Federal Work Study is a federally funded employment program awarded to students who have a current year FAFSA on file and demonstrate financial need. The work study allocation is an option to work, not a requirement or a guaranteed job. If you receive work study as part of your financial aid award, you may apply for work study jobs and are eligible to earn up to the amount of your work study award.
Students who are eligible for work-study will receive it in their financial aid offer, but it is not like other financial aid awards. These funds will not be directly applied to your university account balance. Under work-study, you will earn a paycheck based on the hours you work and your paycheck will be directly deposited into your bank account.
Think of work-study as earning potential. If you are offered work-study, you can apply for a job on campus, or potentially apply with one of our off-campus sites. Once a you start earning a paycheck from your work-study job, you can earn up to the amount of your work-study award that was listed in your financial aid package. If you earn your full work-study allocation you may continue to work, however, those additional earnings will need to go through non-federal student employment rather than work study.
