Federal Work Study Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Federal Work-Study (FWS)?
- How do I become eligible for the FWS program?
- How do I locate an FWS job?
- How much can I earn?
- How many hours can I work?
- How will I be paid?
- What happens once I've earned my FWS allocation?
- What if I already have a job or I don't want to work while in school?
- How are FWS earnings handled on the following year's financial aid application?
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally funded program which gives students with financial need an opportunity for part-time, temporary employment. This employment is intended to allow students to earn money to help pay for their educational expenses. The FWS program encourages students to gain valuable career-related experience as well as promotes community-service employment opportunities.
How do I become eligible for the Federal Work-Study program?
To become eligible for FWS, you must first demonstrate financial need by filling out the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who are eligible for aid are sent an award letter which indicates the type and amount of aid to be received. If a student is eligible to earn FWS, the amount of eligibility will be listed on the award letter.
How do I locate a Federal Work-Study job?
While the Financial Aid Office cannot guarantee you a federal work study job, we do provide you with currently available job postings. A Job Placement Board is maintained near the Financial Aid Office and contains postings for on and off-campus federal work study positions. The postings from the Job Board may also be viewed on the Financial Aid Office's Web Page. A complete listing of off-campus federal work study jobs is available in the Financial Aid Office front desk area.
You are also encouraged to apply directly to administrative offices and educational departments in which you may have an interest in working. Be sure to specify that you are looking for a federal work study position.
The Financial Aid Office also sponsors a jobs fair, which is generally held the opening week of the fall semester. Many students find employment positions through this fair.
How much can I earn in the FWS program?
The maximum you may earn in the FWS program is the amount of your FWS award. All FWS positions are assigned a job classification with a corresponding wage range. Job classifications begin at minimum wage and go up from there. A student's FWS allocation and how much they earn per hour will determine how many hours a student can work in a semester or academic year.
Students may not work more than forty hours per week. When determining hours per week, an employer will consider your FWS allocation, your class schedule, and the needs of your employer.
Students are paid hourly for the work they perform. Timesheets are submitted to Payroll biweekly by the employer. Students will have their payments directly deposited to their savings or checking accounts. Direct deposit forms can be completed by accessing www.uwec.edu/hr/forms.htm.
What happens once I have earned my Federal Work-Study allocation?
Students are responsible for ensuring that they do not earn over their work-study allocation. Employers are sent an Earnings Comparison Report after every payroll is run to monitor student earnings. A collaborative effort should be made by both the student and the employer to track earnings. When a student finds they are getting close to earning their total FWS allocation, they should come to the Financial Aid Office to inquire about possibilities of increasing their FWS allocation. However, once you have reached your FWS allocation, employers have the option of either switching you to Non-federal student employment or letting you go. Students may not work beyond their FWS allocation.
What if I have a job off-campus or I do not want to work while going to school?
If you are interested in additional loan, you should contact your Financial Aid Office to inquire about the possibility of converting your FWS to loan. This is possible only when a student has not reached their maximum loan borrowing limit for a particular year.
How are FWS earnings handled on the Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA)?
Total federal work study earnings for a calendar year may be subtracted from your adjusted gross income by listing them on Worksheet A of the following year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This results in a lower estimated family contribution on which the upcoming academic year financial aid award is based. For example, if you filed a 2002 tax return for $6000 but of that amount $5000 was earned as federal work study, you should list $5000 on Worksheet A. This results in only $1000 of your income being used in determining your financial aid for the 2003-2004 academic year. This is available only for federal work study earnings, not nonfederal earnings.
