<p>Work Study is a federally funded program that provides colleges with money that is used to pay salaries for designated jobs. Work Study is a need based award. In other words, you cannot get it if you do not have some financial need. The award is based on the completion of the FAFSA. </p>
<p>Students who are awarded work study typically get a dollar amount in their award. The STUDENT is then responsible for finding a job that can be paid for using work study funds. The college is NOT responsible for finding the student a job. Most schools have jobs listed on their websites, and applications can also be done that way. </p>
<p>As an example, if a student has a $2000 work study award, that student can work at a work study job UNTIL that amount of money is used up. After that, a variety of things can happen. At some schools, the student would not continue working at that job as the work study funds would be used up. At other schools, jobs are funded with work study funds but also can be funded through university funds…so the student could continue working.</p>
<p>If a job is designated as work study ONLY…a student without a work study award will not be able to be hired for that job. </p>
<p>Most colleges have both work study jobs AND regular college jobs (paid for by the college itself). Students with work study awards can get a work study job and/or a regular job. </p>
<p>The advantage to work study is that it is also not considered as income for the following year on the student’s FAFSA.</p>