Student Guide
What is Federal Work-Study?
How can I get Work-Study?
Why is Work-Study so great?
What kinds of jobs are available?
How much will I be paid?
When will I be paid?
When can I work?
How do I get a job?
Can I have more than one Work-Study job?
What are the enrollment requirements for Work-Study?
Tips for your interview.
What if I do not get a job?
How do I get my Work-Study money?
Emergency Cash Loans
Will I get Work-Study every year?
What if I want to keep working after I’ve earned my Work-Study award?
Rights and Responsibilities
The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program is a government-subsidized student
employment program designed to assist students in financing their post-secondary
education. Work-Study is different from other types of part-time jobs because
your employer only has to pay 30% of your wages - the remaining 70% is paid
by the Work-Study program.
To be eligible for Work-Study, you must demonstrate financial need every
year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). Be sure to complete the FAFSA by UT’s priority deadline of
March 15th each year, and to request Work-Study on the FAFSA. Undergraduate
and graduate students are eligible, although graduate students must contact
their financial aid counselor and ask to be considered for the award.
Because Work-Study funding is limited, awards to graduate students are
typically considered after all eligible undergraduates have been accommodated.
- It provides real-world job experience suited to your skills, preferences and possible career goals and offers the opportunity to develop career contacts.
- Your work schedule can be arranged around your class schedule.
- Work-Study earnings are not counted towards next year's student contribution for financial aid.
- Most Off-Campus Work-Study job locations are easily reached by UT shuttle or city bus.
- Grades and time management: Studies have consistently shown that students who work no more than 20 hours per week have better grades than students who do not work. Additional time demands appear to force students to manage their time more efficiently, thus creating a higher commitment to study time by the student.
Off-Campus (Community Service) jobs with non-profit employers may include
positions in public television, museums, childcare centers, health care
clinics, and tutoring programs. Please see Community Service Work-Study for more information.
Many on-campus Work-Study jobs are clerical, but there are also many jobs in
lab research, social science research, photography and curatorship, child care,
library services, and housing and food services. Students can search for these
and other available Work-Study jobs on the Hirealonghorn Job Bank after they
have completed their FAN (Financial Aid Notification) and accepted their
Work-Study award.
In compliance with HB 2504 of the 81st Texas Legislature, we are providing a
list of the on-campus Work-Study jobs posted for Summer 2010, Fall 2010, and
Spring 2011. We hope you will use this comprehensive list to learn about all
the on-campus Work-Study job opportunities that are typically available to
qualified students.
»Work-Study Job Listings (XLSX)
NOTE: Work-Study jobs are posted, and therefore available on the Hirealonghorn
Job Bank, during the period May 1-July 1 for Summer, May 1-October 1 for Fall,
and December 1-March 1 for Spring. Also, jobs change on a daily basis. For
these reasons, we encourage students to log in to the Hirealonghorn
Job Bank frequently to see the list of currently posted Work-Study jobs.
All Work-Study jobs pay at least minimum wage, $7.25 per hour currently, depending
upon experience and skills. Regardless of your hourly wage, you cannot earn more
than your semester's Work-Study award. Please note that Work-Study students are
not eligible for paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, or medical and dental insurance
through their Work-Study job.
Because Work-Study regulations require that employers pay students at least
once a month, you should receive a paycheck at least once a month. This means
you must turn your timesheet in to your employer at least once a month. IMPORTANT: Not turning in your timesheet so that you can be
paid at least once a month is automatic grounds for dismissal from the Work-Study
program!
You may earn your Work-Study award during these employment
periods only:
| FALL 2012: September 1 - December 18 |
| SPRING 2013: January 14 - May 14 |
You may work up to 19 hours per week, but most students work 10-12 hours per
week, so that they earn their Work-Study award evenly over the semester. You
should never be scheduled to work during class time and you should never work
more than 8 hours in one day, or more than 40 hours per week during those times
within the Award Period when classes are not in session (e.g. Spring Break).
Begin your job search early so that you have a broader range of jobs to
choose from, and so that you can begin working and earning your award as
soon as the award period begins! Here's how:
- Search for Work-Study (WS) jobs via the Hirealonghorn Job Bank.
- Visit various On-Campus departments to find out if they have any Work-Study positions available.
- Attend one of the "Whistle While You Work" presentations available on the second day of each Summer Freshman Orientation.
- Attend the annual Work-Study Job Fair held during the first or second week of the Fall semester.
No. You cannot work in more than one Work-Study job at the same time. If you
plan to work in a Work-Study job and a non-Work-Study job at the same time,
please be aware of the "Quantity of Work" guidelines. The Quantity of Work
guidelines were established to help students achieve balance between their
schoolwork and their job(s). Finding the right balance is the key to
maintaining satisfactory academic progress. The Quantity of Work guidelines
say that students should not commit to more than 40 hours per week for all
their jobs and classes combined. For example, if you are enrolled in 12
credit hours and your Work-Study job requires you to work 18 hours per week,
you would be advised to work no more than 10 hours in a non-Work-Study job
(12 + 18 + 10=40).
