Need to set up a new hourly position for a UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) or non-UROP student? Here’s what you need to know.
Verify student eligibility

Go to the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas. The Student Hourly Appointment (SHA) application will allow you to create an appointment only for registered students (RE) or students who are eligible to register (ER). The system will also check whether a student has a valid Social Security number (SSN) and an I-9 on file and display a warning or error message accordingly.

If you see the SSN warning, continue to create the appointment. The student will automatically receive an email notification that they need to provide an SSN. If you receive an I-9 error message, you will be offered the option of notifying the student of the issue.

Keep in mind that you cannot create an appointment with a start date more than one full term in the future. Appointments for cross-registered students can only be created with a start date in the current semester. You can, however, enter an appointment with a start date in the past—as far back as the student’s start date at MIT or January 1, 2007, whichever is later. If the start date is more than one year in the past, final processing will take place after Student Financial Services has reviewed the appointment. 

Decide on a pay rate

Student Financial Services sets guidelines for minimum and maximum rate of pay. If you enter a rate outside of those guidelines, the system will generate a warning (above the maximum) or an error message (below the minimum). If you plan to pay a student more than the maximum, you must obtain approval from Student Financial Services. 

Determine the number of hours

When you create a new appointment, the system will validate the planned hours of work that you enter against existing appointments held by the student. If the number of hours you enter exceeds regulations or those specified in the appointment, you will see a warning or error message, depending on the situation. Here are a few examples:

  • International students—20-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP
  • U.S. undergraduate—20-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP
  • U.S. graduate student—30-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP

Note that when you enter the end-date, you needn’t pad it with extra weeks so that the student has a chance to submit a time sheet. This was a common practice under a previous student payroll practice. With the current system, students have six months from the end-date of the appointment to submit a time sheet. 

Set up a non-UROP appointment

Visit the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas and select “Create a Non-UROP Appointment.” Make sure you are prepared with the information necessary to complete these fields: job title and description, location, MIT supervisor, rate of pay, planned hours per week, time group, cost object/s.

As you set up this new position, remember that a student may not hold two jobs with the same title. If they are already in the system with that job title, you must create a new position title. 

Set up a UROP appointment

Visit the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas and select “Create a UROP Appointment.” On the “Search for a UROP Project” page, enter the student’s MIT ID, select the correct department (if you have an option), and find the correct UROP project. Make sure you are prepared with the information necessary to complete these fields: job title and description, location, planned hours per week, and time group.

As you set up this new position, remember that a student may not hold two jobs with the same title. If they are already in the system with that job title, you must create a new position title.

Your approved project should be available the day after it is entered in the UROP system.

Dealing with error messages

The SHA provides real-time validation as you are creating the appointment. This means that you may encounter warnings and error messages from time to time. Warnings will allow you to continue creating the appointment, while an error will require you to edit the entry in question before continuing. The form will indicate which information requires correction. 

The Details

Verify student eligibility

Go to the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas. The Student Hourly Appointment (SHA) application will allow you to create an appointment only for registered students (RE) or students who are eligible to register (ER). The system will also check whether a student has a valid Social Security number (SSN) and an I-9 on file and display a warning or error message accordingly.

If you see the SSN warning, continue to create the appointment. The student will automatically receive an email notification that they need to provide an SSN. If you receive an I-9 error message, you will be offered the option of notifying the student of the issue.

Keep in mind that you cannot create an appointment with a start date more than one full term in the future. Appointments for cross-registered students can only be created with a start date in the current semester. You can, however, enter an appointment with a start date in the past—as far back as the student’s start date at MIT or January 1, 2007, whichever is later. If the start date is more than one year in the past, final processing will take place after Student Financial Services has reviewed the appointment. 

Decide on a pay rate

Student Financial Services sets guidelines for minimum and maximum rate of pay. If you enter a rate outside of those guidelines, the system will generate a warning (above the maximum) or an error message (below the minimum). If you plan to pay a student more than the maximum, you must obtain approval from Student Financial Services. 

Determine the number of hours

When you create a new appointment, the system will validate the planned hours of work that you enter against existing appointments held by the student. If the number of hours you enter exceeds regulations or those specified in the appointment, you will see a warning or error message, depending on the situation. Here are a few examples:

  • International students—20-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP
  • U.S. undergraduate—20-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP
  • U.S. graduate student—30-hour limit during the school term; 40+ hours over the summer or during IAP

Note that when you enter the end-date, you needn’t pad it with extra weeks so that the student has a chance to submit a time sheet. This was a common practice under a previous student payroll practice. With the current system, students have six months from the end-date of the appointment to submit a time sheet. 

Set up a non-UROP appointment

Visit the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas and select “Create a Non-UROP Appointment.” Make sure you are prepared with the information necessary to complete these fields: job title and description, location, MIT supervisor, rate of pay, planned hours per week, time group, cost object/s.

As you set up this new position, remember that a student may not hold two jobs with the same title. If they are already in the system with that job title, you must create a new position title. 

Set up a UROP appointment

Visit the “Student Appointments” section of Atlas and select “Create a UROP Appointment.” On the “Search for a UROP Project” page, enter the student’s MIT ID, select the correct department (if you have an option), and find the correct UROP project. Make sure you are prepared with the information necessary to complete these fields: job title and description, location, planned hours per week, and time group.

As you set up this new position, remember that a student may not hold two jobs with the same title. If they are already in the system with that job title, you must create a new position title.

Your approved project should be available the day after it is entered in the UROP system.

Dealing with error messages

The SHA provides real-time validation as you are creating the appointment. This means that you may encounter warnings and error messages from time to time. Warnings will allow you to continue creating the appointment, while an error will require you to edit the entry in question before continuing. The form will indicate which information requires correction.