FWS Program Student Information

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a financial aid award funded by the federal government for college students who apply through the FAFSA and qualify based on financial need. Unlike grants, FWS is money you earn by working in a part-time job.

If you are eligible, you can apply for FWS jobs on or off campus. Most positions are on campus, but some off-campus opportunities support community service. These jobs are flexible and scheduled around your classes.

You can earn up to $6,000 per year, with half available in the fall and half in the spring. You are paid each month based on the hours you work. FWS helps you cover college expenses while giving you valuable work experience during the school year.

FWS is part of your total financial aid package. Your combined aid including FWS, grants, loans, and scholarships cannot exceed your Cost of Attendance (COA), which is the estimated yearly cost of college.

While FWS does not reduce your grant aid, the amount of loans you are offered may be reduced or removed to keep your total aid within your COA. This coordination ensures your aid stays within your financial aid budget, known as the Cost of Attendance (COA).

An important benefit of FWS is that your earnings are reported differently on the FAFSA. While you still list the income you earned from working, including FWS, in the student income section, schools like CSUN also report your total FWS earnings as part of your financial aid record. This helps the federal government identify it as FWS income, which is treated differently and does not reduce your eligibility for future aid. By participating in FWS, you can help cover college costs and lessen the need to borrow loans.

To qualify for a FWS award at CSUN, you must:

• File your FAFSA by April 2,

• Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of zero or less,

• Meet CSUN's academic Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP),

• Be enrolled at least half-time (6 units undergrad/4 units grad),

• Complete the FWS Confirmation Survey each year.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get an email in August with details about your FWS award. You must then apply, interview, and get hired in order to earn the award through a part-time job.

If you do not receive the email, cannot find it, or want to inquire about your eligibility status, please contact us at work.study@csun.edu and include your CSUN Student ID number in the body of the email so we can assist you more quickly.

FWS is a financial aid benefit for college students with financial need. If you qualify through the FAFSA, you're offered an award that you can earn through a part-time job on campus or with an approved off-campus employer. These jobs are usually available during the school year and have yearly earning limits. You must apply and interview, and being eligible doesn’t guarantee a position. The money you earn doesn’t count against you on future FAFSAs.

In contrast, regular part-time jobs are not connected to financial aid and do not require you to complete a FAFSA. Anyone can apply, and the employer, such as a store, restaurant, or private company, pays all of your wages. These jobs are not limited by award amounts or tied to the academic year. However, the money you earn is counted as income on future FAFSAs, which could affect your financial aid. Regular jobs may also offer less flexibility with your class schedule.

There are many types of FWS jobs available to students.

On-campus: You can work as an office assistant, tutor, lab helper, concert production assistant, library aide, research assistant, facilities or safety support, peer tutor, and more.

Off-campus: These jobs are usually with local schools or nonprofit organizations where you provide direct community service.

Remember, it is the student’s responsibility to search for available jobs, apply, and complete the hiring process. Having an FWS award does not guarantee a job, so it is a good idea to start early and follow up with employers. We are here to support students if they have questions or need help along the way.

CSUN uses Handshake to post FWS and other student job opportunities:

1. Go to csun.joinhandshake.com and sign in with your CSUN credentials.

2. Complete your profile to help employers find you.

3. Click "Jobs" and filter by checking "Work Study."

4. Browse the listings to find positions that interest you.

5. To apply, click the job, hit “Apply,” fill out the form, upload your resume and other documents, then submit.

Handshake also offers short video tutorials to guide you:

• Video: Search for, Save, and Apply to Jobs in Handshake

• Video: How to Upload a Document

If you are unable to access Handshake using your CSUN login credentials, please contact work.study@csun.edu. Be sure to include your name and CSUN ID number in the email so we can assist you.

To receive a FWS Award, it is your responsibility to:

• Complete the FWS Confirmation Survey

• Find an authorized FWS job through the job database, Handshake

When you are hired in a FWS job, it is your responsibility to:

• Complete the necessary hiring forms.

• Correctly report the hours you work.

• Keep track of your fall semester earnings to ensure you don't earn more than half of your academic year award in the fall semester.

• Carefully monitor your earnings so you do not exceed your award for the academic year.

• Remain enrolled at least halftime while employed as a work-study student.

You are Expected to:

Before work

• Show up to your scheduled shift

• Show up to work on time

• Groomed appropriately

• Running late, notify your supervisor

During work

• Ready to focus on tasks

• A good fit for the position

• Understands that this is a job

• Need to take the day off, ask permission (study, day off)

• 10-15 hours a week. Maximum is 20 hours per week, in all student positions combined.

• After 4 consecutive hours of work, you take a 15 minute break.

• After 5 or more consecutive hours of work, you must take a 30 minute meal break.

• Volunteering to perform work that you have previously been paid for is not allowed.

• Income earned in your FWS job is taxable like any other income.

• Pay Day - a "pay check" it's called a Pay Warrant.

• FWS & Student Assistant's workers, are paid on the 15th on each month.

• Off-Campus and some On-Campus jobs have different pay dates.

• Ask your Employer for a copy of the payroll calendar.

**You are encourage to sign up for Direct Deposit. You will still get a monthly warrant statement. Your money is sent directly to your bank account electronically**.

Each year, to keep your FWS eligibility, you must fill out the confirmation survey. It is used to confirm your

interest in the program and your understanding of how it works. If you have questions, email work.study@csun.edu