You must maintain at least half-time enrollment in regular UT coursework
at all times in order to be eligible to work in your Work-Study job. In
Fall and Spring, half-time enrollment is at least 6 credit hours for
undergraduate students, 5 hours for graduate students, and 7 hours for
law students. In summer, half-time enrollment is at least 6 credit hours
for undergraduate students, 3 hours for graduate students, and 3 hours for
law students. NOTE: These hours must be taken over
both summer sessions which together total 12 weeks.
Work-Study and enrollment in UT Extension courses: In
order to be eligible for a summer Work-Study award, you must be enrolled in
6 regular UT hours that are spread over both sessions in addition to your UT
Extension credit hours. In Fall and Spring, you must be enrolled in at least
6 regular UT hours in addition to your UT Extension hours. If you drop below
6 regular UT credit hours at any time during the year, you must stop working
in your Work-Study job immediately! In addition, if you drop a regular UT class
that results in your being enrolled in one summer session only, you must stop
working immediately.
What to take with you:
- Copy of your Work-Study Verification (WSV). After completing your on-line Work-Study Counseling session in CASH, you can find your WSV at the bottom of the "My Financial Aid" page.
- Your resume or other record of your work history and experience OR the UT Employment Application.
REMEMBER: You never get a second chance to make a
good first impression!
- Arrive early
- Dress neatly and conservatively
- Establish eye contact
- Don’t chew gum
- Turn your cell phone off
- Speak clearly and answer all questions honestly
- Smile!
When you accept a Work-Study position, your employer expects you to stay for
the length of the employment period. This means if you have a Fall or Spring
Work-Study award, you are expected to stay in the same position through the
end of the Fall or Spring employment period. Sometimes circumstances may cause
you to resign from your Work-Study position before the end of the employment
period — in those cases, you are expected to keep your supervisor informed.
You are discouraged from changing Work-Study jobs in the middle of the year.
This is because if you have Fall and Spring Work-Study awards and are hired
for Fall, your employer is expecting you to return to that job in the Spring.
If you do not find a Work-Study job within the first six weeks of the Fall
or Spring semesters, or first four weeks of the summer session, your Federal
Work-Study award will be canceled for that semester. This may jeopardize the
awarding of any future Federal Work-Study.
You have to get a job and earn it!
Work-Study students are paid at least once a month, depending upon the
individual employer. Most students choose to have their Work-Study
paychecks deposited into their checking or savings account. You may
also pick it up in person from your employer or at the UT Payroll
Office if you work at UT. No matter which payment option you choose,
remember that your earnings will NOT be automatically applied towards
your UT debts-your paychecks are for you to use as you choose.
Please note that Work-Study regulations require that you be paid at least
once per month. This means you must turn in your
Work-Study Timesheet at least once a month. Failure to do so may result
in your immediate termination and dismissal from the Work-Study program.
If for some reason you miss a pay period, you may request an emergency cash
loan on-line
using your UT EID. These short-term emergency loans charge an interest rate of
4 percent per annum. The maximum amount that can be borrowed on-line is $500.
If you need more than $500, you should inquire in person at the Office of
Student Financial Services, SSB, 3rd floor. Loans must be repaid within 30 days.
Work-Study funding is limited. In order to be considered for Work-Study each year,
you must:
- Complete the FAFSA each year by the priority deadline of March 15th.
- On the FAFSA, be sure to answer 'Yes' to the 'Are you interested in being considered for Work-Study?' question located at the end of Step 1 for the Student.
- Show enough financial need (based on the information on your FAFSA).
- Earn your Work-Study award each year.
- Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and remain enrolled full-time each semester.
If you earn your entire Work-Study award before the end of the employment
period, your employer may allow you to continue working while paying 100%
of your wages from their own funds. Please be aware that income earned
under these circumstances will be counted toward next year's student
contribution for financial aid.
When you accept a Work-Study position, you become a member of a
department or agency that depends on you. It’s important for you to
report to work on time, notify your supervisor when you 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,
you should consider the employer's needs as well as your own. In addition,
some Work-Study positions may require access to confidential information-abuse
or misuse of such authorization is grounds for dismissal!
You must submit your Work-Study Timesheet at least once a month. Failure
to do so is grounds for dismissal. You cannot earn
more than the Work-Study award reflected on your 'My Financial Aid'
page in CASH. It is your responsibility to use the Work-Study Balance Sheet to monitor
your earnings and make sure they do not exceed your Work-Study award.
If a problem develops on the job, you should first discuss the issue with
your supervisor. If the problem cannot be resolved, you should contact the
Work-Study Office in the Office of Student Financial Services. Quitting a
Work-Study job should be a decision of last resort. There is no guarantee
that the Work-Study award can be replaced with another type of aid or that
you can secure another Work-Study position. Acceptance of
a position through Work-Study implies a commitment to the employer for at
least one semester.