Dec 17, 2024  
Undergraduate Calendar 2024-2025 
    
Undergraduate Calendar 2024-2025

Work Programs


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McMaster Work Program Regulations

  1. Work Programs provide meaningful employment opportunities, with approved University employers, to students who demonstrate financial need.
  2. Students with completed full-time Canadian federal and/or provincial government student aid applications (e.g. full-time OSAP) with a calculated entitlement of at least $1 demonstrate financial need for the purpose of Work Program participation.
  3. Students without government aid applications, including Indigenous students, International students, students with government aid restrictions, students with permanent disabilities studying at a lesser course load, Nursing students at the Mohawk site, and students on Social Assistance who complete a standard University need profile and show at least $1 in need demonstrate financial need for the purpose of Work Program participation.
  4. Students who meet with designated staff on campus (e.g. a Student Loans Officer) who confirm the need for Work Program assistance through submission of additional supporting documentation demonstrate financial need for the purpose of Work Program participation.
  5. International Students with a valid study permit who reside in Canada for the duration of their period of employment are able to participate in Work Programs.
  6. Students wishing to participate in the fall and/or winter terms must be enrolled in the terms in which they wish to participate and must submit a complete Fall/Winter Work Program application through AwardSpring by the specified deadline date.
  7. Students wishing to participate in the summer term must have been in a full-time OSAP eligible course load in the preceding fall or winter term and must submit a complete Summer Work Program application through AwardSpring by the specified deadline date.
  8. Students are encouraged to apply for Work Program Approval as soon as the Work Program applications open, as there are more students interested in participating in Work Programs than jobs available.
  9. Students approved for Work Program participation are provided a Work Program Approval notification.
  10. Students approved for Work Program participation apply for approved positions posted under Career Opportunities in Mosaic.  Job posting dates are advertised on the Office of the Registrar website https://registrar.mcmaster.ca/aid-awards/.
  11. Students review approved positions and apply for those for which they feel they are qualified.
  12. Students must provide a copy of their Work Program Approval when they apply to a position with a prospective employer.
  13. Prospective employers review job applications and invite students to participate in their employee selection and hiring process.  University employers use their own criteria for selecting eligible Work Program students for interview and/or hire.
  14. Approval for Work Program participation does not guarantee the student will be hired for an approved Work Program position.
  15. Approved Work Program students are restricted to accepting one Fall/Winter position and one Summer Work position in a given academic year.
  16. Once hired, students may work no earlier than the published start date of the Work Program and no later than the published end date of the Work Program. 
  17. Employers and students must adhere to all applicable employment legislation and McMaster Human Resources’ policies and guidelines.
  18. Students must maintain satisfactory work performance and attendance. 
  19. University employers have the right to terminate student employment where work performance and/or attendance is unsatisfactory.
  20. Students are advised that employers may or may not recognize University mid-term recesses as a scheduled break from work and may or may not be able to accommodate requests for time off.  Students should discuss work requirements with their employers.
  21. Students must report enrolment status and work program earnings, as required, by their government aid program.
  22. Students earn at least minimum wage and are paid by the hiring employer through Payroll.
  23. The Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards, provides partial reimbursement of an approved Work Program student’s salary to the employer from operating monies and donor trust funds.
  24. The University may choose to no longer offer Work Programs and may choose to limit the number of approved participants due to funding limitations.
  25. The University may remove specific Work Program funds from the University Calendar, may revise the terms and stated value and/or suspend the allocation of Work Program funds (e.g. donor funds).
  26. Work Program participation supported by donor funds may have additional eligibility requirements.

McMaster Work Programs

Fall/Winter Specific Regulations

  1. The Fall/Winter Work Program is available to students who are Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Conventional Refugees and Protected Persons of Canada enrolled in OSAP eligible Graduate and Medicine degree programs.
  2. The Fall/Winter Work Program is available to students who are Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Conventional Refugees and Protected Persons of Canada in OSAP eligible Undergraduate degree programs (including Nursing students at the Mohawk Site).  Students who are not Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Conventional Refugees or Protected Persons of Canada, in OSAP eligible Undergraduate degree programs (excluding Nursing students at the Mohawk Site), may participate in Level 2 or above.
  3. Students may work no more than 10 hours per week on average, during the fall and/or winter terms, through an approved Work Program.
  4. To maintain Fall/Winter Work Program eligibility, students must be enrolled in a full-time OSAP eligible course load or equivalent in the term(s) in which they would like to participate in the Work Program, from the time of application through approval, hiring and start of employment. 
  5. Students must remain enrolled in the term(s) in which they participate in the Work Program, from start of employment to end of employment.  Should a student drop all classes in a term or withdraw from the institution, their Fall/Winter Work Program participation ends on the date of withdrawal.

Fall/Winter Work Programs

Application details are available in AwardSpring.  Further information about our Work Programs is available at https://registrar.mcmaster.ca/aid-awards/.

The McMaster Fall/Winter Work Program

Established in 1996 by the University with the goal of creating meaningful employment opportunities for current students who demonstrate financial need.

Requirements: Students must be approved for the Fall/Winter Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.

Summer Specific Regulations

  1. The Summer Work Program is open to students who are Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Conventional Refugees and Protected Persons of Canada enrolled in OSAP eligible Medicine programs.
  2. The Summer Work Program is available to students who are Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Conventional Refugees, International students and Protected Persons of Canada in OSAP eligible Undergraduate degree programs (including Nursing students at the Mohawk Site) beginning in Level 1. 
  3. In order to be eligible to participate in the Summer Work Program, students must be returning to continue their studies the following academic year (i.e. their degree will not be conferred in the June of the Summer Work Program term nor in the November immediately following the Summer Work Program).
  4. Summer work positions may be part-time or full-time.  Students may work no more than 44 hours per week during the summer term.

Summer Work Programs

Application details are available in Mosaic.  Further information about our Work Programs is available at https://registrar.mcmaster.ca/aid-awards/.

The R. Ross Craig Memorial Fund Work Program

Established in 1997 in memory of R. Ross Craig. A variable number of employment opportunities made available to students in any program who demonstrate financial need.

Requirements: Students must be approved for the Summer Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.

The Hamlin Family Foundation Work Program

Established in 1996 by the Hamlin Family Foundation. A variable number of employment opportunities made to students in any program who demonstrate financial need.

Requirements: Preference will be given to students in disciplines related to the fields of Health Sciences and Engineering. To be eligible for consideration, students must be approved for the Summer Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.

The Sally Horsfall Work Program

Established in 1996, the Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University has a variable number of employment opportunities made available to students demonstrating financial need. These jobs will provide an opportunity for students to pursue research and/or assist with activities sponsored by the Centre.

Requirements: Students must be approved for the Summer Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.

The Humanities Communications Centre Work Endowment

Established in 1997 by Edward and Margaret Lyons, McMaster alumni of the Class of ‘49 and later augmented by friends of The Edward and Margaret Lyons Humanities Communications Centre.

Requirements: A variable number of employment opportunities will be made available to students in any program who demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to students in Humanities and Social Sciences. Students must be approved for the Summer Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.

The McMaster Summer Work Program

Established in 1996 by the University with the goal of creating meaningful employment opportunities for current students who demonstrate financial need.

Requirements: Students must be approved for the Summer Work Program through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.