2 days ago, I checked my student portal for the college I will be attending in the fall and found out that I have been offered $4,000 in work-study. I was surprised by this. My 2 older brothers (one is currently a sophomore at a university) weren’t offered work-study at all, so I guess i’m lucky. Anyway, are you given set hours to work? Would I be making $4,000 per semester or per year? Am I allowed to work more hours so I can get more money?
bump, I have the same question
That’s between you and your supervisor. It will depend on the type of job and other circumstances.
The $4,000 is probably the max for the school year. How much you actually make depends on your hourly wage and how many hours you work.
Only if there are non-work-study funds available to pay you.
Sometimes it depends on the time you file FAFSA, your EFC (which should be lower than your brother’s was last
year since there will be 2 in college) and your need whether a school will offer work study.
You will need to apply for a work study job and you can earn up to the award amount a year.
You will get a paycheck maybe every two weeks, you won’t have the money up front
Work study income will be subject to federal income tax, but not FICA tax and it won’t count against your EFC for FAFSA.
@BelknapPoint Thanks for answering
@mommdc I didn’t know whether the money was taxed or not. Thanks for clarifying.
I want to make more than $4,000 per year, so I may get another part time job in addition to the work-study. There are some hotels near campus, so I can maybe work part time cleaning rooms
While work study jobs aren’t always the best paying they have some big benefits. They are usually flexible and understanding of things like exams or breaks (as opposed to say off campus job where they expect you to work even over breaks). Sometimes jobs like dorm desk clerk (if have that at your school) allow you to study and do homework while you work. Older D’s school even had some community opportunities. She worked in admissions office one year and the next she basically pushed play on DVDs for movies at student union. D2 is digitizing and cataloging on campus museum exhibits so there are usually lots of options.
Yes, see how your work study job goes first before looking for additional work off campus. Maybe you can do some tutoring.
Plan to work this summer as well.
Yes your work-study earnings are taxable. Also just because your are awarded does not mean that you have a job. Right now you are just eligible, now you will need to check with your college to see what the work-study process is with them. All schools differ in the process, but most make you find the job, apply for the job, and interview for the job. When you get a work-study job you will then set your schedule, hourly wage, and hours worked. This may not add up to $4000, it may go over and that’s when your supervisor will help you through the process. Work-Study is a great way to pay for school, but know the process!
@scmom12 Thanks for you input. When I actually apply for the work-study job, I’ll try to go for a job in the library or at a desk. The only place I wouldn’t want to work in is the dining hall.
@AllStarFinaid I thought I was guaranteed a job. I’ll go to the university website and find out when/how to apply for the jobs. Thanks for giving all of this info!
@mommdc I’m not smart enough to tutor someone else. There’s a children’s museum really close to my university, so I may work there if I end up hating my work study job (even though I’m not a kid person…lol). Working where I currently live is hard since I don’t really have a reliable form of transportation. However, I applied for a scholarship at my bank that includes a paid internship at the bank (which is great, since I would get experience for my major). When I handed in my application, an employee told me that not many people had applied to the scholarship, so I think I have a chance at receiving it!