Guidelines for Employing Student Researchers at Bates

Summer Research
Students receiving financial support to conduct research during the summer are paid either through fellowships or through hourly wages. The distinction between these two categories of support, and the rules governing how students can be paid in each case, are described on the accounting website.

Wages for research students who are paid hourly are established by the research adviser and should typically be between $11.00 and $13.00 per hour, depending on the students’ background and experience level, and on the amount of expertise required to conduct the work. Please note that while student researchers need not follow a rigid eight-hour/day work pattern, they are limited to working no more than 40 hours per week.

The $11.00-$13.00 per hour wage guideline is intended to enable student to afford summer housing at Bates, which costs $55/week for a double room and $65/wk for a single room. The room fees must be deducted from students’ wages unless the students are graduated seniors in which case the student takes on regular Bates employee status. If faculty continue a student’s employment after graduation, the student’s status changes to that of a regular employee. At that point the graduate is no longer eligible to live in the dorms.

Research during the Academic Year
Wages for students paid to do research during the academic year are dictated by the student employment wage scale, which is different from the summer research wage scale. For more information, please see the student employment website.

International Students
Please note that special guidelines and requirements apply to international students:

Due to U.S. F-1 visa restrictions, the maximum number of hours international students may work at Bates is 20 hours per week from September 1 through May 31, regardless of their Short Term enrollment status. International students are permitted to work at Bates 40 hours per week between June 1 and August 31. U.S. nationals and permanent residents may work 40 hours per week in Short Term if they are not enrolled in a course.

International students should meet with Dean Reese in the International Student Advisor’s office to review the documents (eg. Social Security card and Bates work employment card) required for all on-campus work.