Program description

The Work Study program is offered jointly through Career Services and the Student Awards office to provide students in financial need with an opportunity to receive priority for certain part-time jobs during their academic terms. 

Work Study positions are funded by Queen’s University and the Government of Ontario.There is a Fall-Winter program as well as a Spring-Summer program. Each new academic session requires the submission of a new application for entitlement.

Important Dates for Spring/Summer 2013

Now  - Students can submit their application for entitlement (to Student Awards)
Now - Employers can submit job postings for Fall/Winter term
Now - Postings available online to students
May 1, 2013 - Students can begin their Fall/Winter or Fall term only Work Study position
May 4, 2013 - Deadline for Work Study applications from students to Student Awards for entitlement
Aug 31, 2013 - Last day a WS employee enrolled in Spring/Summer term can work

Student checklist

There’s a significant procedure to follow and lots of forms to complete. You’ll simplify things by following this list:

• Submit application for entitlement to Student Awards
• Receive entitlement 
• Check MyCareer for Work Study jobs 
• Submit applications
• Get hired
• Sign contract, submit void cheque (you must have a SIN to do this), submit completed TD1 (both Provincial and Federal)
• Report for work
• Submit time sheets bi-weekly to your employer
• Receive direct deposit for your pay bi-weekly (if a pay period goes by and you have not received your pay, please see your employer or contact Sheila Hutchison in Career Services)

Eligibility and entitlements

To be eligible for a Work Study entitlement you must meet the criteria for being in financial need. You will need to have either a student loan or line of credit to show that you are extended financially. 

The maximum entitlements are listed below. The rate of pay, effective September 2010, is $12.00/hour including vacation.

Academic Session                        Domestic Students        International Students 
Fall-Winter                                              $2,000.00                         $3,000.00 
Spring-Summer                                    $1,000.00                         $1,500.00 
Spring only or Summer only               $   500.00                         $   750.00 

You may get hired for a second job IF you are hired for one in which your employer does not expect to use your full entitlement (i.e. not enough hours of work available). Just remember that you cannot exceed the total value of your entitlement, and both employers must be in agreement.

How to apply for an entitlement

Complete the application that can be printed from the Student Awards website and submit it to Student Awards, 2nd floor, Gordon Hall. 

You will be sent an email once your application has been reviewed. Turn-around time is approximately two weeks. You will also be able to check SOLUS for your entitlement. If further information is required from you to accurately assess your application, you will receive an email.

How to apply for jobs 

Remember the eligibility and entitlement rule.  To apply for Work Study positions, students MUST FIRST receive an entitlement or bursary from Student Awards.  

Job descriptions are available on MyCareer at Career Services. Start your job search early to give yourself the greatest amount of choice. 

Please follow the "how to apply" instructions on each posting. Employers will then commence with the hiring process from their applicant pool. The department, faculty, school or organization that has posted the job is responsible for arranging interviews, selecting a candidate and making a job offer. 

If you are hired, please ensure that the employer contacts Career Services for your Work Study Employer Contract. This contract is to be completed and returned to Career Services as soon as possible. You are not on the Work Study payroll until this step is complete. 

You may begin working IF you have a Work Study entitlement and your signed employment contract has been delivered to Career Services.

Affiliate organizations

While most of the positions are with campus departments, here is a list of non-profit organizations and Queen’s affiliates that have also participated or are currently participating in the Work Study Program:

