The Federal Work-Study Program provides jobs for undergraduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to courses of study.

Salary

If your child qualifies for the Federal Work-Study Program, the salary will equal at least the current federal minimum wage, but it could be higher, depending on the type of work and the skills required. Total Federal Work-Study award depends on the application date, level of need, and the funding levels of the school.

Undergraduate students are paid by the hour. Unlike a loan program, money is not paid before you earn it. No Federal Work-Study student may be paid by commission or fee. Students must be paid by the school directly at least once a month.

Hours

The amount your child can earn cannot exceed the total Federal Work-Study award. When assigning work hours, the employer or financial aid administrator will consider your child's class schedule and academic progress.

On-campus or off-campus

On campus and off campus jobs are available. On-campus work is usually done for the school. Off-campus work is usually provided by a private nonprofit organization or a public agency and the nature of the work must be in the public interest. Some schools may have agreements with private for-profit employers for Federal Work-Study jobs, which must be judged to be relevant to the course of study. If your child attends a proprietary school, you might have additional restrictions on the jobs available.