Eligibility & Reminders
Eligibility is determined annually by your financial aid office based on your FAFSA information and demonstrated financial need. If eligible, a federal work-study allotment is offered in CAESAR (CAESAR > Financial Aid > View Financial Aid). Refer to the list below for other general eligibility reminders.
- FWS eligibility and allotments may decrease or be canceled due to financial aid changes including but not limited to non-enrollment, less than full-time enrollment, co-op programs, study abroad or other off-campus studies, receipt of outside scholarships, or other adjustments to the financial aid package.
- Students studying abroad may not work and earn Federal Work-Study wages, even in designated remote positions.
- If your work-study allotment in any quarter is $0, you are not eligible to participate in work-study during that quarter.
- Once you have earned your work-study allotment, your position must be transferred to a regular student temp position or terminated.
- Once you graduate, you may not continue to earn federal work-study wages.
- International students are not eligible for FWS.
Regulations and Reminders
The amount listed on your financial aid notice is an earnings limit, or allotment, for the academic year. The amount is not a guarantee of employment or total earnings.
You may start your job on the first day of classes for which you will be enrolled as a full or part-time student that quarter and meet the eligibility requirements outlined above. You must stop working no later than the last day of exams in the spring quarter, abiding by the eligibility notes in the above section.
You should monitor your bi-weekly and cumulative academic year work-study earnings (CAESAR > Financial Aid > Work-Study Earnings by Date) after each pay date. Our office will notify you when you are approaching your allotment limit. You are responsible to monitor, track, and notify your supervisor of your FWS earnings. Learn more about tracking hours and allotment earnings.
Summer Employment
Interested in summer opportunities? Review the Summer Work-Study page for eligibility and FAQs.