• Almost Home 
• ALS Society of Ontario 
• Alzheimer Society of Kingston 
• Arts & Science Undergraduate Society 
• ASUS Movie Theatre 
• Camp Outlook 
• Canadian Diabetes Association Clothesline Program 
• Community Learning Centre Kingston 
• Canadian Liver Foundation 
• Canadian Mental Health Association 
• Canadian Unified Students Environmental Network 
• Community Living Kingston 
• Epilepsy Kingston 
• Family Literacy 
• Frontenac Community Mental Health Services (Vocational Services) 
• Grad Club, The 
• Hearthmakers Energy Cooperative 
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario 
• Hospice Palliative Care 
• Interval House 
• Junior Achievement of Eastern Ontario (JAEO) 
• Kidney Foundation, Development & Special Events 
• Kingston Arts Council 
• Kingston Cultural Initiative 
• Kingston District Community Information Centre 
• Kingston Economic Development Corporation 
• Kingston Interval House 
• Kingston Literacy 
• Kingston Regional Hospital Laundry 
• Kingston Symphony Association 
• Kingston Unitarian Fellowship 
• MacLachlan Woodworking Museum 
• Marine Museum 
• Military Communications & Electronics Museum 
• Museum of Health Care 
• Ongwanada Hospital 
• OPIRG Kingston 
• Opportunities Kingston 
• PIC Press 
• reelout/opirg 
• Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless 
• Salvation Army Supervised Access 
• Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (Southeastern Region) 
• Sexual Assault Centre Kingston 
• Social Planning Council 
• Theatre Kingston 
• Thyroid Foundation of Canada 
• Treasurer, Wolf Island Business & Tourisms 
• United Way 
• Vocational Services 
• Youth Advisory Committee

Accepting a job

Congratulations on getting a job! Now, before you begin your Work Study placement, there are a few things you should do. 

1. Determine through your employer what vacation or observed holidays you are entitled to during your work term.

2. Submit your Social Insurance Number to your employer for income tax deduction purposes.

3. Provide your employer with a void cheque (if you have not worked for Queen’s within the past year).

4. Provide your employer with a completed TD1, both provincial and federal, which can be found on the Human Resources web site in the top right hand corner in the drop down menu titled forms. 

Social Insurance Number (SIN #) Requirements

• To work in the Work Study program students MUST have a Social Insurance Number
• International students cannot apply for a SIN number until after being hired by a Work Study employer.

You’re hired—now what?

Are you an international student?  To work on campus in the Work Study Program students are required to have a Social Insurance Number (SIN). NOTE: International students cannot apply for a SIN number until after hired by a Work Study employer.

• View instructions for requesting a SIN number (.pdf, 43 kB)
• Please complete and print the contract on Queen’s letterhead and take to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

Before you begin your Work Study placement, there are a few things you should do. You’ll need to have a clear understanding of the expectations, responsiblities and procedures on the job and you’ll need to assist your employer in getting paid. 

Understand expectations, responsibilities and procedures in Work Study positions 

Review the Student Manual (.pdf, 217 kB) for Work Study & SWEP to learn how to make the experience a valuable one, and clarify your role with your supervisor. If you need additional assistance, contact the program coordinator Sheila Hutchison.

  Alternatives—"What if I can’t find a Work Study job?"

Your Work Study entitlement doesn’t guarantee you a Work Study position. Indeed, sometimes students can’t find a job that fits their skills, or they aren’t able to apply until later in the year when many of the jobs are filled.  Don’t panic! If you’re approved for Work Study but can’t find a job posted on the Work Study list that fits you, or if you got your entitlement late, you can always create a Work Study job! 

That’s right—any non-profit organization or any professor or department at Queen’s can hire you . So if you can’t find that perfect match, or don’t see many positions, or didn’t get any calls from jobs you did apply for, sit down and think about a job you might like to have. 

Make a list and make a proposal. Then, contact agencies, profs or departments who you think might need help on a research project, or office work, or whatever you can do. Find out what they need. Tell them that you can do a certain number of hours of work for them, and that they’ll only have to pay $3.00 per hour (the Work Study program subsidizes the balance). What a deal! If they agree to hire you (or if they need more information), contact Sheila Hutchison to proceed with the paperwork so you can receive your Work Study funding for the hours that you work there. 

You can also find work on campus or in Kingston that isn’t funded by the Work Study program. Have a look at our Where to Find a Job on Campus tipsheet (.pdf, 442 kB) for some ideas.

Program contact

For more information, please contact:

Sheila Hutchison 
sheila.hutchison@queensu.ca  
613-533-6000 ext 74044