It is true that youth is losing interest in higher education. And the ones who are eager to continue their higher education are having trouble in paying the fee and costs of living. Work-study is for students who wants to complete their education and also not running into debt. It offers part-rime on and off campus jobs. It is a great experience to gain experience while financing your own education.
About half a million students annually preferred work-study program. It mainly ensures students financial aid to cover the cost of education. The federal work study program was established in 1965. It was a part of higher education movement.
The investment done by the federal government was around 1 billion during 2016-2017. The main focus of the program is to fund %75 of the wages of the student and gathering the rest from institutions. It appears to be a great resource to pursue the dream of a college degree.
Without further ado, let’s look more into the work-study program.
- Who is eligible and how can I apply?
First and foremost, you have to fill out the application for Federal Student Aid aka FAFSA to be eligible (https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa).
You have to complete the form as early as possible since the procedure works in a way first-come, first-served basis. After you complete the form, you will get a financial aid award letter and the amount you are eligible to get from loans, grants and work-study.
Although you get the letter of financial aid award, this does not mean that you will get the money right away. You have to find a work-study job and work to get that amount in which leads us to another question.
- How can I find a study-work-eligible job?
You received the financial aid award letter and the amount you will be getting is specified. Now you have to find a job that is eligible for the program.
Many work-study works can be found on campus. It can be assistantships, administrative duties in the campus etc. Off campus works can be searched in nonprofit organizations and private companies. Other places to look for are mainly community services such as tutoring, child care and health care.
You can research the eligible jobs on the online website of the universities. They usually have a study-work list.
Nonetheless, the jobs may be limited. It is always good to consult to the student employment office on your campus to find out what is available or not.
- What are the advantages?
Work study program known for its flexibility. For a student, the biggest importance of a job is the ability to fit in the program of the student. Work study employs that ability. By that, students both can attend to their classes and work to get their aid award.
If the eligible job is related to the student’s major and relatable to their courses it can give birth to many advantages.
The eligible jobs are great way to gain experience, and they look good on CV too.
References:
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/student-loans/what-is-work-study/
https://blog.ed.gov/2015/08/8-things-you-should-know-about-federal-work-study-2/
https://www.bestvalueschools.com/faq/what-is-the-federal-work-study-program/
https://www.skillsfuture.sg/workstudydegree#whoisitfor
İrem Ayça Aykın
Project Management School Editor
