Federal Work Study
Purpose
The purpose of the Federal Work Study Program (FWS) is the employment of students who are enrolled as undergraduate, graduate or professional students who are in need of earnings from employment to pursue courses of study at eligible institutions.
Employment under the FWS program must be reasonably available to the extent of available funds to all students in the institution who desire such employment. Students are responsible for finding qualifying work study employment.
At a glance- Facts About Student Employment
Students wishing to participate in the Federal Work Study Program must be awarded financial aid and have federal Work Study eligibility as a part of their award package. To apply for financial aid, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and indicate employment as their first choice for self-help aid.
Students who demonstrate financial need, based on the FAFSA, will be awarded financial aid as long as funding permits. Award packages include a combination of gift aid and self-help. The self-help may be either loans or employment, or a combination, depending on what the student requested in his or her application.
Separate applications for financial aid are required for each academic year that a student wishes to be considered for employment under Federal Work Study.
The Financial Aid Office recommends that students and departments limit their working hours to no more than 20 hours per week. During holidays student may work full time. However any overtime will not be paid through Federal Work Study program account.
Once the student has earned his/her award maximum, the student must be terminated from the work study program. The student may contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine if they have any remaining work study eligibility. After an evaluation of eligibility:
- Eligible: the student may put in a written request for additional work study funding.
- Ineligible: the department can either hire the student at 100% departmental funding or the student must stop working and the department will terminate him/her from the ISU Human Resource System. Keep in mind that students may work in more than one department at a time.
It is the employer's and employee's responsibility to ensure that the student does not exceed his/her FWS Award limit.
A student is terminated from FWS Program if the student drops below the minimum requirements of six (6) credits or at the end of the academic term.
Federal Work Study awards are not credited to a student's account at the Cashier's Office. A pay check is issued every two weeks to the student for the time worked. The check can be received at the Cashier's Office in the Administration Building.
A list of job opportunities can be accessed from Office of Financial Aid and at the Student Employment Office (non FWS funds).