Work-Study: Will it Work for You?

The following short video does a great job of explaining work-study in less than two minutes!



I do have a couple of comments on the study subject though.  The first is that another benefit of work-study is that earnings in one year will not count against you on the following year's FAFSA in the determination of your eligibility for federal aid (state aid may be be another story).

Another benefit is that the jobs tend to fit well with student life in terms of location, scheduling, and duties.  My favorite work-study as a student was in the dining hall--I had a lot of free meals while I worked!  I know others who loved to work the library or the gym, and managed to get a lot of studying done in between serving their patrons.

You may have an a option that makes work-study less ideal for you.  The obvious issue might be that you can earn more elsewhere.  I had a student years ago who earned about $20 and hour as a busboy in a Mexican restaurant.

Or it may be the work environment.  In my senior year of college I worked in a bar that was one of my favorite hang-outs.  That made it an easy call to cut back on my dining hall hours.

Work-study can be a great option for students, but like so much of the college process, there are multiple considerations to weigh before you can reach the best choice for you.