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Federal Work-Study program</a>? Continue reading to learn what that means and how it benefits you.</p>
<h3>What is Work Study in College?</h3>
<p>Work study is a federal financial aid program that provides colleges with funds to pay financially needy students who hold down a job. It is money set aside for students to earn throughout the year. It’s not “free money” like a scholarship or grant.</p>
<h3>How Does Work Study Work?</h3>
<p>In a nutshell, the federal work study program works like this:</p>
<ul>
<li>The federal government awards work study funds to a college</li>
<li>A student files the FAFSA and selects “interested in work study”</li>
<li>The eligible student receives their financial aid package and accepts the Federal Work-Study program aid</li>
<li>The college matches the student with a work study job, or the student applies for a work study job</li>
<li>The student is compensated via paycheck for each hour worked</li>
<li>The student uses money to cover costs like books, supplies, and groceries</li>
</ul>
<h3>What are the FAFSA Work Study Qualifications?</h3>
<p>Students expressing financial need and an interest in the federal work study program typically qualify for a work study position. You won’t know if you qualify until you <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/news/article/filing-the-fafsa-everything-you-need-to-know">file your FAFSA</a> and receive your financial aid package from the college. You <em>must</em> express interest in the work study program on your FAFSA, or you automatically do not qualify.</p>
<p>Funding is limited, so the earlier you submit your FAFSA, the better. Funding also isn’t guaranteed year-to-year. You must resubmit your FAFSA and express interest every year to remain eligible.</p>
<p>Where Do Work Study Students Work?</p>
<p>Students participating in the program work at one of the following places:</p>
<ul>
<li>On-campus</li>
<li>Off-campus for a non-profit or public agency</li>
<li>Off-campus for a private for-profit company</li>
</ul>
<p>If you work off-campus for a non-profit or public agency, your job must be in the public interest. For example, working with and tutoring children at the YMCA. If you work off-campus for a private for-profit company, your job must be related to your major. For example, a marketing major might intern with a local business’ marketing department.</p>
<p><img src=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/asset.plexuss.com/news/images/type-of-work-study-jobs.jpg" alt="Type of Work Study Jobs" width="400" height="250" /></p>
<h3>What Types of Work Study Jobs are There?</h3>
<p>The federal government encourages colleges to employ students in work related to their field of study or civic education. However, federal work study jobs vary greatly based on the school. If you qualify for work study, you could find yourself working jobs like these: </p>
<ul>
<li>Cafeteria cashier</li>
<li>Bathroom, dorm, or classroom custodian</li>
<li>Circulation desk worker in the library</li>
<li>Office assistant for an academic department</li>
<li>Research or teaching assistant for a professor</li>
<li>Outreach coordinator for a local non-profit</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Do I Get a Work Study Job?</h3>
<p>You aren’t guaranteed a federal work study position. To earn the money listed in your award letter, you need to go out and get an eligible job. Some schools match all students with a work study job. If that’s the case, incoming first-year students usually receive an email over the summer listing their assignment. Other schools require students to <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/news/article/work-study-college-jobs">find, apply for, and interview for a work study job</a>. You need to be proactive and reach out the financial aid office. They can give you a list of available jobs.</p>
<h3>How Many Hours Per Week is a Work Study Job?</h3>
<p>How much you work each week depends on the school and your job. If you’re assigned to clean bathrooms, you might only work one hour each day for a total of five hours per week. If you’re working as an office assistant for a professor, you might work 10 to 20 hours per week. It all depends, but it’s something you’ll find out about before you accept the job.</p>
<p>Colleges also understand that school comes first, so supervisors schedule shifts around class times. </p>
<h3>How Much Does Work Study Pay?</h3>
<p>At a minimum, work study students earn the current federal minimum wage. Some colleges institute their own minimum wage or follow state or city minimum wage laws. The total amount you receive each year from your federal work study job depends on:</p>
<ul>
<li>When you apply for financial aid</li>
<li>Your level of financial need</li>
<li>The amount of funding your school has</li>
</ul>
<p>A big benefit of participating in the program is that the earnings you make from your federal work study position don’t count against you when you file your FAFSA. This means that next years’ financial aid package won’t be affected by this year’s work study earnings.</p>
<p>It’s worth mentioning that your total earnings as a student are not limited by the amount that’s listed on your financial aid award either. If the college offers you more hours or you want to pick up a second job, you can still do that. However, any amount you earn over your federal work study award is viewed as regular earnings and counts in the FAFSA calculations.</p>
<h3>How Do I Get Paid?</h3>
<p>Your work study funds don’t automatically go toward your tuition, fees, room, and board expenses. Undergraduate work study students get a paycheck at least once per month. It goes into your bank account rather than into your student tuition account. The purpose of the money is to help you cover small college-related costs like books, groceries, gas, etc. It might not seem like much, but everything helps if you’re trying to <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/news/article/how-to-avoid-student-loans-and-graduate-without-debt">graduate without debt</a>.</p>
<h3>What if I Don’t Qualify for Work Study?</h3>
<p>If you don’t qualify for the federal work study program, don’t fret. Colleges regularly employ students who didn’t receive work study as part of their financial aid package. You can still work on campus and earn money to help cover expenses.</p></div>"/>
