<p>Does all of the money you receive from work-study have to go directly towards your tuition?</p>
<p>no, it's paid directly to the student. You do with it what you want</p>
<p>But the positions available are only for those who have the most financial need? Lets just say I was unemployed and I could not find a job around my area. Would I be able to apply for work-study if I didn't use any of the money for financial aid?</p>
<p>WS is part of your financial aid award. If you are not awarded WS as part of a need based aid award you cannot work in a WS job. Does not mean you cannot look for an on campus job - just not a WS one.</p>
<p>The COA for schools has allowances built in for miscellaneous and travel expenses. My daughter has a WS award and basically uses the money for her personal expenses. The main benefit of WS earning is that they are not held against you in calculating your EFC the subsequent year, whereas income from an off campus job will increase your EFC (if your income is over the protected income allowance of $3750).</p>
<p>Hmm, I see.</p>
<p>Can you elaborate on the protected income allowance?</p>
<p>A student has a protected income allowance on FAFSA of $3750 (for 2009-2010). 50% of income over the protected income allowance goes to the EFC. (it actually works out a little more than $3750 because of allowances for FICA, state taxes etc but $3750 is the official figure). WS income is protected. For instance my daughter earned around $3000 in a summer job. She also earned @ $1700 in WS. Although her total income of $4700 was over the protected income allowance, her non WS income was below it so it has no impact on her EFC. If her entire income had been non WS then @ 700 of it the amount over the protected income allowance - $4700 less $3750 = $950 - would have been included in the EFC formula.</p>
<p>Ok so lets say starting now I get a job (non WS) in order to buy a $2000 car until I start college. When I start college I leave that job and apply for WS. Since the $2000 that I used to buy the car is under the amount of protected income allowance it wont have any effect in my EFC the ensuing year?</p>
<p>If your total income for the year (excluding WS and txable scholarships/grants) is under $3750 it will not affect your EFC for the ensuing year.</p>
<p>Ok, got it. swimcat, since you have been very willing to answer my questions and I greatly appreciate it, could you answer another question I have that is irrelevant to this thread?
How do you apply for the FSEOG and Pell Grants? And how do you use it for a specific school? I understand that the school awards you the grants but how do you confirm that you want to use the grant for a particular school? I don't understand how that process works.</p>
<p>Your FAFSA application is the application for all federal aid (Pell, SEOG, ACG, SMART grants, Stafford loans, Perkins loans. WS). The schools award these in your financial aid award. Usually you have to accept the award. It will not be disbursed until you start school.</p>
<p>Ok, thanks.</p>
<p>this thread has been a major help. Thanks Swimcatsmom</p>
<p>Thanks SCM.</p>
<p>Great thread.</p>
<p>When I was in college, not many non work study jobs available. I worked in the cafeteria, where I was paid half what the work study kids were, but it was great. I ate for free (too much, I'm afraid), so I didn't buy a meal plan once I didn't have to.</p>
<p>When I took courses in the summer, I got work study, because there was so much need for student workers. I no longer had to work in the cafe, got to work in a nice, cush job at the burser's office. Back to the cafe when regular school started up.</p>
<p>Son is definitely interested in working on campus, so good to know there is a limit on what he can earn. </p>
<p>Again, thanks for this post!</p>
<p>I'm not sure what happens at Profile schools, though. Is there a protected income allowance? Does Profile handle the WS the same as the FAFSA formula?</p>