Student Employment

Work programs provide students with the opportunity to earn money to help with college expenses while gaining valuable job experience. Student employment opportunities are generally available to all Caltech students, even those who have not applied for financial aid or qualified for need-based aid. On campus employers are encouraged to post opportunities through the Career Achievement, Leadership, and Exploration platform.

Students typically work an average of 4-10 hours per week. Please note that students may work a maximum of 16 hours per week (no more than 12 hours per week as undergraduate teaching assistants). Undergraduate TAs must be in good academic standing (eligible, and not on probation), and good disciplinary standing (not on disciplinary probation) for the term in which they are serving as a TA, and must be approved by the undergraduate deans. Students can expect to earn at least the City of Pasadena minimum wage of $18.04 per hour. Compensation rates will vary based on the position, a student’s skills, and previous work experience.

Additional policies and procedures for teaching assistants, including undergraduates with teaching responsibilities maybe be found in the graduate students' information section found in the Center for Teaching, Learning, & Outreach (CTLO) ctlo.caltech.edu/universityteaching/programs/training/ta-orientation.

Work-Study is a financial aid program that allows students to earn money for their college expenses through work. Students who participate in the Work-Study program also gain valuable job experience.

Awarded to domestic students who have demonstrated exceptional financial need through their submission of the FAFSA, this federally funded program provides part-time employment to eligible students. Students are typically awarded $2,500 in Federal Work-Study (FWS).

Please go to the work-study page on the Caltech Financial Aid Office website finaid.caltech.edu/typesofaidworkstudy for additional information about student employment at Caltech.

Hard Deadlines

The hard deadline is the final date to complete a financial aid application, request a change to your financial aid award, or apply for a loan. We cannot accept any documents or requests after the hard deadline has passed. There are no exceptions to the hard deadline.

The deadline is one day after the beginning of the registration period for the term following your last term of enrollment. Please use the table below to determine which deadline applies to you.

Example 1: You attended during fall and winter terms but are not enrolled during spring. You would use the winter deadline.

Example 2: You attend during fall term but take winter term off; you end up returning during spring term. You would use the spring deadline.

The Caltech Work-Study is designed to parallel the Federal Work-Study program, making Work-Study funds available to students who do not qualify for federal financial aid (including most international students). There are a few differences between the two programs, though. Students who receive Caltech Work-Study may only earn money by working for Caltech.

Wages earned under the Caltech Work-Study program are subsidized by Caltech's financial aid fund. The fund will pay 60% of a student's wages, leaving the hiring department to pay the remaining 40%.