Your Guide To The Federal Work-Study Program

The federal work-study program offers eligible students the ability to earn financial aid by working in university-approved, part-time jobs. Like other forms of federal aid, students apply for the work-study program as part of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be completed online. Federal work-study eligibility is determined by a student’s demonstrated financial need.

Once awarded aid under the work-study program, students who accept the award must identify an eligible role through their school’s financial aid or career services office. Average work-study awards are typically around $1,850 and are paid over the course of the school year. Unlike student loans, work-study funds do not have to be repaid.

What Is Federal Work-Study?

Federal work-study is a financial aid program that’s offered by the U.S. Department of Education and available to undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The program enables students to cover education expenses by earning at least minimum wage in part-time jobs that may even be related to their area of study.

Like a normal job, work-study funds are paid to the student in weekly, bi-weekly or monthly paychecks over the course of employment—not as a lump sum tuition payment to the university. Plus, while work-study wages aren’t usually enough to live on, income earned under the work-study program is exempt from FICA, so Social Security and Medicaid taxes won’t be withheld.

Who Is Eligible for Work-Study?

To be eligible for work-study, students must file the FAFSA each year they’re in school. While all students can submit a FAFSA, only students who demonstrate a financial need will be eligible for work-study and certain other types of federal student aid. Applicants also must indicate in the FAFSA that they are interested in work-study, so check with your school’s financial aid office to confirm you’re completing the application properly.

Finally, not all schools participate in the federal work-study program, so check with the financial aid offices at your schools of choice to confirm the availability of work-study aid. Once confirmed, apply early for the greatest chance of receiving an award—many schools offer aid and jobs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check Your Eligibility

To get an idea of whether you’ll qualify for federal work-study—or how much work-study you’re eligible for—check out the FAFSA4caster tool on the Federal Student Aid website. This calculates how much work-study aid you’re likely to qualify for based on financial information and national award averages. Plus, you’ll be able to see how work-study aid might compare to other types of federal student aid.

If you don’t qualify for federal work-study, you may still be a candidate for institutional work-study. These opportunities are typically offered by various academic offices or departments and are paid for by university funds, rather than a combination of institutional and federal monies. Plus, even those who are ineligible for federal and institutional work-study can still apply for the typical part-time jobs you may find in and around campus while pursuing a degree.

How to Apply for Work-Study

Follow these steps to complete your FAFSA online at the Federal Student Aid website and apply for work-study:

1. Collect the necessary documents. Before you start working on your application, compile your federal income tax returns, W-2s and records of any other money you have earned. This may include bank statements, records of investments and documentation for untaxed income. If you’re a dependent you’ll also need to gather most of these records for your parents’ finances.

2. Log in to the Federal Student Aid website. Start by logging in to the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website. If you’ve logged in before, simply enter your FSA ID and password. Otherwise, begin the process by creating an FSA account with your Social Security number and contact information.

3. Start filling out the FAFSA. The application for the upcoming school year is typically available in October of the preceding year. It usually takes less than an hour to complete but you can save your form for up to 45 days while you work on it.

4. Select “yes” to opt into work-study. As part of the Student Demographics portion of the application, indicate whether you are interested in being considered for work-study. If you want to be considered for work-study aid, select “Yes.” Keep in mind, this does not guarantee you a work-study job. If you’re unsure, you can also select “I don’t know”—but check with each school’s financial aid office to determine the best way to qualify for work-study.

5. Choose where to send your application. To qualify for work-study, you must demonstrate financial need, attend a school that offers the program and have your FAFSA sent to that institution. If you don’t know your school’s Federal School Code, you can search by city, state and name. Applicants can send their FAFSA to up to 10 schools, so if you’re not sure where you’re going yet, add all of your possible choices.

6. Provide financial information. After answering some questions about demographics, you’ll be prompted to enter information about your relevant tax returns and other information to evaluate your financial need. If you’re applying as a dependent, you’ll complete the Parent Financials section of the form.

7. Sign and submit your application. Once you submit all of the required information, agree to the FAFSA certification statement and sign your application by the filing deadline—typically on or before June 30. Check with your school’s financial aid office to determine the correct deadlines as they may be university-specific.

8. Reapply every school year. Because work-study eligibility is based on demonstrated financial need, students are required to resubmit their FAFSA each year. For that reason, work-study aid is not guaranteed from year to year.

How to Find an Eligible Work-Study Job

Your federal student aid award letter will indicate how much in work-study aid you are eligible for for each semester. However, students who qualify for federal work-study are responsible for identifying their own jobs and are not guaranteed to earn all of the work-study funds included in the award letter.

To find eligible jobs, start by contacting your university’s financial aid office or career center to learn about available work-study resources. Some schools also offer students online directories for work-study jobs or hold job fairs and other events to introduce students to eligible roles—like tutoring jobs, computer lab and library positions, research roles and off-campus positions. You should also check with your school to determine the deadline by which you must identify a work-study job—it’s usually about a month after classes start.

Keep in mind that work-study jobs are often limited and in high demand, so popular jobs are likely to fill up quickly. It’s best to start the job search early—especially if you’re looking for a role that’s related to your course of study.

How Much Can I Earn? Typical Federal Work-Study Award

Students who qualify for work-study aid and find an eligible job are guaranteed to make at least the federal minimum wage—currently $7.25 an hour—but you can earn more than that. Undergraduates are limited to hourly pay, but graduate students may earn hourly wages or a salary, depending on the specific role and employer. However, students receiving a federal work-study award can only work part-time and, on average, only earn around $1,800 to $1,850 per year.

Because of the somewhat limited availability of work-study funds, work-study wages usually aren’t enough to live on. However, it’s still worth considering—especially because income earned under the work-study program is exempt from FICA taxes so Social Security and Medicaid taxes won’t be withheld.

Work-Study Benefits

• Helps cover the cost of school. Work-study can help students earn money to pay educational expenses or otherwise support themselves during school.
• May be related to your course of study. Depending on the jobs available at your school—and when you apply for aid—you may be able to find a job that’s related to your area of study.
• Hours work with school schedule. Work-study jobs are limited to part-time and can typically be scheduled around school commitments.
• Can build your network. Working during school is a great opportunity to build your network before graduation. For this reason, work-study can also be an easy way to get recommendations when you apply for internships or a full-time job after graduation.

Work-Study Drawbacks

• Funds are not unlimited. Work-study aid and jobs are granted on a first-come, first-served basis. For that reason, aid applicants who otherwise qualify for work-study may not receive all—or any—of their award.
• Not enough to live on. Hourly rates for work-study jobs start at minimum wage and many do not exceed that. Plus, a student’s work-study earnings are capped based on need and, on average, top out around $1,850 per year.
• May overburden a student. Some students may find that maintaining a full course load and a part-time job is simply too much to handle. If possible, students who are overwhelmed by the prospect of going to school and working should focus on other forms of aid like grants or scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions