What is the process for applying for work study opportunities? Can I get some examples of jobs that are popular among students? What is the commitment like per week in terms of hours typically?
I’m not too familiar with the variety of jobs, but being a TA/tutor for a class is a very common one I see and one I do myself. It’s usually between 5-10 hours a week and flexible enough.
The process is done through the online student employment portal, which lists the jobs. Looking through it now at what is currently listed as open, there are office assistant jobs, lifeguarding for the pool, tutoring, note-taking jobs, and research assistant type jobs. They look to be 13-18 an hour mostly, and ranging from 5-20 hours, most falling within an average of 10 or so.
@PengsPhils thanks for the info. At what date or around what time of the year do incoming freshmen gain access to the portal and can start applying for jobs? Additionally, what kinds of jobs would you recommend for incoming freshmen who need the money, yet don’t want to find themselves entangled in too much of a commitment that it takes away from their freshman experience, especially at the start of the year?
No idea there, sorry 
I think most work-study jobs will fall into this category. Pick something a bit mindless, and maybe something you can also do homework during, like a proctoring type job for example. You’d have to go case by case. Once you’ve taken a few classes, I again highly recommend being a TA or tutor for a course you love, as its incredibly rewarding and also tends to pay pretty well.
You can’t just say that you want a work study job. You have to qualify for it based on your income and FAFSA information. It would be listed on your financial aid award, as Federal work study, with a set amount. When you filled out your FAFSA, you indicated that you would be interested in the federal work study program.
Then, the schools all have different procedures for how it works for gaining a work study position.
Sometimes, it’s library and tutor jobs. Sometimes, it’s jobs you might not like.
At my dd’s School, her dorm mate had a job in food services; she got the tail end of a shift and ended up getting to the dorm after midnight.
My daughters do not qualify for work/study, but neither of them has had any trouble finding part time jobs on and off campus. Being in a college town, most employers are extremely flexible and will schedule you around your class schedule and give the amount of hours you are looking for.
My daughter didn’t get work study but has had some great jobs on campus. Every semester she’s lucked into at least one note-taking job for her class. The notes are provided to students designated as needing assistance through the disability office. It’s first-come first-served with these jobs so keep your eyes peeled for the announcement.
She also took spring semester of her freshman year a free class offered through campus recreation to become a certified exercise instructor. She taught one class last semester and will teach three spring semester now that she will be on co-op and have “tons more time.” 
Do you have to pay back work study money?
@rastapasta00 No.
Work study is just a job. There are a few tax benefit to the student, and usually the jobs are very flexible, especially around finals time. I think the most common jobs are cafeteria work, library, rec center monitors, working in one of the department offices, working for one of the university offices (financial aid, admissions, dean’s office). Tutoring may or may not be work study. There are lab jobs, etc. My daughter has a job this semester at the rec center for her work study, and one tutoring that isn’t work study. In fact, the student she tutors pays her directly and was only referred from the tutoring office (daughter worked there last semester.
If it is part of your package, you can start looking for a job before the semester even starts. D’s school posts jobs as they open (are funded) so there are a lot of library jobs listed over the summer and you can have an interview set up by phone or for the first day you are on campus. If you have $1000 in work study, you can work 10 hours per week for 10 weeks at $10/hr and that’s it. Or you can work 20 hours per week for 5 weeks. Most jobs are not for over 20 hours per week.