<p>Hi everyone. Can anyone please explain the concept of federal work study to me? In my financial aid package, I was offered work study money. From what I've read, I know that work study is a part time job (12-15 hours a week ish?) and the jobs are like tutoring elementary kids, college advising for minorities, etc. (huge range of jobs and lots are like community service). </p>
<p>So is work study basically just like an advancement of money I will be making from those jobs? Or do I actually get paid money? Like my work study money award for financial aid is about $2000. Does that mean I have to work until I've earned $2000 and that money is the financial aid? Or I actually get $2000 for free and the money i make from working?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I have a work-study at community college right now. This is a normal job (I tutor HS kids and I absolutely LOVE it) and you are getting paid for it. Basically, by giving you a work-study, they are giving you a chance to earn some money while you are attending college by providing you a job. This way, you don’t look for it yourself so you are literally given a chance to come closer to meeting your financial need. The paychecks come to you, so it’s up to you how to spend the money you are getting. A nice perk (at least from what I’ve experienced) - you are getting paid slightly more than a regular student part-time job (13.25/h for me) and you have a good chance of getting to know more people on campus ;)</p>
<p>the award is the rusty treasure chest which from your salary will be paid</p>
<p>If you have work study you can apply for work study jobs on campus (there is a database online that you choose from) and it is just like a normal job except that if, say you’re getting paid $10/hour, $5/hour is being paid by the government and the other half by the people you work for. So if you have work study it is fairly easy to get a job on campus. The award amount is how long you can work for in the school year. You can work up until you earn $2000, after that you aren’t going to be able to work at all. You don’t actually get the money unless you work for it. Hope that helps.</p>
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<p>This is largely wrong, and perhaps totally wrong. Most work study jobs are almost pure grunt work – doing clerical/secretarial work in a department, sitting in a building lobby swiping student IDs, etc. Work study is not “like community service” in any way.</p>
<p>@ Columbia2002: Well I guess Columbia has different work study jobs… then >___> My friend goes to Cornell and he said lots of work study jobs were like that but he’s not sure on Columbia’s policy.</p>
<p>There are a lot of community service work study jobs. But yeah, most involve swiping/clerking/researching.</p>