<p>How easy it is to qualify for work-study definitely depends on the school. At mine, no one’s quite sure who does manage to be poor enough for it since I know people whose families are on food stamps with no work-study awards–there are tons of work-study jobs available, but few people can take them. At other schools, I know people who are upper-middle class with work-study jobs.</p>
<p>If you do get a work study award, it works pretty much like any other part-time student job. You go to work, you get paid for the hours you work. Whether or not you can earn more than your designated work-study amount depends on whether your individual workplace has the money to pay you past that point.</p>