Federal Work Study

Reckless

Hey all,

I'm planning on doing a summer abroad in a year's time. To save up for the trip, I'd like to get myself a campus job for the first time. For reference, I'm headed into my Junior year. As it stands, I don't think I qualify for student aid, but when I filled out my FAFSA, I didn't indicate any desire to receive a work study position.

However, now that I'm looking at campus jobs, basically everything is done through the FWS program. Is there any way I can petition to become eligible for a work-study position?

Thanks all.

Wiley

The best thing to do is go talk to someone at your schools financial aid office. I'm not sure about your specific situation, but when I had an on campus work study job I hadn't checked the work study box either. I just talked to a financial aid counselor, was awarded work study money, and then went and found an on campus job. Of course, this was several years ago, maybe things have changed.

Reckless

Nice. I'll give them a visit, then. I'm working a temp service position during the summer, so I've got a bit of an advantage in that I'm in town before a lot of the other students that will also be looking for work.

Kriz

your Financial aid office should have all the info you need.

the way it worked for me was my school looked at my fafsa and gave an estimated cost of attendance for the year. pell grant covered about 1/4th of that cost, and the rest I was eligible to either get loans for, or earn it through work-study.

as an example, say the estimated total cost of attendance was $20,000. Pell grant tops out at $5,000, so if you don't get any loans, you are eligible to earn up to $15,000, no more.

Also, you're limited to working 15 hours per week.

it's easier to get a position for almost any department you want because your salary doesn't come out of their budget.

I worked for my school's IT department; work-study is a great opportunity for getting on the job experience and making connections in your chosen field.

Enc

Our work study students pretty much troll the internet all day. It makes me cry, especially when I have lots of things they could be doing, but sadly am not the person assigned to babysit them.

If you get in, remember: you are essentially free labor for the department you are assigned. If you don't like the work, you can be transferred elsewhere, often without penalty.