Work-study Resources for Student Aid Staff

When responding to general work-study inquiries by students, please refer to the ‘Work-Study’ section of the Intake Checklist available on the Office of Student Aid Intranet or the Enrollment Services Center’s BPG – Federal Work-Study.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Federal Work-Study (FWS), a student must:

• Be an undergraduate or graduate student

• Meet and maintain Federal and Penn State Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements

  • Be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program

  • Comply with Penn State's Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Demonstrate financial need

  • Financial need = COA - SAI

• Complete the verification process

To be eligible for traditional Summer Work-Study you must also be enrolled in at least six credits. Please note, considerations for Summer FWS require financial need to be determined by Summer Term COA – Full Year SAI. Incoming summer starts will not be offered Summer FWS.

Applying

At Penn State, there is not a separate application for Federal Work-Study. All first-year students who have submitted their FAFSA by the University’s recommended deadline and have indicated an interest in work-study on their Penn State application for admission will be considered during initial awarding. Due to limited funding, not all students who are eligible will receive Work-Study.

Incoming first year students as well as returning students not offered Federal Work-Study may request consideration by contacting the . A valid FAFSA must be on file for consideration. Students requesting consideration should be placed on the waitlist. See the checklist or appropriate BPG for information on doing so.

Consideration for Summer Federal Work-Study must be requested via the ticket system or submitting a case. Summer FWS consideration cannot occur until students have been awarded for summer. Tickets/cases submitted prior to summer awarding will be delayed. Incoming summer starts will not be offered Summer FWS.

Work-Study Offer

• Students offered Federal Work-Study will see the source in LionPATH in their Student Aid Summary. Student Aid staff can view the offer on the student’s LionPATH account.

• Typical Federal Work-Study amounts are $4000/year for undergraduate and graduate students. Students who receive Federal Work-Study for only fall or spring will typically receive $2000.

• Students need to make sure there are no 'Holds' or pending 'To-Do List' items in their LionPATH accounts, as these may restrict the availability of the funding.

• Federal Work-Study, although part of a student’s aid package, are not disbursed into the student’s bursar account. Once a student obtains a work-study position, they will earn their funds in the form of a paycheck. Work-study positions are paid according to a biweekly pay schedule. The student’s earnings are directly deposited into their bank account. Students will only receive the portion of the Work-Study that they have earned.

Wages

Wages earned through work-study are reported as "Earned Income" on the FAFSA for the subsequent year and may be deducted as "Title IV exclusions."

Student Perspective

• Typical offer is $4,000

• Work-Study must be accepted

• Students must complete all on-boarding tasks prior to earning

• Student earnings are directly-deposited into their bank accounts - not reflected in their Bursar account

• Earning totals are reflected in LionPATH

• Notifications are sent to STUDENTS at 50% and 75%. and then after each pay-period beyond that

Increases can be requested - pending eligibility review and funding availability

Initial Awarding for In-coming First-Year Students

• FAFSA submitted by recommended date

• Indicated an interest in FWS on Penn State application of admission

• Meet eligibility criteria

• Fall within index range for FWS awards:

  • Index = (COA-SAI)/SAI X 100 (FWS index 2026/27 = 99-65)

• Offered until funding is exhausted

Awarding by Exception for Penn State Campuses

• For Incoming First Year Students – Review and determinations will be made within 3-5 business days

• Request consideration through OSA review:

  • Student must meet eligibility criteria

  • Have demonstrated federal financial need

  • Fall within exception totals/campus

  • Funding availability

Awarding by Exception for Returning Students (Wait list)

Review and determinations begin August 1 and continue routinely as funding is available.

Awarding for Summer

Review and determinations begin with Summer awarding. Incoming First Year Students will not be offered FWS. Summer eligibility requires enrollment in 6 credits for traditional Federal Work-Study funding.

If a student has been awarded Federal Work-Study, they should visit the Penn State Human Resources website to review all available positions.

Search the job website:

Students can filter their search by ‘campus’ and ‘federal work-study' to find the most appropriate opportunities for them. Positions are listed by job title with the most recently posted positions listed first. Each title is linked to a complete job description. It is recommended that students consider their academic interests, professional aspirations, position location, class schedule, and course load when determining if a position is right for them. Once they have selected a position (or positions), they can apply directly from the job posting page by selecting ‘apply.’ The online application takes only a few minutes to complete.

Apply for a position:

Students can apply for a Federal Work-Study position at any time, but they must accept the offer in LionPATH for consideration. While the majority of positions are filled early in the fall semester, employers add jobs periodically throughout the year. While we encourage departments to maintain their postings, the Office of Student Aid does not assume the responsibility for accuracy of job postings or availability. Students having difficulty finding a position should continue to apply and consider reaching out to the hiring manager listed in the posting for information as to the status of the position.

Other considerations:

Students who received Federal Work Study have the opportunity to obtain a job and perform related duties either on campus, or remotely, if possible and at the discretion of the employer. Students applying for Federal Work Study positions should clarify expectations with their potential employer regarding either on campus/in person or remote work arrangements. An offer of Federal Work Study does not guarantee a job position is available.