Federal Work Study
Students who work during the academic year can make a significant contribution toward meeting their college costs and prepare themselves for life after college as well. A listing of Federal Work-Study jobs is available at the Career Center. The Federal Work-Study award is not a guarantee of employment. Students will need to apply for and be hired into a position.
On This Page
What is Federal Work-Study?
Federal Work-Study is a federally funded program that enables students to earn money for college costs through part-time employment. The program pays a portion of the student's wages which allows the campus to provide more work opportunities on and off-campus to students. The program also allows students to secure academic or career-oriented employment while providing essential services to the university and the community.
The Federal Work-Study program was also created to stimulate and promote part-time employment for students who have financial need and who need earnings to pursue a college education. It allows students to meet their educational expenses without incurring a lot of debt and is intended to provide worthwhile job opportunities for qualified students.
In addition, a student's income earned under a Work-Study job is exempted from student contribution assessment. This means that earnings from your Work-Study job will not be included in calculating your student contribution which may improve the amount and types of aid you are considered for when filing a financial aid application in future periods. [top]
Benefits of Student Employment
Studies show that compared to students who do not work, students who work a modest number of hours per week will, on average:
- have higher grade point averages;
- graduate at a faster rate;
- be less likely to drop out; and
- have more job skills to include on their resumes.
Some Possible Explanations Why
- Working students become better organized and manage their time better.
- Employment exposes students to more mentor-type relationships and increases interaction with "real world" people.
- Become involved in the campus community both as a professional and as a student.
- Motivation to maintain the necessary academic standings to continue to work.
Here's How it Works
- Students who wish to be considered for the Federal Work-Study program must apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority deadline March 2.
- Students must accept their federal work study award online at MyFinancialAid. This tells us you are taking the next steps in the process.
- Students who receive a Federal Work-Study financial aid award may apply for the Work-Study jobs listed on the Career Center website (some jobs are not available to students without Work-Study).
- To be eligible to apply for a Work-Study position, students must be enrolled full time.
- When applying for Work-Study positions, students will need to show potential employers a copy of their award notice (from their My.UCMerced.edu portal) and proof that they are enrolled at least half-time.
- Students may earn wages up to the amount listed on their financial aid award notice. Work-Study wages do not appear on the student's university MyBill; rather, the student earns a paycheck. Wages are typically paid bi-weekly through the employer's payroll system.
- A student must have a Federal Work-Study position to earn the federal work study money. [top]
Jobs for Non-Work Study Students
Students who do not have Work-Study can still find jobs — the university enjoys an active employment market. On campus, the Dining Commons and the Office of International Affairs are frequently in search of good employees — and these are just two of the many departments employing students who do not have Federal Work-Study. See the Career Center's website for temporary (non-Work-Study) job listings. [top]
