Student Jobs at CU Boulder

Want to make the most out of your time at CU Boulder while earning money? Working on campus isn’t just about getting a paycheck—it’s a great way to gain professional skills, balance your schedule and grow both personally and academically.  

Find on-campus student jobs


Benefits of working on campus

 

Experience personal and professional growth 

  • Earn money while learning how to budget and save.
  • Gain skills like communication, time management and leadership.
  • Explore new interests and career options, like graphic design or public service.
  • Work with faculty and staff who can help you with internships and job recommendations. 

 

Expand your network 

 

Enhance your academic journey 

  • Schedule work shifts around your classes.
  • Dive deeper into research or your area of study.
  • Know that student employees often maintain higher GPAs than non-working peers and are more likely to graduate.  

Types of student employment

Hourly jobs  

Hourly jobs include positions on and off campus and any student can apply on Handshake. 

Work-study jobs

You may find hourly jobs listed as work-study in Handshake. Work-study is a type of financial aid that you earn through part-time hourly student jobs. Learn more about work-study at CU Boulder. If you have questions about work-study, contact Student Employment.  

If you have work-study, you can apply for any on-campus or contracted off-campus work-study student job on Handshake. 

 

 

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Looking for a summer job?

Did you know that CU Boulder offers more than 9,300 on-campus student jobs?

On-campus employment isn’t just for fall and spring—many positions are available during the summer as well! Review summer on-campus job openings. 

Student job opportunities

FAQs

If you are an incoming student, you can start using Handshake about 24 hours after enrolling in classes. If you are a current student and don’t have an active Handshake account, email career@colorado.edu with your name, graduation year and degree, and we’ll help you get started! 

You can apply for on-campus jobs year-round. Typically, more opportunities are available at the beginning of each semester. 

On-campus jobs, like any other jobs, can be competitive. We recommend meeting with a career advisor, which you can schedule on Buff Portal Advising. Career advisors can review your resume and help you prepare for the interview process. 

You’ll need to be enrolled in classes to access Handshake. Once you’ve enrolled, your Handshake account will be ready within 24 hours. If you’re not enrolled yet, hang tight—your account will be waiting for you when the time comes! 

Reach out to Student Employment for any work-study related questions. For jobs that specifically prefer or require work-study, check out the  Work-Study On-Campus Jobs collection on Handshake. 

Yes! A key benefit of on-campus jobs is their flexibility, allowing you to work around your class schedule. We understand you’re a student first. 

Student hourly employees may work up to 25 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, and up to 40 hours per week in the summer. Graduate and international students are limited to 20 hours per week during the academic year. Learn more about CU Boulder Student Employment Policies. 

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