Federal Work Study

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program helps open up job opportunities on-campus for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need.

  • FWS differs from other financial aid: it is paid directly to students as wages.
  • FWS employment may provide the student with the opportunity of working in a field related to their major.
  • FWS funds are earned through hourly wages paid after work is performed and are not applied directly toward tuition charges.
  • FWS positions are temporary student employment opportunities and are not guaranteed from year to year.

Employers, interested in creating a FWS job? Visit our page for supervisors and departments.

Benefits of a Work-Study Job

  • FWS employers understand that you are a college student first. Your work schedule cannot interfere with your class schedule; however, you are still an employee and must complete your employee responsibilities.
    • Flexible work schedules. Shifts can range from 30 minutes to up to 8 hours.
  • Opportunity to network with USU faculty & staff who may become valuable references in the future.
  • Some employers may prioritize hiring FWS eligible students due to their limited budgets.
  • Federal Work-Study earnings are excluded from FAFSA income calculations for federal aid eligibility purposes, which may help reduce the impact of student earnings on future FAFSA results.
  • Save on commuting time.
  • Students participating in Federal Work-Study may qualify for SNAP (food assistance) benefits depending on federal and state eligibility requirements.

FWS Jobs

Receiving a Federal Work-Study award does not guarantee employment. Students are responsible for applying and interviewing for available positions. Apply for FWS positions through AGGIE Handshake.

  • Log in, click "Jobs," then filter and select "Work-Study" to view available FWS jobs.
    • You can also search and apply for non-FWS positions. If interviewed, tell the supervisor you are eligible for FWS funds, and they can contact our office with any questions.
  • If you need help with your job search, please use the resources provided by the Career Design Center.

Federal Work-Study positions at USU are generally limited to on-campus employment or positions processed through USU payroll systems. Off-campus Federal Work-Study partnerships may not always be available due to funding and administrative limitations.

Apply for Federal Work-Study

  1. Submit your FAFSA each academic year as early as possible once it becomes available. 1st
    • To submit a FAFSA students need to be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen who is admitted into a degree-seeking program at USU.
    • Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), remain enrolled, and continue meeting federal and institutional eligibility requirements to remain eligible for Federal Work-Study.
  2. We will email you:
    • If we need additional information for your FAFSA
    • Your Federal Financial Aid Offer
  3. Once you receive your Federal Financial Aid Offer (typically in early spring), submit a Work-Study Request. After we receive your request, we will verify your eligibility and contact you via email

Request Work-Study

Need help? Email workstudy@usu.edu and someone on our team will assist you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep looking and broaden your search! You are not limited to jobs labeled "FWS" on AGGIE Handshake. You can apply for any on-campus, part-time (ACA) position.

Pro-Tip: If you get an interview for a regular on-campus job, tell the supervisor you have a Federal Work-Study award. Because FWS helps subsidize a portion of student wages, some departments may be more willing to hire eligible students. Sometimes, a department can "convert" a regular job into a Work-Study position or even create a special project just for you because you have this funding.

There are usually three main reasons why you may not be eligible for FWS:

  • Funding is Limited: FWS is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. FWS funding is limited and awarded based on institutional funding availability and student eligibility. This is why filing your FAFSA early is so important!
  • Financial Need: Eligibility is calculated based on your FAFSA data. If your "unmet need" is low, you may not qualify for this specific program.
  • Academic Standing: You must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to remain eligible for all federal aid, including Work-Study.
Note: If you haven’t submitted a FAFSA yet, that is the first step! We cannot determine your eligibility without it.

America Reads is a specific branch of Federal Work-Study focused on community service. It allows USU students to serve as tutors in local elementary schools throughout Cache Valley.

It’s a great way to gain experience in education while giving back to the community. These positions are listed on AGGIE Handshake, or you can contact Todd Milovich directly for more information on how to get involved.

It depends on your "Unmet Need." Financial aid is a bit of a puzzle—we can’t award you more aid than the "Cost of Attendance" allows. If you receive a new scholarship or a large grant, other financial aid may need to be adjusted to keep your package within federal limits. If you have questions about a change in your aid offer, email us, and we can look at your specific package together.

No. Federal regulations strictly prohibit students from working during their scheduled class times. Even if a class is canceled or ends early one day, you cannot clock in until that class period is officially over. You are required to provide your supervisor with a copy of your course schedule at the start of each semester to ensure no overlaps occur. If you feel pressured to work during class time, please contact the FWS Coordinator immediately.

Current Federal Work-Study Employees

Access Your FWS Funds

Once you are awarded and hired for a Federal Work-Study (FWS) eligible job, you will work and earn wages like any other student employee. FWS funding helps subsidize a portion of your wages while you are employed in an eligible position. Coordinate with your supervisor to learn the specific timesheet process for your department.

