<p>So I applied for scholarships and among other things when i read the letter it said something about work study or whatnot.</p>
<p>can someone explain what exactly "work study" is?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>From the NU site [Work-Study</a> Program: Undergraduate Financial Aid, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://ug-finaid.northwestern.edu/work-study/information/index.html]Work-Study”>http://ug-finaid.northwestern.edu/work-study/information/index.html) :</p>
<p>*Work-study positions are hourly-wage jobs in which a student works for an employer according to a mutually agreed-upon schedule and is paid on a biweekly basis for the hours worked. Work-study awards are not grants automatically applied towards one’s tuition bill, nor is the amount of the award guaranteed. An award simply authorizes a student to participate in the Program and sets a limit as to the amount of income a student can earn during the academic year. It is the responsibility of the student to work enough hours to reach the earnings limit and to budget the money wisely throughout the year to meet necessary college costs. </p>
<p>The Work-Study Office acts as a referral center for positions; we do not place students in jobs, nor can we guarantee a job. This responsibility rests with the student; however, our office will do whatever possible to assist a student’s job search. </p>
<p>There are many different jobs available through the Work-Study Program ranging from clerical to musical, from laboratory to day care. There are over 50 work-study categories from which to choose, varying in the areas of interest, degree of difficulty, and wage rate. With a variety of positions available, it is hoped that students will find jobs which are both interesting and related to their career goals.*</p>
<p>The federal govt is financing your education through campus employment.</p>
<p>Universities are granted money from the Feds with which to pay students for jobs they do on campus. That means that the schools already have the money. They pay SOME of the salary, I believe, but much of it comes from the government. So, often it’s pretty easy to get a job, unless there are a very large number of students who are also granted FWS, and a fairly small school with a fairly small federal grant. Then it might be difficult to get a job. I know that my D invented her own job on her campus, with her own hours, and the school said it was fine. She is not, however, earning anywhere near the amount of money she was told she could earn. But that is her choice, based on her schedule and her own needs. It’s only financial aid in that it is available, but you have to get the job and earn the money, based also on the school’s pay scale.</p>
<p>In short: generally easy jobs in departments or around campus, where 80% of your salary is paid by the federal government. They generally have lower pay, but are fairly easy (besides which, you can only make x dollars a year, as per your allotment).</p>
<p>I love my work study job, personally, but mines one of the rarer ones/ harder to get ones. It also means I do more and get to study less. For many people, its largely a paid study hall. It takes a big chunk of time- I frequently find it frustrating that I lose 10 hrs of my week during class hours, hours I could otherwise study, to my job, but thats how it is.</p>
<p>Take the alottment.</p>
<p>A benefit of a WS job as opposed to an outside job is that the income is not held against you by FAFSA in the EFC formula the following year, as income from outside jobs would be (if they were over the protected income allowances). Also while WS earnings are taxable income (if you earn enough total income) for federal and state tax purposes, FICA contributions (@7%) are not deducted as they would be in an outside job.</p>