Work Study Eligibility

<p>Two of my son's financial aid packages included Federal Work Study, but the package for the school which he is most seriously considering did not include FWS. How is elibility for FWS determined? COA at dream school is $32000; EFC is $16000.</p>

<p>I’m not sure how it is figured out, but I know it was negotiable with staffords for us. For instance, one school gave my son less Stafford loans, but workstudy. When he asked for more aid, she said she couldn’t give more or a grant, but gave him a sub.stafford loan and took away the workstudy. (he had unsubsidized loans before)
That said, other schools, gave my daughter full stafford and workstudy…some workstudy being 450.00, others 3100! I’m still in the dark on how it is figured out for all.</p>

<p>FWS depends on the school. Each school has it’s own pool of work study funds to distribute and distributes according to their own policies. One school I know of has a high number of lower income students and therefore limits FWS to those with the lowest EFC’s. Another may have a high percentage of “full pay” students and be able to award it to anyone who wants to work. Some seem to use it to bridge financial aid gaps to a certain level.</p>