USC Payroll Authorization for Students in their Final Semester and Registered Less than Half Time
Students in their final semester before graduation taking the number of units required for achieving their degree are considered “full-time students.” This is true even when students are enrolled in less than 6 units for undergraduates, 4 units for Masters students, 3 units for doctoral students. However, in order for students to work on campus and be paid by USC payroll, the student’s STARS report must be updated to indicate it is the student’s final semester.
This is a separate process from submitting a Reduced Course Load (RCL) form to OIS.
Updating the STARS report requires the student’s academic advisor to apply courses toward their degree and enter a “degree check” into the SIS record. This action causes STARS to identify whether the student has satisfied all graduation requirements. Once this action is completed, it takes approximately 24 to 48 hours for USC Payroll to receive the information. Once received, the student’s payroll coordinator will be able to process all payroll paperwork.