Work Study App: A Guide to Federal Work Study and Student Employment

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a need-based program that helps eligible students pay for education expenses. It's a great way to earn money while gaining work experience.

The FWS program is funded by the US Department of Education and is available to undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need.

To be eligible, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a demonstrated financial need.

To be eligible for a work-study position, you'll need to have a Student Aid Index (SAI) generated by the FAFSA, be admitted in a degree-seeking program, and be meeting all aspects of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

To apply for federal or state work-study, you'll need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the U.S. Department of Education website.

You'll also need to review the instructions for "Retrieving your Award Overview" and apply for available job openings by speaking directly with your college or Department administrators or by using the Handshake app.

Here are some key application details:

To be eligible for work-study funds, the Student Aid Index (SAI) generated by the FAFSA will determine individual eligibility. You'll need to be admitted in a degree-seeking program and meeting all aspects of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

A student must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the U.S. Department of Education website. Please review the FAFSA page for guides and helpful videos.

Work-study eligibility doesn't guarantee employment, so you'll need to apply for jobs/positions by speaking with potential employers directly or by using the Handshake app. If you fail to obtain work-study employment within 45 days of the beginning of the semester, your work-study award will be canceled.

Students can't exceed their semester funding limits, and can only work 20 hours per week.

To apply for a work-study position, you'll need to review your award overview and apply for available job openings by speaking directly with your college or department administrators or using the Handshake app. This is a great way to find on-campus student employment, internships, and other types of employment.

Students awarded work-study funds should use the Handshake app to locate job listings, including off-campus positions available to students with reliable transportation. The app is a valuable resource for finding job opportunities.

At the start of the fall semester, the Office of Experiential Learning hosts the Student Employment Fair, which is another opportunity to meet face-to-face with employers seeking to hire NMSU students. This is a great way to network and learn about job opportunities.

After you've accepted your FWS award, you can search and apply for jobs through JobX. This is a convenient way to find and apply for work-study positions.

Here are some examples of recent FWS positions:

Federal Work Study is a financial aid opportunity for eligible full-time or part-time enrolled students. It's a great way to earn money and gain valuable work experience while studying.

The program provides part-time on or off-campus employment, which means you can work in various settings, including your school or in the community. This flexibility is a big plus.

As a FWS student, the exact amount you'll receive is determined by your financial need and the number of hours you work. Your financial need is a key factor in how much you'll earn.

We encourage work related to your program of study or community service work whenever possible. This can be a great way to apply what you're learning in class to real-world situations.

Learn how to accept your Federal Work-Study award here.

First things first, you need to accept your FWS award before you can start searching for jobs. This will give you access to the JobX platform where you can search and apply for available positions.

There are a variety of job types available, including on-campus student employment, internships, and part-time jobs. You can use the Handshake app to locate these opportunities, or speak directly with your college or department administrators.

The Handshake app is a great resource for finding job listings, especially for off-campus positions that require reliable transportation. It's also a good idea to check out the Student Employment Fair hosted by the Office of Experiential Learning at the start of the fall semester.

Here are some examples of recent FWS positions:

Remember, supervisors can't hire you until you've completed the onboarding process, but after that, you can be added to the payroll system and start working in your FWS position.

As a user of the Work Study app, it's essential to understand your responsibilities to get the most out of the platform.

You're expected to log in and check your schedule regularly to stay on top of your work commitments.

This ensures you don't miss any shifts or deadlines, and helps your employer manage their workload more efficiently.

As a student, it's essential to understand how to access your tax information and forms. The UT Payroll Office generates a Form W-2 for all FWS employees, so make sure to check if you qualify.

If you opted out of paper delivery, you can access your W-2 by logging into MyUTK and accessing MyIRISWeb, then clicking "Benefits and Payments". This is a convenient option, especially if you're trying to stay organized.

If you didn't opt out of paper delivery, the W-2 hard copy will be mailed by January 31 to your permanent address on record. Just make sure to update your address if it's changed recently.

For any issues or questions about accessing the Form W-2, you can contact the UT Payroll Office at 400 W. Summit Hill Dr; UT Tower 9th Floor.

When managing your student responsibilities, it's essential to be aware of the student timesheet deadline. The Student timesheet submission deadline is 10:00 a.m. on the Monday following the close of a payroll period.

This deadline is crucial, as timesheets may only be submitted or approved one biweekly payroll period late. If you're unsure about the deadline, make sure to mark it on your calendar to avoid any last-minute rushes.

The system will automatically send an email notification to your primary supervisor once you submit your initial timesheet. This way, you can stay on top of the process and ensure everything runs smoothly.