Please note that it is against State and Federal employment laws to work without an active appointment, so please do not begin working until you have been notified that your hire has been fully completed.
Undergraduate Student Employees
Undergraduate students employed by ISBER are hired into Student Assistant (Job Title 4922) positions. In this title, you may hire an undergraduate student with an hourly rate within the range of $16.90 and $40.00 per hour. Please note that minimum wage in California increases yearly on January 1st.
The current benefits rates charged for this job title as of 7/1/26 are 1.2% CBR (Composite Benefits Rate, charged to every funding source) and 2.42% GAEL (General, Automobile, Employment Liability, charged to specific funding sources). Please keep these numbers in mind when budgeting for your intended hire.
Undergraduate students are encouraged to work less than 50% FTE (20 hours per week) total between all combined appointments, however they are potentially able to work up to 100% FTE (40 hours per week).
Under supervision, Student Assistants perform duties ranging from unskilled to skilled and/or specialized in a variety of positions that typically require the use of manual, clerical, advising, public contact, and/or analytical skills, and perform other related duties as required. The series is characterized by the generally temporary nature of appointments, the general absence of continuing responsibility for the work performed, and the diversity of duties that may be assigned.
HR requires the department to obtain and retain Job Descriptions for these types of appointments.
Graduate Student Employees
Graduate students employed by ISBER are hired into either the Student Assistant (Job Title 4922) or Graduate Student Researcher (Job Title 3284) positions. Please see the following descriptions to determine which Job Title fits your hire request best:
Student Assistant (Job Title 4922)
Under supervision, Student Assistants perform duties ranging from unskilled to skilled and/or specialized in a variety of positions that typically require the use of manual, clerical, advising, public contact, and/or analytical skills, and perform other related duties as required. The series is characterized by the generally temporary nature of appointments, the general absence of continuing responsibility for the work performed, and the diversity of duties that may be assigned.
As of January 1st, 2026, the current salary range is $16.90 - $40.00 per hour. The California minimum wage increases yearly on January 1st.
The current Composite Benefits Rate as of 7/1/26 is 1.2%, so when budgeting for the position please keep this in mind.If your funding source is one that gets charged GAEL (General, Automobile, Employment Liability), when budgeting please keep in mind that the new rate as of 7/1/26 is 2.42%.
Graduate Student Researcher (Job Title 3284)
A Graduate Student Researcher is a registered UC graduate student who performs research related to the student’s degree program in an academic department or research unit under the direction of a faculty member or Principal Investigator. Graduate Student Researchers are selected for high achievement and promise as creative scholars; they may collaborate in the publication of research results as determined by supervising faculty members. Graduate Student Researchers may not be assigned teaching, administrative or general assistance duties.
Graduate Student Researchers are Exempt employees paid salaries on the Monthly pay schedule with rates based on a Step scale. The minimum Step required to hire the Graduate Student at is based on the amount of previous quarters of GSR experience.
The current Step rates for the 2026-27 Academic Year are as follows (amounts are shown at 50% FTE):
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During the academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters), GSR appointments qualify for fee remission.
Appointments between 25% - 34% FTE qualify for Partial Fee Remission. This includes payment of 100% of the University’s mandatory fees; Student Services Fee, Tuition, Non-Resident Tuition when applicable, and Health Insurance (GSHIP). Partial Remission does not currently include the payment of UCSB Campus Based Fees.
Appointments between 35% FTE and above qualify for Full Fee Remission. This includes payment of 100% of the University’s mandatory fees; Student Services Fee, Tuition, Non-Resident Tuition when applicable, and Health Insurance (GSHIP), as well as UCSB Campus Based Fees.
The current Composite Benefits Rate as of 7/1/26 is 1.2%, so when budgeting for the position please keep this in mind.
If your funding source is one that gets charged GAEL (General, Automobile, Employment Liability), when budgeting please keep in mind that the new rate as of 7/1/26 is 2.42%.
To see estimates for the complete costs for Residents and Non-Residents at each Salary Step rate based on the most common GSR appointments (50% FTE, 20 hours per week), please review this document.
If none of these estimates fit your requirements, please reach out to the ISBER Student Personnel team and inquire about a custom estimate.
International Students
If the international student you wish to hire has not been employed by the University of California before, during the hiring process they will be required to complete GLACIER documentation, as the program heps determine tax residency, withholding rates, and income treaty eligibility. For more information on GLACIER, please visit here.
International student employees registered in GLACIER are asked to review and update the information in the system on an annual basis and as changes occur in their foreign status.
International student employees, both undergraduate and graduate, are only allowed to work up to 50% FTE (20 hours per week) total between all active appointments during the academic quarters.
During inter-quarter break periods and over the Summer quarter, they are eligible to be hired above 50%, provided that they follow the guidelines set in place.
For the 2025-2026 Academic Year, the break periods and total hours allowed are as follows:
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If you would like to hire an international graduate student during these inter-break periods or over the Summer quarter, please reach out to the ISBER Personnel team and we can discuss the best way to move forward with each individual situation.
Work Study
Undergraduate and Graduate students who have been awarded Work-Study may select to use it for the appointment they are being hired for. If they wish to do this, they will be asked to provide the ISBER Personnel team with their Work-Study Referral Form so we can fill it out and send it to the Financial Aid office for processing.
There is a 40/60 funding split when dealing with Work Study. The department funding source used for the student employee’s appointment is charged 40% of the gross earnings plus a 10% administrative fee, while the Work-Study Program is charged the remaining 60% of the gross earnings.
For example, if a student’s gross earnings are $100, $40 is the department’s cover, $10 is the administrative fee from the department, and $60 is the Work-Study program’s cover.
Benefits are fully charged to the department funding source.
The cut-off period typically falls during Winter quarters.
The recommended guideline for student Work-Study appointments is 37.5% FTE - 50% FTE (15 - 20 hours per week).
For more detailed information, please visit the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship’s Work-Study Employers page.
The Hiring Process
If you would like to know about the process of hiring a student employee at ISBER, please see this document.
Sharing Employment with Other Departments
Undergraduate student employees are responsible for notifying the ISBER Student Personnel team of additional appointments (jobs) they hold with another University department, or an outside agency paid from University funds.
Generally it is recommended that undergraduate student employees work a maximum of 50% FTE (20 hours per week) total between all combined appointments.