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California Institute of the Arts

Student Employment

Financial Aid

Employment eligibility/processing steps

Eligibility differences between work study and Federal Work-Study

CalArts offers a variety of on-campus opportunities for student jobs, ranging from working in an administrative or student support office, supporting the library or various theaters, serving as a teaching or school support assistant for faculty members, and more. Be aware that some positions have restrictions in the application, and that the Institute primarily offers two types of positions: work study and Federal Work-Study (FWS). See eligibility differences below.

 

  • Work study: These are on-campus positions available to any current CalArts student enrolled in the undergraduate program or graduate degree-seeking program and have established employment eligibility to work in the United States (including international or undocumented students). These have no restrictions that limit students from being able to apply.
  • Federal Work-Study: These positions are only available to students who have completed a FAFSA and have been granted Federal Work-Study eligibility included in their Financial Aid package. A student must demonstrate remaining need after the scholarships and need-based grants awarded to them to qualify for this award. CalArts is not responsible for finding students employment. To check and/or accept your Federal Work-Study award, sign into your CalArts Hub Self-Service portal. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

* Federal Work-Study student workers cannot exceed the maximum award given to them. If you are working in a Federal Work-Study position and earned the max amount of wages listed on your financial aid award for the semester, you may be asked to resign from your role until the next semester unless additional funding is available. Certain departments may keep students employed longer, depending on their availability of funds. Once FWS awards have been exceeded, students are encouraged to find other work study jobs available at the Institute to earn more money.

 

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

On June 15, 2012, it was announced by the Secretary of Homeland Security that certain people who arrived in the United States as children and who meet key guidelines may request for consideration of deferred action. Students who have been granted DACA will be issued an Employment Authorization card and a Social Security card. DACA students are eligible for any non-FWS funded positions.

How to find a job and processing steps once hired

On-campus jobs are posted on Compass, CalArts’ job portal. You can view and apply for positions that are currently hiring by clicking on “Jobs” and using the “position type filter,” then selecting “Student Employment” or “Student Employment Federal Work-Study.” You may also want to ask your school’s main office and other campus offices about any job opportunities they may have open. Job announcements may also be posted on flyers throughout campus. If you have trouble finding available jobs, you can reach out to Student Employment at studentemployment@calarts.edu for assistance. 

 

  1. Search for positions on Compass (this login is different from your CalArts login).
  2. Apply for open on-campus work study or Federal Work-Study positions depending on your eligibility. Build daily or weekly job alerts so positions are emailed to you, and if you see something that interests you apply right away! Meet with a career counselor for help with designing a resume and practicing a mock interview.
  3. Prepare for an interview. For interview tips, please review the attached handout included below. Make sure to send a thank you email to those that interviewed you within 24 hours of your interview and follow up if you don’t hear back.
    1. Sample interview questions
    2. What to expect during an internship interview
    3. Interview preparation checklist
    4. How to write a thank you email
  4. Get the job offer, submit a Student Status Advice form, and submit any hiring paperwork. Congratulations! Follow these steps listed below to begin the hiring process (Instruction Sheet) *Students who have worked at CalArts already will have their previous hiring paperwork saved, but will need to submit a new Student Status Advice form and may be asked to submit updated or re-verified documents. 
    1. Once hired, you will start the online Student Status Advice Form and send it to your designated supervisors by including their CalArts email on the form so they can complete their section
    2. Once you complete the student portion of the form you will need to complete hiring paperwork which includes the I-9 (including submitting proof of identification), W-4, DE 4, and direct deposit forms
    3. Submit your completed I-9, W-4, DE 4, and direct deposit forms to Student Employment in the Financial Aid Office in person at F201 
      1. Make sure to include your original I-9 verification documents (i.e. US passport, or photo ID and Social Security Card). See page three of the I-9 form for more examples. Must be original documents submitted no copies or pictures can be accepted.
      2. International/foreign born students: Follow these instructions for employment hiring. International students must submit the forms listed above in addition to their foreign passport, visa, I-94, and I-20, student ID, and Social Security card (once obtained) or any other approvable documents allowed for the I-9.
  5. Make sure your hiring paperwork is completed and processed before you begin working. Wait to receive final approval from the Student Employment office. This approval will come in the form of an email. Both you and your supervisor will receive a position processed confirmation email to show you completed what was required.