunteers are defined as individuals who perform any assigned or authorized duties by their own free choice, receive no wages, and are registered and accepted as a volunteer by the employing organization prior to engaging in volunteer work (RCW 51.12.035).
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), student employees may not volunteer to perform the same type of job duties for which they are already employed in a paid position. Units should ensure that a paid student employee is not volunteering for a position that holds the same job duties as one in which the student is already employed.