WORK STUDY
The Federal Work Study (FWS) Program is a part-time employment program designed to help you meet your cost of attendance. With FWS you:
- Keep your educational loan borrowing to a minimum
- Gain valuable work experience and skills (sometimes in your field of study)
- Have a flexible work schedule
- Receive financial aid in the form of earnings each month (FWS pay rates must comply with federal and state minimum wage laws; however depending on the job duties and your experience, your hourly wage could be higher).
- Check the financial aid tile in my.SDSU to see if you are eligible for FWS. If it is not included in your financial aid package we can check your eligibility. Visit us at the Cal Coast Student Financial Center to connect with a counselor.
How does Federal Work Study work?
Students that complete a FAFSA are automatically evaluated for FWS, some students are awarded and others can request FWS. Students look for job opportunities on the Career Services Handshake app. Once hired, a weekly work schedule is agreed upon with the employer. Students can work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week. Monthly, the student submits the hours worked to the SDSU Center for Human Resources (CHR) through an assigned account in PeopleSoft. Students will be paid by a paycheck or direct deposit. The money earned is income for the student to use to pay for expenses, as needed. The student can work in the position for the academic year (fall and spring semesters) and/or for the summer term, based on eligibility.
Pay rates comply with federal and state minimum wage laws. Earnings are taxable and must be reported to the IRS.
Read the FWS Student Handbook for more information.