Oklahoma state university:Federal Work-Study FAQ

What is Work-Study?
Work-study provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. In order to be employed in a Work-Study job, you must have a Work-Study award.

How do I receive a Work-Study award?
You must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to be awarded Work-Study.

The FAFSA is the blanket application for all federal financial aid. You can complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. After completing the FAFSA you will receive an Email from the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid notifiying you of your award status on SIS web. If you are awarded Work-Study, it will be included in the award information.

How do I earn my Work-Study award?
Your Work-Study award will represent the amount of money you can earn through a Work-Study job. In order to earn this award you must be employed in a Work-Study position.

Each Work-Study position has a wage attached to it. Most Work-Study positions are paid hourly, however if you are a graduate student you may receive a salary in lieu of an hourly rate. Work-Study positions will pay no lower than minimum wage but may be higher depending on employer, type of work, and skills required.

You will be paid through the University payroll system according to the pay rate and number of hours you work. Hourly wage positions will pay every two weeks, salary position will pay once a month.

Your wages will be drawn from your Work-Study award. You can continue to work until your award is exhausted.

Are There Work-Study jobs on or off-campus?
Both. Most departments and offices on-campus host Work-Study jobs. In addition Off-campus Work-Study jobs are available through the Community Service Work-Study program.

How do I find a Work-Study position?
Listings for on-campus jobs can be found at www.osucareerservices.com. After reading descriptions and requirements for open jobs, contact the person listed in the job description for whichever jobs appeal to you.

You will interview with the employer as you would for a normal job. If hired, the employer will enroll you in the University payroll system so that you can be paid.

If you are interested in working off-campus in the Community Service Work-Study program, available jobs can be found at www.okstate.edu/finaid/Work-Study/comserv.html.

When you find a job that interests you, contact the person listed in that job description. You will interview as you would for a normal job. For off-campus jobs, when you are hired you must then meet with Community Service Work-Study staff in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid to be enrolled in the University payroll system.

Why get a Work-Study job instead of a regular job?
One of the most important reasons is this: the salary you earn through Work-Study will not be counted as a resource when calculating your financial aid for the next school year. The salary you earn through a normal job will be counted as an additional resource and could lower your financial aid the following year.

Work-Study jobs are also plentiful and relatively easy to find. Work-Study employers know that you're a student first and will work around your class schedule. Many Work-Study positions, especially those in the Community Service Work-Study program, make excellent additions to your resume.

What is the Community Service Work-Study program?
The Community Service Work-Study program provides off-campus jobs for Work-Study students. These jobs focus on doing work which benefits the community, so employment will entail working for nonprofit organizations, public schools, and governmental entities.

Community Service Work-Study jobs let you get involved in the community while helping others. They are excellent in not only building real-world experience but also look very good on your resume.

How many hours will I work?
Workload will vary depending on your schedule, the employer's needs, and the amount of your Work-Study award.

Work-Study students typically work 15 - 20 hours/week. However some work more and some work less. Most Work-Study employers will work around your schedule; employers will never ask you to work during classes.

In order to be certain you earn your entire award, you should calculate how many hours per week you will need to average, based on your pay rate and Work-Study award level, in order to earn your entire award.

What happens when my Work-Study award is exhausted?
When you have earned your entire award your Work-Study position ends. Some employers opt to hire students as regular student employees once their Work-Study award is gone. This is at the discretion of the employer.

What if I do not earn my entire Work-Study award?
If you do not earn your entire Fall Semester award, the balance will be carried over and added to your Spring Semester award, assuming you are enrolled for both Fall and Spring.

However, any unused award at the end of Spring (or at the end of Fall if you're not returning in the Spring) will be lost.

What if I already have an on-campus job when I receive notification of my award?
All student jobs on-campus can be changed to Work-Study jobs. Notify your employer of your Work-Study award and they will do the necessary paperwork to change the job to Work-Study. If they are not sure how to do this they can contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for instructions.

What if I cannot find a Work-Study job?
Work-Study jobs are very plentiful and there are almost always more jobs than there are students to fill them. If you are not hired for the first Work-Study job don't be discouraged, try another.

There are work-study jobs that will fit almost anyone's schedule, skills, and interests.

Are there jobs available outside of Stillwater?
Yes, if you commute or just want to explore work outside of the Stillwater community, the Community Service Work-Study program offers many jobs outside of Stillwater and Payne County.

If you commute and there are no current Work-Study positions in your community, please contact the Community Service Work-Study program staff about setting one up.

Who can I contact if I have Work-Study questions?
The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid accepts walk-in's Monday-Friday 8:00 AM -5:00 PM at 119 Student Union. You may also reach us at (405)744-6604 or at finaid@okstate.edu.

Questions regarding Community Service Work-Study can be directed to James Rupp at (405)744-7056 or james.rupp@okstate.edu.