Student Employee Retirement Options
All student employees who do not have a retirement election or exemption form on file must select a retirement option by May 20. Student employees will be notified by e-mail of their current retirement status. No action is required by student employees who have a valid form on file and choose to maintain their current retirement status. Information about student retirement plan options is available at hr.osu.edu/studentretire.
Student Options:
1. Make NO OPERS contributions: Complete a Request for Optional Exemption as a Student Form to be exempt from contributing and decline OPERS membership while continuously1 employed as a student at Ohio State.
2. Make contributions and earn credit in OPERS: Complete a Student Retirement Election Form to contribute and earn service credit in OPERS.
If no selection is made, the student will default to contributing to OPERS. The retirement choice is irrevocable while continuously2 employed as a student at Ohio State.
An informational open house will be held for student employees on the Columbus campus in May. A departmental human resource professional forum will be held on May 5. Forms are due by noon on May 20 to the Office of Human Resources.
1 Exemption criteria: Students Must be enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours at Ohio State (a GAA, GRA, or GTA must be enrolled for a minimum of nine hours during autumn, winter, and spring quarters, and for a minimum of seven hours during summer quarter) and host candidacy doctoral students must be enrolled for a minimum of three hours. Instructional and General Fees must be paid.
2 Continuously employed: A period when working and attending classes at Ohio State and there is no 12-month break in service between each period of employment.