STUDENT WORK STUDY INFORMATION POLICY
Brief Description | Eligibility | Application for an Award | Award Information | Application for a Job | Employment Policies and Regulations | Additional Information | Step-by-Step Instructions
Eligibility:
A student interested in receiving a work study award must meet the following requirements:
- The student must be admitted and matriculated in a degree granting program.
- The student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
- The student must be eligible to work in the U.S.
- The student must have financial need as defined by the U.S. Department of
Education and calculated with information provided on the FAFSA.
- The student’s financial aid file must be complete and with no holds.
- The student must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAT) toward a
degree.
- The student must be attending classes half-time or greater.
Application for an Award:
The student must apply for work study each year he/she would like to be considered. The application process for a work study award is the same as that for any other need-based financial aid. In general:
- Complete the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Be sure to indicate in Section One of the FAFSA that you are interested in
work study.
- File the FAFSA by the March 15 priority filing deadline , prior to the
academic year for which you want aid.
- Complete your financial aid file as soon as possible.
The earlier you complete your file the more success you will have in obtaining
funds.
- Complete the Financial Aid Institutional Form (UFORM). Indicate you would like
to participate in the work study program.
- See the Application Process for more details and a link to the online FAFSA.
If you are not initially offered work study you may submit a FWS Request Form:
- FWS Request Forms are available for a limited time period beginning
June 1 prior to the academic year.
- FWS Request Forms are processed in the order they are received until funds
have been exhausted.
- Completing the form does not guarantee that a student will be awarded.
Awards are made based on student eligibility and the availability of limited
FWS funding.
Award Information:
- FWS is awarded on a fiscal year basis of July 1 – June 30. A student’s
individual authorization period can start and end at any time within the fiscal
year depending on the semesters for which they are enrolled. In general,
a student may work before and during a semester for which they are enrolled
half-time or greater.
- Students may not work after the last day of the last semester
attended, during the fiscal year.
- A student attending summer semester and wishing to work after spring
semester (through June 30), must submit a summer application by April 1.
- A work study award must be earned through hours worked. Any unearned
amount is forfeited at the end of the authorization period or at the time the
award is cancelled for failure to maintain eligibility or adhere to employment
polices.
- The amount of the work study award cannot exceed a student’s financial
need. Changes to financial need, or to any other awards in a student’s
financial aid package, may reduce or eliminate the student’s eligibility for
work study.
- Work study awards are subject to change or cancellation. Violations of any
work study policies or changes in any aspect of a student’s financial aid file
may result in the reduction or loss of the award.
- Students must promptly submit any paperwork or other information as
requested by the Financial Aid Office. Failure to provide requested information
may result in loss of the award.
- Students must have documented work study wages by September 30 for
Fall semester awards or February 15 for Spring semester awards. However,
students will be allowed to seek employment for a period of at least 45 days
from the initial work-study offer date. Awards will be cancelled if work study
earnings are not documented within these time frames.
- Contact the Work Study Coordinator (faws@sa.utah.edu) to confirm your status
as a work study employee upon receipt of your first paycheck..
- FWS pays for on-campus work study jobs only.
Application for a Job:
- The student is responsible for obtaining his/her own employment. A student
must have a work study award in order to apply for work study positions. A
listing of most open work study positions is available at
http://www.sa.utah.edu/finance2/working/fwsjobliststu.htm or outside the
Student Employment Office (Student Services Building, Room 382).
- The student must contact the employing department for information on how to
apply. Hourly rates are determined by the employing department and vary
widely. The rate of pay is based on the market wage that is commensurate
with the job duties and required qualifications.
- Wages earned in excess of $10 per hour do not count toward the maximum
award. However, at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office, jobs paid at a
professional rate may be considered as not qualifying for a work study position.
Employment Policies and Regulations:
Work study students are subject to the same Human Resource policies and employment regulations as other hourly employees on campus. However, there are additional policies and regulations specific to FWS:
- The student must be awarded FWS funds prior to being hired as a work study
employee.
- A valid Job Referral Notice (JRN) must be issued to the hiring department
before a student may begin working. The JRN notifies the department that the
student is eligible to work. It also states the amount of the student’s award
and the authorized period the student may work. You must begin working
within 30 days of the JRN issue date.
- A FWS student cannot earn more than the amount of his/her award during the
authorization period. The award amount is the maximum amount the student
may earn and includes both the employer’s contribution and the federal/state
contribution.
- When the maximum award has been earned, or the authorization period has
expired, the employer has the option to terminate the student or to hire the
student as a regular hourly employee.
- FWS students’ work hours are limited to 20 hours per week during the
semester they are enrolled. A workweek of 39 hours is allowed during
semester breaks only. Students that consistently work more than 20 hours per
week may be penalized with the loss of their FWS award.
- FWS pays a straight hourly rate for hours actually worked. FWS does not pay
for benefit time such as sick, vacation, holiday, over-time, shift-differentials,
etc. FWS cannot pay salaries, commissions, or fees.
- FWS students must maintain award eligibility. See Eligibility and Award
Information above. A student cannot work if eligibility requirements are not
met. Awards may be cancelled for failure to maintain eligibility.
- FWS students must work on a consistent basis. Remaining FWS awards will
be cancelled if work-study wages are not recorded during a period of four
consecutive pay periods (approximately 60 days).
- FWS students must submit their hours worked during the pay period, to their
department, each pay period. FWS students are required to be paid on time,
each pay period, for the hours that were worked. Failure to submit and/or be
paid on time for hours worked may result in the loss of the award.
- FWS students should contact the Work Study Coordinator (faws@sa.utah.edu)
after they receive their first paycheck to ensure that they are properly set-up in
the FWS program.
Additional Information:
- Check the status of your financial aid file frequently. Changes to your file may
impact your work study. Emails should be sent to you when there is a problem
or change to your financial aid file. Respond to these notices in a timely
manner.
- Notices specific to your work study status will be sent to your UMail account.
Respond to these notices in a timely manner.
- Do not rely on your employer to monitor or confirm your work study status. If
you have any questions regarding your work study status contact the
Work Study Coordinator (faws@sa.utah.edu) or call (801) 581-6581.
- See the Step-by-Step Instructions provided for work study students.
