How can I participate?

How many hours per week will I be expected to work?

Will I need to provide my own transportation to and from work?

What if I want to be a tutor, but I don't have Work-Study?

How much money will I make?

What if I want to earn more than my Work-Study award?

Can I earn course credit for being a tutor?

Are there any other special requirements for becoming a tutor?

Who can I contact for more information?

There are many ways to get involved in the UT-Austin AmericaReads/AmericaCounts program. You can begin by exploring the following information about the programs currently approved to hire AmericaReads/AmericaCounts tutors.

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Most tutors will work between 8-12 hours per week, in shifts of 2-3 hours each during normal school hours. Some campuses may also need tutors for after-school or weekend tutoring.

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Yes, you will need to arrange your own transportation to your assigned campus. If you do not have personal transportation, Capitol Metro provides service to all participating campuses, and with your UT ID you can ride the Capitol Metro sytem for free! You might also discuss the possibility of arranging a carpool with the other tutors at your campus.

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Please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 475-6282 to find out if you are eligible to receive a Work-Study award, and if we have sufficient funding to add it to your awards. Work-Study is a need-based award, so you must demonstrate financial need, as determined by the information provided on the FAFSA, in order to qualify for Work-Study each year.

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Tutors are paid a wage of $8.00-$10.00 per hour. You may earn as much each semester as the amount of the Work-Study award on your Financial Aid Notification. For example, if your Work-Study award each semester is $1400, and you earn $10.00 per hour, you may work up to 140 hours each semester.

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You should keep track of your earnings over the semester, using the Work-Study Balance Sheet, and if it appears that you might exhaust your entire Work-Study award before the end of the semester, you should contact the Work-Study Office at 475-6247. We may be able to increase your Work-Study award amount, allowing you to earn more money over the semester. If this is not possible, please check with your program administrator about the possibility of continuing your employment as a non-Work-Study employee.

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Currently, there is no formal process by which to obtain UT-Austin course credit for participating in AmericaReads/AmericaCounts.

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Besides having a Work-Study award, there are generally no required special skills or experience; however, we encourage you to discuss requirements with program coordinators before making a tutoring commitment. You do not have to be an education major; in fact, tutors come from all majors and backgrounds, but they all have in common a deep desire to mentor and to help children learn. Generally, it is preferable that tutors have at least one more academic year before graduating, due to the significant time and resources that will be invested into your training and supervision.

In accordance with A.I.S.D. policy, you must pass a TB skin test, and you must pass a criminal background check. University Health Services provides low-cost TB tests to students.

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When you have decided which program you would like to participate in, please see the contact information we have provided in our Program Descriptions page.

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