Eligibility, terms, and reporting

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Eligibility

Students

To be eligible for Work Study jobs, students must meet the following requirements. Eligibility must be confirmed by the Work Study Program Coordinator via the Work Study Authorization Form.

WORK STUDY AUTHORIZATION FORM

  • Currently enrolled at UBC Okanagan campus at the undergraduate or masters level. PhD students are not eligible.
  • Enrolled in a minimum of 9 credits per term in the winter session, working max 12 hrs/week, total max 312 hrs. Co-op credits do not count toward eligibility.
  • Students hired in the summer session must either be enrolled in courses during the summer and/or returning as students in September (ie has not applied for graduation) and must have been enrolled in 9 credits during the previous winter term 2. Can work max 20 hrs/week, total max 340 hrs
  • International students must have a student visa or work permit for the duration of the appointment
  • Can only hold 1 Work Study position at a time
  • Are not working under another subsidy program (eg. NSERC, Canada Summer Jobs)
  • Work Study is not based on their own thesis
  • Residing within Canada for the duration of employment

Faculty and staff

Proposals that do not meet the requirements below will not be considered for funding.

Employers

  • UBC Okanagan faculty or staff
  • Ability to fund 20% of minimum wage plus the required 14% employer-paid benefits (Vacation, CPP, EI, Health Tax) and any discretionary salary top up
  • Committed to providing an enriched and educational employment experience for students
  • If you are submitting a proposal, someone from your department/faculty should be prepared to sit on the scoring committee

 

Application maximums

Two proposals, each for a maximum of 680 summer hours and 624 winter hours.

Proposal criteria

Proposals must clearly identify how they provide students with opportunities for the following:

  • personal growth and professional development,
  • development of workplace skills,
  • career exploration,
  • hands-on learning,
  • mentorship and support, and
  • contribute to the University as a whole.

Tips for writing a strong Work Study application.

Types of work

Non-operational*, project-based, or value-added work.

  • Research
  • Administrative and professional practice
  • Scholarly activity including creative process and practice
  • Academic

*Positions that exist year after year or are necessary for the ongoing operation of some programs or services are now considered to be operational needs of their home department and are no longer eligible for Work Study funding. A position/project will be considered operational once it has been running for 3 years, or if it is required for the operation of a department/program. 

Examples of operational positions could include front-desk representatives, IRP support roles, and program facilitators.

Terms & conditions

The Work Study office will provide support and guidance to both employers and students to maximize the success of the Work Study experience. Work Study will provide tools, templates, resources, and support for both students and supervisors throughout the work term.

These will include a job offer letter template, onboarding checklist, performance review templates, site visits, halfway reporting on hours, and timely information.

To formally accept Work Study funding, approved supervisors must read and accept the terms and conditions outlined below:

Supervisor responsibilities

Supervisors must:

  • Know and understand the student eligibility requirements and parameters of the Work Study program;
  • Ensure that the student(s) work the correct number of hours and are paid on time from an authorized UBC Worktag;
  • Engage in fair and equitable hiring practices;
  • Provide students with an offer of employment letter (template provided by Work Study office);
  • Ensure students are properly oriented and on-boarded to the workplace;
  • Create an environment with the best possible conditions for learning, researching, and working and one that is dedicated to excellence, equity, and mutual respect (UBC Respectful Environment Statement (PDF), 2008);
  • Provide a working environment where students feel like valued members of a team and have opportunities to interact with faculty members, industry professionals, staff, and student peers on a regular basis;
  • Provide a flexible work environment where students’ focus remains on studies first;
  • Conduct a mid-point and end-of-term performance evaluation with the student to assist the student in developing a robust set of professional skills through their work experience (templates provided by the Work Study Program to support this process).

Reciprocity

Supervisors must:

  • Provide reciprocal support to the Work Study program through;
    • participating on the Steering or Evaluation Committees;
    • providing a testimonial for the Work Study Program;
    • granting permission for your successful application to be used as a resource for future applicants.
  • Acknowledge the support of the Work Study Program in communications and publications featuring Work Study students or proposals funded by the Work Study Program;
  • Complete evaluations requested by Work Study office.

Financial guidelines

  • Work Study provides a flat rate subsidy of 80% of BC’s minimum wage. Supervisors are responsible for the remaining 20% plus 14% employer-paid benefit expenses (CPP, EI, etc) and any discretionary top-up. These expenses will not be reimbursed;
  • Hours worked in excess of approvals will not be reimbursed;
  • Hours worked in excess of student maximums will not be reimbursed;
  • Hours must be submitted by the final pay period for each session (summer and winter) to be eligible for reimbursement;
  • Work Study will reimburse departments at 80% of BC’s minimum wage rate for student hours worked on a monthly basis;

General

  • Work Study funds cannot be used for any purpose other than those outlined in the approved proposal;
  • Approved proposals may be selected for a site visit and interview by the Work Study office;
  • Supervisor names and proposal titles will be included in the Work Study annual report;
  • Hiring deadlines for summer and winter must be met or funding will be reallocated to wait-listed proposals;
  • Approved hours are not transferable between summer and winter sessions;
  • Work Study funding is only available to UBC Okanagan faculty and staff;
  • Supervisors may hire as many students as is deemed appropriate to meet the needs of the approved proposal;
  • Supervisors may re-hire if the original employment relationship is terminated or otherwise unsatisfactory in meeting the needs of the approved proposal.

ACCEPT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Reporting

The following information has been compiled to provide an overview of the Work Study program for the campus community. Questions can be directed to workstudy.ok@ubc.ca or 250 807 9040.