Paying for College: What Is Work-Study?
Posted 14 May, 2010
You’ve probably heard (or read) a lot about grants, scholarships, and loans, but many parents have never heard of Work-Study - a common piece of the financial aid pie. If you, too, are in the dark, read on!
What is Work-Study?
The Federal Work-Study program–which, as its name implies is funded by the federal government–helps provide part-time on-campus work to help students cover the cost of higher education. Over 3,400 colleges and universities participate in the Work-Study program and they offer a wide range of job opportunities.
Federal Work-Study is not a loan, scholarship or grant. Students who qualify for Work-Study are expected to perform work as they would for any other job and, in return, receive a regular paycheck. The money is paid to the student, not directly to the school, so there are no federal strings on how the student uses the money.
The award amount (the maximum amount a student can earn in a Work-Study job) is determined by the college’s financial aid office. If your student qualifies, it will show up on his or her award letter. Work Study is a need-based program.
How Do Students Apply for Work-Study?
Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only way to qualify for Work-Study. (It is also the only way to apply for federal student loans–read more about that here.)
Who is Eligible?
Students attending undergraduate, vocational and graduate schools can all apply for Work-Study, but they must fall into the federally established guidelines of financial need to be considered eligible. You can read more about the federal formula for determining eligibility at the Department of Education’s Work-Study site.
What Type of Wages Do Students Earn?
By law Work-Study jobs must pay at least the federal minimum wage, but many of them pay more. The wage is typically determined by the job type, with more difficult positions paying higher hourly rates.
Are Students Automatically Assigned a Job?
No, students who are awarded Work-Study are not assigned a job. Rather, the Work-Study award allows students to apply for Work-Study positions on campus (students who do not receive the award cannot be hired for these jobs.)
Note: The current economic environment has caused many schools to cut back the number of Work-Study jobs they make available to students. Now more than ever, it is important for a student to try to secure a Work-Study job as soon as possible because there are more Work-Study awards given out than there are jobs available. Incoming freshmen: Contact your college’s financial aid office ASAP!
Is Work-Study Better Than a Regular Job?
The answer to this question will depend on your student’s personal situation. With the economy tight and job competition tough, it can be a real advantage to have the option of pursuing both regular and Work-Study jobs (which have a smaller pool of potential applicants.) Since they are usually on-campus positions, however, Work-Study jobs can often be more flexible about work hours (and sometimes even offer opportunities for study time.)
On the other hand, your student may find that he or she can earn a higher wage or pursue a job more relevant to his or her career goals by searching outside the Work-Study sphere. Your child’s best bet will be to consider and apply to both types of jobs. You can help your student weigh the pros and cons once he or she has a solid job offer.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
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You’ve probably heard (or read) a lot about grants, scholarships, and loans, but many parents have never heard of Work-Study - a common piece of the financial aid pie. If you, too, are in the dark, read on!
What is Work-Study?
The Federal Work-Study program–which, as its name implies is funded by the federal government–helps provide part-time on-campus work to help students cover the cost of higher education. Over 3,400 colleges and universities participate in the Work-Study program and they offer a wide range of job opportunities.
Federal Work-Study is not a loan, scholarship or grant. Students who qualify for Work-Study are expected to perform work as they would for any other job and, in return, receive a regular paycheck. The money is paid to the student, not directly to the school, so there are no federal strings on how the student uses the money.
The award amount (the maximum amount a student can earn in a Work-Study job) is determined by the college’s financial aid office. If your student qualifies, it will show up on his or her award letter. Work Study is a need-based program.
How Do Students Apply for Work-Study?
Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only way to qualify for Work-Study. (It is also the only way to apply for federal student loans–read more about that here.)
Who is Eligible?
Students attending undergraduate, vocational and graduate schools can all apply for Work-Study, but they must fall into the federally established guidelines of financial need to be considered eligible. You can read more about the federal formula for determining eligibility at the Department of Education’s Work-Study site.
What Type of Wages Do Students Earn?
By law Work-Study jobs must pay at least the federal minimum wage, but many of them pay more. The wage is typically determined by the job type, with more difficult positions paying higher hourly rates.
Are Students Automatically Assigned a Job?
No, students who are awarded Work-Study are not assigned a job. Rather, the Work-Study award allows students to apply for Work-Study positions on campus (students who do not receive the award cannot be hired for these jobs.)
Note: The current economic environment has caused many schools to cut back the number of Work-Study jobs they make available to students. Now more than ever, it is important for a student to try to secure a Work-Study job as soon as possible because there are more Work-Study awards given out than there are jobs available. Incoming freshmen: Contact your college’s financial aid office ASAP!
Is Work-Study Better Than a Regular Job?
The answer to this question will depend on your student’s personal situation. With the economy tight and job competition tough, it can be a real advantage to have the option of pursuing both regular and Work-Study jobs (which have a smaller pool of potential applicants.) Since they are usually on-campus positions, however, Work-Study jobs can often be more flexible about work hours (and sometimes even offer opportunities for study time.)
On the other hand, your student may find that he or she can earn a higher wage or pursue a job more relevant to his or her career goals by searching outside the Work-Study sphere. Your child’s best bet will be to consider and apply to both types of jobs. You can help your student weigh the pros and cons once he or she has a solid job offer.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
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At the university where I work, we LOVE work study students, and many departments hire ONLY work study students. Why? Because their pay is from the feds, and does not come out of our departmental budgets. Also, the rate of pay is higher than we could ever afford to pay–currently from 8-9 dollars an hour. So please, do not neglect to check that little box that says you will accept work study as part of your award. It increases your chances about four-fold of getting employment on campus.