FWS awards represent the maximum amount a student may earn through eligible employment during the award period. Actual earnings depend on hours worked, supervisor scheduling, job availability, and continued eligibility.

Important Note: FWS earnings are not disbursed directly into your student account and will not reduce your tuition bill. They are wages earned throughout the semester that you can use to make payments toward your college costs.

Keep in Mind

  • Enrollment: You must be enrolled and attending classes for the semester you work. If you withdraw from classes, stop attending, or fall below required enrollment, your FWS eligibility may end immediately.
  • Start Date: You can begin working the week before classes start.
  • Hour Limits: You can work a maximum of 29 hours per week combined across all USU jobs. We recommend 15–20 hours to keep your academics on track.
  • Unused Awards: Unused FWS awards do not carry forward to the next academic year.
  • Fund Availability: FWS funding is limited and subject to federal and institutional funding availability.
  • Summer Work: If you want to work during the summer, contact us in March to check eligibility.

Manage Your FWS Award

Your FWS award isn’t just a total amount—it’s a budget of hours. To make sure your job lasts the entire semester, use this simple formula to find your “Magic Number” of hours per week.

The “Magic Number” Formula

Award Amount ÷ (Hourly Wage × Weeks in the Semester) = Recommended Hours Per Week

Example: If you have a $2,000 award, earn $15/hour, and there are 15 weeks in the semester:

  • 15 × 15 = 225
  • 2,000 ÷ 225 = 8.8 hours per week

Track Your Earnings

We recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet or using a tracking app to log your hours. Your paystub will show your year-to-date (YTD) earnings, but it often lags by a pay cycle.

To stay on top of your balance:

  • Check your award: Log into your Financial Aid portal to see your total FWS offer.
  • Subtract your gross pay: Every time you get paid, subtract your gross earnings, the amount before taxes, from your total award.
  • Monitor the balance: If your balance is dropping too fast, talk to your supervisor about adjusting your schedule.

Students are responsible for monitoring their earnings. Earnings above the awarded Federal Work-Study amount may need to be paid by the hiring department from non-FWS funds.

Renew Your FWS Eligibility Each Year

You must submit a FAFSA every year to renew your FWS eligibility. The FAFSA for the next academic year is typically available each fall at StudentAid.gov. Students should complete it as early as possible once it opens.

Your eligibility may vary each year and is dependent on the information provided on the FAFSA, including family income, your earned non-FWS income during the previous year, and other types of aid you receive, including loans.

Your FWS eligibility may change if your FAFSA information is updated during verification or if required documents are not submitted by university deadlines.

You can continue working in the same or different FWS jobs each year as long as you are eligible for FWS each year. If you would like to continue working in the same position, work with your supervisor regarding employment opportunities for the following academic year.

Students who graduate, withdraw, or are no longer enrolled are no longer eligible to continue working in an FWS position.

Maintain Eligibility

Factor Why it matters
Enrollment You must stay enrolled to keep your FWS job.
Academic Standing Falling below Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) can end your eligibility.
Other Aid Large scholarships or third-party funding can cause your FWS to be reduced or canceled.

Students must continue to meet all federal financial aid eligibility requirements to remain eligible for Federal Work-Study employment.

Need help? Email workstudy@usu.edu and someone on our team will assist you!

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Federal regulations strictly prohibit students from working during their scheduled class times. Even if a class is canceled or ends early one day, you cannot clock in until that class period is officially over. You are required to provide your supervisor with a copy of your course schedule at the start of each semester to ensure no overlaps occur. If you feel pressured to work during class time, please contact the FWS Coordinator immediately.

It depends on your unmet need. Financial aid is a bit of a puzzle—we can’t award you more aid than the Cost of Attendance allows. If you receive a new scholarship or a large grant, your FWS or your loans might be reduced to keep your package within federal limits. If you have questions about a change in your aid offer, email us and we can look at your specific package together.

Yes. Just like any other job, FWS earnings are considered taxable income by the IRS. When you start your job, you will complete a W-4 form, and at the end of the year, you will receive a W-2 from USU Payroll.

Note: While the income is taxable, it is treated differently on your FAFSA.

Yes, but with a major benefit. You must report your FWS earnings as part of your total income on the FAFSA. However, because FWS is need-based earnings, the Department of Education subtracts that amount from your total income when calculating your eligibility for next year.

Essentially, FWS allows you to earn money for school expenses without that money counting against you for future financial aid. It’s one of the biggest perks of the program!

Once you have earned your full award amount, you must stop working under the FWS program for that semester. You should track your earnings throughout the semester to avoid a sudden loss of hours. In some cases, your department may choose to keep you on as a Student Hourly employee using their own budget, but this is at the department’s discretion.

Yes, as long as all positions are approved Federal Work-Study jobs and your combined hours across all USU jobs do not exceed university limits.

Possibly. Once your FWS funds are exhausted, your department may choose to continue employing you as a regular student hourly employee using departmental funding.

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