Student Employment

Finding a Job on Campus

To find an on-campus job, try TruPositions, Truman’s centralized student employment website.

Types of Student Employment

Federal Work-Study

Work-Study is a federal student aid program. To determine your eligibility for Federal Work-Study, you must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have the results sent to Truman. Submit it annually, available October 1 each year.

Students are offered Work-Study in their Financial Aid Offer Letter and must accept or decline the funds. Normally funds are awarded so that a student is able to work 8 hours per week. The hourly pay rate for Work-Study positions is established by the University on January 1 of each year and will be indicated on the position listing. Positions are available both on and off campus. Students may get assistance in locating positions from the Financial Aid staff if they experience difficulty. Students may view job opportunities at trupositions.truman.edu.

Federal Work-Study is offered on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted  — normally by April 1. Employment renewal is not guaranteed due to funding, changes in the family income and number of students requesting positions each year. For more information, visit studentaid.gov.

Institutional Payroll

Institutional payroll is a job with the University that students generally finds on their own. It is not Federal Work-Study. Some departments on campus have budgeted funds to employ students. Departments are encouraged to post open positions, and students must generally complete and submit an employment application to the department supervisor for job consideration. The hourly pay rate for Institutional positions is established by the University on January 1 of each year and will be indicated on the position listing. 

You must be enrolled at least half-time to be cleared for Institutional Payroll. You may also work an institutional job during the summer but need to have been enrolled in the preceding spring semester, the following fall semester or be taking classes in the summer. You can work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and 39 hours per week during periods of non-enrollment, which includes any combination of hours from all employment options. However, students are not normally employed through both Federal Work-Study and Institutional Payroll during the same enrollment period.

Scholarship Service

If you have a Truman merit scholarship(s) that exceed $1,500 per semester and meet the credit hour and grade point requirements for renewal, you have the option of performing 48 hours of service per semester to renew your award. You may choose to take one-half the value of your scholarships and not perform the service. For more information regarding scholarship service, visit the scholarship renewal information page.

Graduate Assistantships

Contact the Graduate Office in McClain Hall 203 or call 660-785-4109.

Other On-Campus Employment

The Truman State University Bookstore and Sodexo Food Service are private vendors on campus that also employ students. You can contact Sodexo in the Student Union at 660-785-4197.  The Bookstore is also located in the Student Union and can be reached at 660-785-4212.

Off-Campus Employment

Many local businesses employ Truman students. For a listing of local businesses, visit the Kirksville Chamber of Commerce.