Student Employment

Administrative Procedure 4.302

Elgin Community College recognizes student employment as a significant opportunity to enhance the overall student learning experience and to provide financial assistance to students.

Departments seeking to hire a student employee will provide the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office with a notice of the position, including the responsibilities, hours, qualifications, and name of the immediate supervisor. Students will apply for the position(s) on the Elgin Community College job site. The department supervisor will contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office to confirm student eligibility, contact the student to schedule an interview, and make the final selection. The maximum number of hours a student employee may work is up to 20 hours per week. This hour restriction applies to all student workers, including those from federal, institutional, and international backgrounds. All student employees are required to submit their hours worked in the electronic payroll system.

Institutional Work Study Student Employees

Individuals seeking institutional work study employment must be currently enrolled at the College in a minimum of six (6) credit hours for fall and/or spring semesters or be currently enrolled in the Intensive English Program. To be eligible for summer employment, students must be enrolled in a minimum of three (3) credit hours at the College for the summer semester or be enrolled for six (6) credit hours for the subsequent fall semester. Student employment ends at the conclusion of the semester in which graduation occurs. Institutional work study students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.

Federal Work Study Student Employees

Individuals seeking federal work study employment must be currently enrolled at the College in a minimum of six (6) credit hours for fall and/or spring semesters. To be eligible for summer employment, students must be enrolled in a minimum of three (3) credit hours at the College for the summer term or be enrolled for six (6) credit hours at ECC for the subsequent fall semester. Student employment ends at the conclusion of the semester in which graduation occurs. Federal work study student employees must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. If a Financial Aid satisfactory academic appeal is required, submitted, and granted, students may be eligible for federal work study employment. All federal work study employment is based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

International Work Study Student Employees

International students attending ECC on an F-1 Visa who seek institutional work-study student employment must be currently enrolled at the College in at least 12 credit hours for the fall and spring semesters or be currently enrolled in the Intensive English program. To be eligible for summer work-study employment, students must be enrolled at ECC as international students in the upcoming fall semester. International work study student employees must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for credit classes and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards if enrolled in the Intensive English program.

Student employees are classified into one of three categories as defined below.

1. Institutional Work Study – Students are funded by the departmental
2. Federal Work Study – Students must meet the eligibility requirements based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and as funding allows.
3. International Work Study – Students who are attending ECC on an F-1 Visa are funded by the departmental budget.

An individual cannot be employed in another position within the college while being classified as a Student Employee. Any student who wishes to be engaged in another employee classification would forfeit their student employment position.

No student employee can be switched from one classification category to another without prior notification to the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office is required to verify eligibility before the student employee switches classification categories.

Student employees are excluded from membership of the Support Staff of Elgin Community College Association (SSECCA).

Institutional work study funds must be requested through the annual departmental budget process. Refer students to The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office for further information.

This policy was last reviewed on 07/28/2025.