Work-Study Program

Bunker Hill Community College participates in the Federal Work-Study Program. Eligible students may receive funds from this program as a result of the financial aid application process. Federal program regulations require that a percentage of these funds be earmarked to community service-related work. Please read the FCWS Students Handbook for 2023-2024

Qualifying for Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Federal Work-Study is a need-based federal program that is part of your financial aid package. You must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Financial Aid) Form to be eligible for Work-Study. The program provides students with part time on/off campus employment. Funds for this program are awarded to eligible students as part of financial aid process.

On/Off Campus Work-Study and the Pay Rate

With a Work-Study job, you can work part-time on or off campus. Jobs are updated occasionally. Hourly pay rate for on-campus and off-campus work-study positions pay $15.00 per hour.  Students returning for a second year in the same position may earn $17.50 per hour at the Supervisor’s discretion. It is your responsibility for your own job search either on-campus or off-campus. You should contact the Supervisor listed in the job posting to set up an interview. Based on hours worked, students are paid bi-weekly during the academic year. You are allowed to work up to a maximum of 18.5 hours per week.

On-Campus Work-Study Jobs

To view available work-study positions on and off campus, please use your BHCC username and password to log into Handshake, BHCC’s internship website. Check the site frequently as new positions are posted throughout the school year.

Complete Hiring Process

Listed below are the step requirements for all students, depending on whether you are new or returning.
New Student:
A new student is defined as a student that has never worked at Bunker Hill Community College previously.
New students must complete:

  • 1st year FWS contract is completed and signed by student and supervisor. The federal work-study contract will be sent to you electronically by your supervisor once you have obtained a job.
  • I-9, W-4, and direct deposit forms are part of the student electronic form library, and you will be directed to complete these forms once you have received your federal work-study contract. Once you complete these forms as well as submitting all required I-9 documents, you will be notified to select a date and time to set an appointment with Student Central office to review your hiring documents in-person. Please do not start working before these steps are completed. Students those work prior to complete these steps may be removed from the FWS program!
  • Once all the hiring documents are verified and completed, you will receive an email from Financial Aid office to notify you about your employee ID and instructions for logging in your weekly hours through Mass State HRCMS system.

Returning Student:
A returning student is a student that has worked through the FWS program during the previous academic year.
Returning students must complete:

  • 2nd year FWS contract is completed and signed by student and supervisor. The federal work-study contract will be sent to you electronically by your supervisor once you have obtained a job.
  • Once eligibility is confirmed, we will send an email to let you know that the student is approved to begin working.
  • Students can log into Mass State HRCMS system at https://www.mass.gov/employee-self-service to update W-4, direct deposit form if the student has updated information (i.e., name change, change of bank account, etc.). For further assistance, please contact Payroll Office at payroll@bhcc.edu.

    *Please note:  Examples of acceptable documents for I-9 form are:
  1. Your unexpired U.S. Passport or Alien Registration Card
  2. Driver's License and Social Security Card
  3. Bunker Hill Community College ID and Social Security Card
  4. Driver's License and U.S. Birth Certificate
  5. Bunker Hill Community College ID and U.S. Birth Certificate

Frequently Asked Questions about the Work-Study Program

  1. APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID AND HAVE UNMET NEED: Start by completing your FAFSA at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and turning in all required documents.  Your file will be reviewed, which can take two to three weeks and you will receive an award notification.  Unmet need means that your financial aid is not covering your full Cost of Attendance, including living expenses.  Students that are eligible for the Pell grant and Mass Cash generally have unmet need.  If you are borrowing loans, you may not have unmet need.  Please check with Student Central at the B-Building Lobby if you are unsure.
  2. SEARCH AND APPLY: Once you find a position that matches your skills, please contact that departmental supervisor directly to schedule an interview for additional requirements.
  3. COMPLETE HIRING STEPS: Whether you are new or returning students, you must complete the hiring steps as the section mentioned above “Complete Hiring Process”.  Students that work prior to complete these steps may be removed from the FWS program!

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will get a job.  There are a limited number of positions and many students that apply. Start your job search early in the semester for the best chance of finding employment. 

