by Karli Greenfield | Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
So your student received a financial aid offer from Rutgers University, and there is an “award” amount listed for Federal Work Study, or FWS. Or maybe, your student received a financial aid offer but Federal Work Study was not listed, and you are hoping that your student is eligible for work study funding. Let’s discuss the FWS Program, and answer the question, “How does FWS work?”
Defining Federal Work Study
The FWS Program provides need-based funding to Rutgers, to cover a portion of the part-time employment funding required to pay your student for work performed. Simply put, if eligible, FWS funding helps cover the payment cost of employing your student. While not all schools participate in the FWS program, most do.
Eligibility Requirements
FWS funding may be available to students who are enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree program at Rutgers University. Students may be enrolled as either part-time or full-time. Students are required to submit the annual FAFSA form, and must have remaining financial need, as determined by Rutgers’ [Office of Financial Aid](https://financialaid.rutgers.edu/) policies (in accordance with federal student aid regulations).
Common FWS Program MYTHS
- Your student will earn minimum wage. While your student will be paid at least the federal minimum wage, Rutgers may have a pay range higher than this rate.
- FWS funds will be applied directly to your student’s bill. FWS funds are not automatically applied to your student’s bill for direct charges incurred at Rutgers. Rather, your student will be paid in the form of a paycheck per pay period, to be used at their individual discretion.
- Your student is guaranteed an on-campus job. While Rutgers has comprehensive FWS programming that assists eligible students in securing an eligible on or off-campus FWS job, students will still likely be required to search and apply for applicable job opportunities.
- My student is not eligible for federal FWS funding, so they cannot get an on-campus job. While some positions may require student workers to be eligible for FWS funding, Rutgers also offers numerous on-campus jobs that are paid for by institutional funding resources.
Keep in mind that work-study jobs may be limited on Rutgers’ campus. Given that your student is not necessarily guaranteed a work-study job, it is important to consider work-study earnings as ideal for assisting with your student’s day-to-day expenses, rather than providing substantial funding towards direct charges by the institution (your student’s bill).
Encourage your student to apply for work-study jobs before beginning or returning to school each academic year. Prompt them to proactively reach out to departments and employers with positions related to your student’s program of study. Most importantly, discuss work-study options with Rutgers’ [Office of Financial Aid](https://financialaid.rutgers.edu/), and ask for school-specific FWS opportunities and eligibility requirement information. Remember, there are no silly questions in this process; if you never ask, you may never know.
Learn more about the FWS Program at Rutgers here.
Karli Greenfield is a higher education financial aid and enrollment professional. She holds more than 12 years of experience in financial aid, 11 NASFAA Professional Financial Aid Credentials, and years of active participation on the GA Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators board. She is passionate about working with students and families, and innovating college enrollment processes. Karli Greenfield, MBA | LinkedIn
