What is Federal Work Study?
Federal Work Study (FWS) is awarded by Financial Aid Services as part of your financial aid package. It allows you to earn money to help you pay for educational and personal expenses of attending college. It does not automatically cover the cost of tuition. To determine if you have an award, review your Award on your MyUHPortal.
You may be offered the opportunity to work on campus and earn money for education-related personal expenses as part of your financial aid offer if you show financial need. Earnings are limited to the amount awarded in the aid package. Typically, Central College students work about 6 to 8 hours per week. Earnings are paid directly to the you by check as the work is performed and are not credited to the student’s account. You may use your earnings to cover personal expenses.
Federal Work-Study is a need-based financial aid award made to enrolled, degree-seeking students. Because it is a student job, most employers provide flexibility in scheduling students’ work hours. Work-study employment operates the same way as other jobs, with the following difference: income earned from work-study employment does not count as income for the purposes of calculating a student’s financial aid package. Because work-study awards are given to help pay for a student’s education in the year in which the award is received, the government does not expect the student to save any of those funds to pay for subsequent years of education. The amount a student can earn through work-study is limited: the work-study award represents the amount a student can earn in a work-study job. Work-study employers pay only a portion of the student’s earnings, and financial aid funds pay the other portion. Consequently, work-study students are desirable to employers.
Federal Work Study will appear on the award letter of students who are eligible to participate in the program. Work study is money you earn by working on campus, while enrolled in school, that will help pay your educational expenses. Wages and earnings from employment through the work study program are not credited to students’ accounts in the Business Office. A paycheck will be received two times each month for actual hours worked.
Federal Work-Study is a financial aid program in which students work in on-campus departments or approved off-campus community service organizations and are paid in the form of monthly paychecks. Federal Work-study is awarded to students with financial need. Program funds are limited, so be sure to file a FAFSA by April 1 if you wish to be considered for Federal Work-Study.
