In short, the federal government may not be your only shot at a work-study opportunity. After reading through this guide, you should have a basic understanding of how work-study operates. But they share some key advantages for students, such as a limited pool of eligible applicants and the flexibility to accommodate class schedules. If you hope to depart college with a degree and some valuable work experience, a work-study position may be the perfect solution.
That being said, work-study roles are hardly the only form of viable employment available to students. Plus, as the gig economy presents new opportunities, you have more ways than ever to make ends meet. Even once you graduate, you may need to get creative about managing expenses while launching your career. For many young professionals, it can be tough to pay down student loans on an entry-level salary. At CollegeFinance. Learn about how you can take advantage of pell grants when funding your college expenses, how much you can receive, and more in this helpful article.
Discover top higher education tax benefits and recaptures to take advantage of for and in this helpful article! But the fundamentals of the program can be summed up in relatively simple terms: The Department of Education provides money to schools participating in work-study programs.
The amount given to each school reflects the financial needs of the student body and the number of work-study jobs available. Schools determine which students should receive work-study as part of their broader financial aid package which also includes loans and grants. If students are awarded work-study, the school designates the maximum amount that they can earn through the program. Students find designated work-study jobs on campus or in the local community. Once hired, students begin earning the amount of money specified in their work-study award.
These jobs include a diverse set of roles, but they are all part-time positions that students can balance with their studies. You must be a current undergraduate, graduate, or professional student students enrolled in vocational programs qualify as professional students. You must be enrolled part-time or full-time in a degree-seeking program. You must be accepted or currently enrolled in a school that participates in the Federal Work-Study Program.
You must demonstrate a need for financial assistance in affording the costs of college and associated expenses. What Kinds of Work-study Jobs are Available? This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should provide a good sense of the opportunities available: Teaching and tutoring roles: Teaching assistants and tutors are often work-study recipients.
They usually earn these positions by excelling in the subjects they teach to others. Research roles: From the lab to the library, many students earn money by helping faculty complete research projects. Again, these students earn their spots through academic excellence.
Admissions and student life roles: Want to lead campus tours for prospective students? How about leading orientation groups for freshman or serving as a resident assistant RA? Work-study students often perform these gigs. Administrative roles: From managing paperwork and correspondence to handling incoming calls, every department needs a work-study student to handle business.
In many such roles, work-study students keep colleges running. Offsetting Expenses: As a Student — and Beyond After reading through this guide, you should have a basic understanding of how work-study operates.
Some schools even have agreements with private for-profit employers; in these cases, your work must be related to your field of study, since these types of jobs are not considered to be serving the public good. It is important to keep in mind that even if you are involved with the work-study program, you are not guaranteed a job.
Once you receive your work-study award, in rare cases your school might match you to a job, but most will require that you find a job, apply to it, and go to an interview yourself. Work-study jobs are required to pay you at least federal minimum wage. You might even make more, depending on the type of work that you do and the skills that are required.
A research assistantship, for example, might offer a higher wage than a job manning the front desk at the campus library. You should also be aware that a work-study job is different from a regular job in the sense that you cannot simply work for as many hours as you want; the amount of hours that you can work is predetermined by the amount of money allotted by your federal work-study award.
Additionally, when considering how many hours you will work, your school and your employer will both take into account your class schedule and academic progress. Work-study jobs can be ideal for students for this reason—often, your employer will be more willing to work with you because they understand that you are a full-time student with serious academic demands. If you are an undergraduate student, you will be paid by the hour.
If you are a graduate student, you will either be paid by the hour or have a set salary, depending on the kind of work that you are doing. According to regulations from the Federal Work-Study program, your school must pay you at least once per month. Your school must pay you directly with a paycheck unless you request that the money be deposited directly in your bank account or your working-study earnings be deducted from your education-related institutional fees like tuition, room and board, or other fees.
Be sure to keep in mind that your work-study funds will not be applied directly to your tuition. You get to decide where your work-study award is deposited.
Like most processes involving financial aid, awards will be given on a first-come first-serve basis, so you should be careful when handling deadlines and be sure to apply as early as you can. A job from the federal work-study program helps you do just that.
Federal work-study is a form of financial aid that offers you a part-time job, on or off campus. The smooth hiring process and flexible hours make a work-study job desirable to many students. The college awards you work-study as part of your financial aid package. Once you start school, you'll find your work-study job through job banks or postings by the financial aid or college employment offices.
In most cases, you will have the opportunity to interview with potential work-study employers. In the end, whether or not you are hired is up to the employer. The answer is simple. With a regular job, the government will reduce your financial aid eligibility by 50 percent of your earnings over a certain amount. Income from a work-study job does not reduce your financial aid eligibility. And, with work-study, employers are required to consider your class schedule when assigning work hours, whereas regular employers are not.
Typical on-campus work-study jobs include working in the library or bookstore, serving in the dining hall, and assisting with college events.
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