Student Officers

Most appointments as student officers of instruction and research are reserved for students enrolled in the University’s PhD programs, for whom instructional and research appointments are an integral part of their educational training. 

Students on student officer appointment are limited to a total of 20 hours per week across all compensated positions (on- or off-campus) during any semester they are on appointment, including winter break and summer terms. If you are appointed as a student officer (e.g., Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant), please contact your Departmental Administrator for relevant information before taking on additional work for compensation.

The Faculty Handbook has more information on Student Officer appointments.

On or Before Your First Day

Complete all required new hire paperwork

Your department cannot enter you into payroll, and you will not be paid, until all of your new hire paperwork has been completed and submitted to your department administrator or human resources manager.

If you have not received the required hiring paperwork, you must contact the department administrator or human resources representative in order for your assignment to be processed correctly and for you to be paid.

Employment Eligibility: Form I-9

The Form I-9 is required for all newly hired employees who will be working in the United States to verify that you are eligible to work. Please check with your department administrator if you have had a break in service; you may need to complete another I-9 if you have already completed one.

The Form I-9 can be completed as soon as you have accepted your new position, and must be done no later than three (3) business days after your start date.

Instructions on completing the Form I-9 can be found on the CUHR I-9 E-Verify website.

  • Remember to bring the appropriate unexpired original documents with you, as listed in Section 1 of the I-9 online. The list of acceptable documents can be found on the USCIS website.
     
  • Please confirm with your department administrator what your date of hire is. This is required for the Form I-9.
     

International Students: If you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN), please refer to the International Student and Scholars (ISSO) website for information on how to apply for one.

All new hires must complete the Federal Form W-4 and state tax forms before receiving a paycheck. These forms provide the University payroll system with the required information to set up the appropriate tax withholding from your paycheck.

After You've Been Hired

Once your hiring paperwork has been completed and you are entered into the University payroll system—People@Columbia (PAC)—we recommend that you sign up for the free direct deposit service. Your paycheck will then be automatically deposited to your bank account(s) each payday.

You must enroll in direct deposit in PAC if you are a Student Officer receiving payroll or an international student receiving a stipend, even if you have already enrolled in direct deposit in Vergil for student refunds or domestic stipends. Direct deposit settings in Vergil do not carry over to PAC.

See Direct Deposit Instructions
Please note that there are separate instructions for those who receive stipends and those who receive salaries. 

All Student Officer disbursements are scheduled on the "Semi-Monthly Other" calendar (highlighted in red on the payroll calendar), though payment frequency depends on your appointment type:

  • Regular Salaried Officers: Paid semi-monthly after each pay period closes.
  • $0 Salary Officers (Fellowship/Stipend Recipients): Officers appointed at a $0 base salary (such as fellows receiving a stipend) are paid quarterly in lump sums rather than semi-monthly. These quarterly payments are disbursed on the first "Semi-Monthly Other" pay date following the start of your appointment term (e.g., September 1, January 1, or another agreed-upon date).

Please confirm your specific appointment type and payment schedule with your departmental administrator.

If you have questions, please submit a ticket to the HR Service Center or reach out to the Human Resources and Finance hotline at (212) 854-5000.

View the Payroll Calendars 

Once you are hired into the University's system, you will be able to view each of your paychecks via the my.Columbia portal. You can also access your W-2 and 1042S forms on the my.Columbia portal. Details here.

Simply log in with your UNI and password, click on the People@Columbia tile, and click on "View Your Paycheck" under Self-Service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia’s Human Resources and Finance divisions have a hotline specifically to assist with student questions related to payroll and stipend payments, including timing of disbursements. 

For assistance, please submit a ticket to the HR Service Center, or call (212) 854-5000.

For inquiries related to student accounts, tuition and fees, refunds, or transcripts, the Student Service Center remains available to assist.

Salaried PhD and DMA students needing an advance on their funding may request an advance of up to $3,000. This advance must be repaid prior to the next semester's pre-registration period. Students with account balances greater than $5,000 are ineligible for this benefit.

The advance carries no fees, is interest-free, and not subject to tax withholding. If these students experience other unexpected one-time emergency expenses, they can contact the Dean’s Office of their school to apply for emergency funds.

International students from countries undergoing hardship as identified by the US State Department and the World Health Organization may also draw on the University International Student Hardship Fund. These funds are intended to support specific emergencies.