Federal Work Study Eligibility

Federal Work Study Eligibility

The student must:

• Demonstrate financial need as determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Financial Aid).
• Be fully admitted as a degree-seeking student in a program at ISU.
• Be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Not be in default on an educational loan or owe an overpayment on a federal education grant, or other federal debt, or has made satisfactory arrangements to repay that debt.

Based on the results of the FAFSA, eligible students are offered an allotment that may be earned through part-time employment in FWS approved positions.

Note: Students earn their Federal Work Study funding by getting a job and working their assigned hours per week.  Work Study students are paid through direct deposit.  Work Study earnings do not apply to the student's university charges.  Students are strongly encouraged to begin the job search early. Popular Federal Work Study positions are highly sought after and tend to be filled quickly.

Rights and Responsibilities

By accepting a FWS position, students become members of a department or agency that depends on them. Students should report to work on time, notify the supervisor when they will be late or absent, and dress appropriately for the work location (dress code should be discussed during the interview). When asking for time off, students should consider the employer's needs as well as their own. In addition, some FWS positions may require access to confidential information. Abuse or misuse of such authorization is grounds for dismissal and other disciplinary actions.

If a problem develops on the job, the first point of contact should be the supervisor. If the problem cannot be resolved, the student should contact the Student Employment office. Quitting a FWS job should be a decision of last resort. There is no guarantee that the Work Study alotment can be replaced with another type of aid or that the student can secure another FWS position. Failure to follow expected policies and regulations may result in the cancellation of their Work Study offer and the loss of their Work Study position. Acceptance of a position through Work Study implies a commitment to the employer for at least one semester or the time agreed upon during the interview process.