You can apply for jobs online at Handshake and follow these steps:

  1. Go to https://bunkerhill.joinhandshake.com
  2. Use your BHCC email and password
  3. Enter basic information
    1. Enter your cell phone carrier (the domain name will populate for you)
    2. Enter a preferred/alternative email address to your BHCC address
    3. Opt in to receive text alerts for important reminders
    4. Click “Save” and then “Continue”
    5. Click “Submit Profile”.  You must complete this step in order for your information to be saved into the system
    6. Log in and go to “Job and Internship Search” and select “Work-Study” under position type

Occasionally, jobs are also posted on the bulletin board beside the Financial Aid Office. The best time to look for jobs is at the start of each semester.  After the start of the semester, open jobs tend to be fewer, but be sure to check the website frequently as new jobs are added as they become available.  It is the student’s responsibility to apply for available jobs and meet with supervisors. The Financial Aid Office does not assign jobs.

Students in their first year of working as a FWS student employee are paid $15.00 per hour.  Students in their second year of working in the same position may be paid $17.00 per hour.

BHCC pays its employees every other week. A schedule is below.

Pay Schedule for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

Fall 2023 Pay Schedule
July 7
July 21
August 4
August 18
September 1
September 15
September 29
October 13
October 27
November 10
November 24
December 8
December 22

Spring 2024 Pay Schedule
January 5
January 19
February 2
February 16
March 1
March 15
March 29
April 12
April 26
May 10
May 24
June 7
June 21
July 5

With direct deposit forms, students have their checks automatically sent to their bank accounts.

FWS positions carry all the responsibilities of a part-time job.  You must work with your supervisor to set up a work schedule and complete the duties assigned to you.  You may not work more than 18.5 hours per week and you may not work during your scheduled class times.  You will need to keep track of your hours worked and earnings to be sure that you are utilizing your FWS award budget in a way that works for you and your supervisor.  While you can request a budget increase, there is no guarantee that you will receive one, so use your hours wisely!  The guide below gives you some tips for making the most of your FWS experience.

You should report your hours each week through the state’s online payroll system http://www.mass.gov/anf/employment-equal-access-disability/hr-policies/masshr/.  Be sure to report your hours each Thursday, so that your supervisor has time to approve your hours before the payroll deadline.  Reporting your hours late may result in your pay being delayed up to two weeks.

It depends.  Completing your required FWS on-line documents quickly and completely will help Human Resources to add you to the College payroll as quickly as possible.  You should not start working before all of your on-line step requirements are done.  It can take up to three weeks for you to get your first paycheck.

Under Federal Work-Study (FWS) you are allowed to earn up to a total of $5,0000 for the academic year (fall and spring).  Once you have earned the full amount, you must stop working.  In some cases, your department may be able to hire you through their departmental budget after you have earned your full FWS award total.  Please check with your supervisor before you earn your FWS award total, so that you can plan together.

You and your supervisor have the most up-to-date information on how many hours you have worked and how much you have earned.  If you have lost track, you can contact the financial aid office and they will give you an update, as of the most recent payroll report available.  Keep in mind that this number may not include hours that have been reported after the last pay date and you will need to add those in to get a complete picture of your earnings. 

Yes, you can request an increase, but it is not guaranteed that it will be approved.  The FWS budget is set by the federal government and BHCC has a finite amount of money to use.  Once that money is used, the Financial Aid Office cannot approve further increases to student awards.  Also, the Financial Aid Office will need to review your individual financial aid award to determine if you meet the criteria for an increase.  Students with Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) over 5000, loan borrowers, and students with large institutional or outside grants may not qualify for an increase of their FWS award.  If you are interested in requesting an increase, please work with your supervisor to submit a FWS award increase request form.

Contact and Hours

Charlestown Campus, Second Floor, B-Building Lobby

Office Hours
Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

FAFSA Website Assistance
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Please contact us via email, text or chat for remote assistance.
Email: studentcentral@bhcc.edu
Phone: 617-228-2370  |  Fax: 617-228-2371