<p>Can someone please explain the work study process? How many hours would this job be and why is it necessary? Can't I just get a job on my own? If I turn it down, the work study money is just on me to make up, correct?</p>
<p>You have to find, apply for, and get a WS job. How many hours it would be depends on the hourly pay for the job. The higher the pay the less hours it will take to meet your award.</p>
<p>WS has some benefits compared to outside jobs:
WS earnings are not used as income in FAFSA when calculating your next years EFC so do not increase your EFC. Non WS earnings *are *used as income by FAFSA (and 50% of student income over protected income allowances go to the EFC). </p>
<p>WS jobs are usually on campus which can be convenient. At many schools it is very hard to find on campus jobs if you do not have a WS award. </p>
<p>Often WS employers will be more willing to work with you as far as hours and classes are concerned. </p>
<p>WS earnings do not attract FICA taxes (thought they are taxable for federal taxes, and depending on the state, State taxes).</p>
<p>But if you do not want a WS job you are not obliged to take it. Schools usually have more eligible students than they have WS funds to award, so if you turn it down they will award it to someone else.</p>
<p>Work study is part of the federal needs award. However, you have to find a job on campus that WS designated. The money you earned is used for whatever you like, it is meant to help you pay for books, supplies, etc. You do not have to take a WS job, you can find work wherever you want. The only difference is how your earnings are treated for FAFSA for the following year. Also you can’t earn more than the amount you were eligible to receive. If you do earn more, the difference is treated and income for FAFSA following year.</p>
<p>Accepting the work study grant now does not obligate you to take a work study job in the fall. So if you can find other work that you like better, or that pays more – you would still be able to do that, but would have your work-study grant to fall back on if it didn’t work out. The hourly rate for work-study varies depending in the job. I’d also note that you are not restricted to having one work-study job – some students end up working several, usually for scheduling reasons, although sometimes it can be because there is a short-term opportunity to take a higher-paying work study job with only a limited number of hours.</p>
<p>My daughter worked at both work-study jobs and regular (non work-study) both on and off campus during her 4 years of college. </p>
<p>If you do plan to work, then I think you should accept the award. If you find a higher paying job near campus after you get there, you can always notify the financial aid office that they can release your work study funds. But you wouldn’t want to turn it down now and then discover that you can’t find a job when you get to school. (If you are going to be commuting to school and already have a job, that’s different of course).</p>
<p>Thank you all. Knowing I can change my mind later is helpful. I’m considering transferring from my current job since it’s a large chain of stores, but obviously I can’t be positive that’ll work out so early.</p>