Federal Work-Study Employment
What is Federal Work-Study?
FWS is a federally-funded financial aid program established to provide part-time employment opportunities for students with demonstrated financial need. In short - FWS was created to make it easier for you to find a good job and cover your costs while you’re in school.
Can I apply for FWS?
When you completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you did apply for an FWS Award! FWS is part of your financial aid package and, like all types of financial aid, is determined by the Office of Student Financial Services.
How do I know if I have FWS?
You can log-in to MyAccess, select "Financial Aid," then select "Award Information." From here you will be able to view the amount of your FWS Award and when you can use it (i.e. which semesters hold the award). If you have questions about your financial aid package, we'd recommend getting in touch with your financial aid counselor.
Remember - in order to work using your FWS funds, you'll need to first accept your FWSA in MyAccess.
Ok, I have accepted my FWS Award. What happens now?
First, you’ll have to get a job! To search for positions, go to https://seo.georgetown.edu/, select "Georgetown Students," then "Find a Job," and log in with your NetID and password. If you want to work more than one job, you can! Just keep in mind that only one position can be funded with your FWS Award.
You earn your FWS Award by clocking hours for on-campus departments and select off-campus agencies. When working with an FWS Award, your wages will be partially federally subsidized - making you even more attractive to employers than you already are and allowing you to earn your Award amount.
Show me the money!
Your FWS Award is an amount you can work towards, not a grant or a scholarship that kicks in all at once. You don’t get the money up front so if you don’t earn the full amount of your award you don’t have to pay it back to Georgetown.
How much you actually earn of your FWS Award is based on the amount you work and your hourly wage. Your paycheck from your job will go directly to you, every other week, and you can spend this money however you need to. Lunch, laundry, books – you got it!
Once you've found a job, you'll need to figure out how much you can work and how to keep track of your award as you work. Check out the FWSA Tracker spreadsheet for more information on working with Work Study and a helpful tool to track your hours and earnings.
What happens when I earn my entire FWS Award amount?
Once you reach your award maximum, you should talk to your employer to find out if you can continue to work. If your employer is able to pay for your wages from that point forward without any FWS funding, then you will be able to continue to work. If they can’t, you may want to consider finding another job that won’t require FWS.
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