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Using Federal Work Study to Pay for School

You can earn money to help finance your education costs by working while enrolled in school. Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides part-time jobs (about 10–15 hours a week) on campus or with local nonprofit organizations and public agencies. Schools either tries to match students with work that’s related to their course of study, or ask students to apply for any FWS job that interests them.

Students—undergraduate and graduate—with financial need are considered for FWS when they indicate on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form that they are interested in the program and the school has funds available. As is the case with Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, each participating school has its own eligibility criteria for FWS.

Treat work study as you would any other part-time job. This means making sure that you put school first and stay on top of your studies. You will also want to save a portion of what you earn, if possible, and budget your money closely to make sure you aren’t spending more than you earn.

Contact the financial aid office to find out about FWS opportunities at your school.

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