Student Employee Payroll
From setting up your direct deposit and submitting your time to filing your tax return, we’re here to help guide you through the payroll steps you need to take as a RISD student employee.
As a RISD employee, you are entitled to:
- a biweekly payroll schedule provided each fiscal year.
- have your payroll set up in a timely manner upon being hired. Please note this is dependent on your completion and submission of all required new employee paperwork.
- be paid biweekly, provided you complete and submit your timecard by the payroll deadline. If you have a salaried role through a graduate assistantship, you will be paid on a monthly basis.
- sick time in accordance with RISD's sick time policy.
Payroll procedures
Learn how to complete key payroll processes to make sure you get paid correctly, as well as how to fulfill your financial obligations as a student worker.
Set up your direct deposit
All employees who work at RISD are paid through direct deposit. Your paycheck will be deposited into the bank account specified on your payment election form. To review the information on your payment election form, search “Payment Election” in the Workday search bar.
You must have a US bank account to receive direct deposit. All hourly student employees are paid biweekly on Friday. The pay period begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday of each week regardless of holidays or school closings.
For students who work multiple positions, you will receive your payment in a lump sum rather than multiple deposits. You can view your payslip in Workday by navigating to the "Pay" button and clicking on "Payslip”.
Submit your time tracking
You are responsible for:
- entering your hours worked on a daily basis, using Workday time tracking.
- submitting your time weekly and confirming your supervisor's approval prior to the biweekly payroll deadline.
Submit sick time requests
Student workers earn sick time based on hours worked in accordance with RISD's Sick Time Policy. When you use your sick time, you are responsible to submit the time off in Workday.
File your tax return
Your earnings are subject to both federal and state income taxes. How much the Payroll office withholds in taxes from each paycheck is based on your W-4 and RI W-4 forms. If you need to adjust your W-4 information, you can do so in Workday. Please note that if you do not submit a W-4 reflecting your circumstances, Payroll will default to withholding the maximum amount at your income bracket: single with zero dependencies.
In January, you will receive a W-2, which is a statement of earnings that you will need in order to file your federal and state tax returns. For current student employees, your W-2 can be found in Workday under Pay > Tax Documents. Former student employees will receive their W-2 via mail. If you need to update your mailing address, please contact Payroll.
For help completing your tax forms, you can use a tax service provider (such as H&R Block). You can also hire a lawyer to assist you. A listing of lawyers can be found in a phone directory or at superpages.com. Please note that RISD staff members are not permitted to give individual tax advice as we are not licensed tax advisors.
If you opt to prepare your own taxes, the required forms are available via the following links:
The publications below may also be helpful:
- US Tax Guide for Aliens
- US Tax Treaty Tables and Descriptions
- Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations
All F-1 and J-1 students and scholars must complete and submit at least one tax form. International students can get a discount code from ISSA for Sprintax, a tax-filing platform.
See more tax-filing info for international student employees
Looking for more tax support?
Although RISD staff members are not permitted to give individual tax advice as we are not licensed tax advisors, you can find answers to common questions about filing your taxes as a student employee through our tax return guide.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) earnings
The amount shown on your award notification is the maximum amount you can earn over the academic year. Actual earnings will depend on your work schedule and hourly rate. Generally, students work 8–12 hours per week. Since you receive FWS funds directly as wages, you cannot use your FWS award as a credit toward your tuition bill.
Students in hourly jobs are paid on a biweekly basis, provided you submit your timesheet promptly. We will deposit your weekly pay directly to the US-based bank account of your choice. You can find pay stub information, as well as direct deposit authorization, via your student employee profile in Workday.
Take your next step
01
Finding a job
We offer resources and support for students seeking on-campus jobs. For those eligible for Federal Work-Study, we also help find suitable off-campus positions.
02
Employee onboarding
To get you working as soon as possible, we assist with various employment forms and procedures such as your I-9, W-4, state withholding forms and direct deposit setup.
03
Employee payroll (YOU ARE HERE)
04
Employee rights and responsibilities
Our guide to student employee rights and responsibilities will help set you up for success in your new role.