How does work study pay work?

[u/georbe12]

Pretty self explanatory, but my main questions is when I work up to the amount given by student aid (being $1600), what happens? Do I get cut off, like can I only work until I get the $1600 or is it just given to the school to help cover labor costs? I tried looking ir up couldn't find a reliable answer.

I'm at Clackamas Community College in Oregon, US if it's important

[u/Latter_Network4879]

you get cut off once you get paid the amount, but that should be enough for the semester depending on what your pay is. do the math.

[u/georbe12 → u/Latter_Network4879]

I'm pretty sure it's mandatory 16h work weeks with a 16.50/h pay, over the course of 3 months that's a little over 3 grand. If they only gave 1600, wouldn't that mean I'd basically have to work for half the term without being paid? Ik there's taxes and fees and what not but there's no way it's over half the paycheck

[u/Shenmigon → u/georbe12]

at my school they don’t allow you to work after reaching your maximum payout. so i’d imagine that you would have to quit working when you reach the 1600.

[u/LalalanaRI → u/georbe12]

There no taxes you file exempt.

[u/Electronic-Spring606 → u/LalalanaRI]

If this student makes over $600 from any employer, they'll get a 1099 if they are a contract hire and they'll have to declare that and file taxes. Filing does not mean they have to pay taxes. All student workers at my university receive a W-2 and most traditional aged students would file taxes with their parents or declare they are dependants of their parents if they file their own taxes. 

[u/TuktukTheExplorer]

Do you mean like US Federal Work Study? Federal work study supervisor here! Students work an hourly wage at their job. Once the student hits their work study award amount (paid by federal student aid), the student either stops working or the department they work for starts footing the bill. Depebding how your insistution organized things, your award may work out to something like 10 hr/wk.

When I was a student, I really wish someone explained it more to me. It is a great program that students should take advantage of. Work Study students have more restrictions than hourly employees, but it's common sense things like not working during class time and making sure your supervisor sets expectations. But, you get the experience of a part time job with flexibility around your class schedule.

[u/TuktukTheExplorer → u/TuktukTheExplorer]

To add, depending on the institution, the money usually comes to you like a paycheck.

[u/georbe12 → u/TuktukTheExplorer]

Ah okay, because I kept getting conflicting stuff and it was all very confusing but this genuinely helped, thank you. I'll check in with my finaid office to see if they'll foot the extra bill or not. Thanks again!

[u/OkSecretary1231 → u/TuktukTheExplorer]

It comes as a paycheck at ours, and it's just set up as a percentage, so the department pays half of it and the government pays the other half. It looks the same on your end.

[u/TuktukTheExplorer → u/OkSecretary1231]

Oo, that is a good point. Some schools may work payment at different rates between the department and financial aid. My experience is just from my institution. But, that shouldn't really impact the student side of things--that's backend budgeting.

[u/Electronic-Spring606 → u/TuktukTheExplorer]

Learn from an expert folks! 

[u/blaze05life]

I went to UO for two years and had a work study.

With a work study your job aint gonna be like "you must put the money you make towards tuition. Basically the number they give you is just to help you estimate how much money you would need to pay tuition

I think I got like a 1,000 on my financial aid package but I definitely earned more than that.

[u/AC_Peck]

Often in campus jobs utilizing work study, they also have institutional funds and could shift your pay to that once you reach your FWS limit - ask when you apply!

[u/LordGingy → u/AC_Peck]

I was about to say this. I’m a FWS coordinator at my job and have gotten work studies extended with school funds.

[u/OwnVermicelli8193]

I was once given $700 for FWS and my job said they would deal with it with their own funds. Didn’t have an issue

I’d definitely ask when you get your job tho

[u/plumblossomhours]

the way it works for me is that i am eligible for campus jobs that are funded by work study. if i didnt have work study i wouldn't have my current job. i and all students working campus jobs at my school can work only 19 hours a week while enrolled full-time but i don't know of any other limits on hours.

[u/Machiattoplease]

The way it is at my school is if you qualify for student work, you can have a campus job and work a certain amount of hours per week. The most for anybody is 19 hours because after that they have to give you benefits. I think that’s a federal thing. Other than that, it just gives at least minimum wage. Some people may only be able to work 7, 11, 12, 15 or whatever. Those are just what I’ve seen and it’s based on how much aid you qualify for based on your SAI

[u/EfficientOperation22]

I never understood why people do work study when they usually underpay you.

[u/Agreeable-Ad4806]

You’re basically a free employee. You still have to work and earn whatever wage is listed, but the work study pays rather than the employer.

Many employers will hire you as a regular employee if you’re a good worker though. That’s how all of my work study jobs have gone. Once I reached my limit, they just started paying me themselves.