Federal Work-Study
What is Federal Work-Study?
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federal program that allows students with financial need to earn money for education-related expenses by working a part-time job. Because students earn their award through employment, FWS is not a grant and it is not a loan that must be repaid. A portion of the wages earned by working a FWS job is covered by the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid with federal funds. FWS positions are available with various Virginia Tech departments and on-campus organizations, as well as for-profit, or non-profit groups off-campus. Off-campus positions must be approved by the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid. FWS students must be paid either the Federal minimum wage, or the municipality minimum wage, whichever is higher. Currently, FWS students must at least be paid the State of Virginia minimum wage of $12.41 per hour since it is higher than the Federal minimum wage which is $7.25 per hour. Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI).
Current On-Campus Employers
- Virginia Tech Athletics
- Virginia Tech Career and Professional Development
- Virginia Tech Dining Services
- Virginia Tech Human Resources
- Virginia Tech Student Affairs
- Virginia Tech University Libraries
- …and more!
Current Off-Campus Employers
- The Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation
- EduTutorVA
- The Lyric Theatre
- Montgomery County Public Schools
- Special Olympics of Virginia
- Spectrum Brands
- …and more!
Federal Work-Study Information for Students
Students earn a paycheck and are paid via direct deposit twice a month like any other non-FWS wage position (enroll in direct deposit here via Hokie Wallet). Students in FWS-eligible positions are paid an hourly wage; students are never considered salary-based employees. Graduate students may receive graduate stipends; however, FWS awards may not be applied to departmental stipends. Students will receive the paycheck for work performed and may choose to use the funds to pay education-related expenses or use the funds as they see fit. Earnings from a FWS position cannot be applied to the University bill. Students can only work FWS jobs during the fall and spring semesters. The first step to participating in FWS is for the student to accept the offered FWS award in their financial aid portal.
2024-2025 FWS Award Amounts:
- First-time FWS recipients: $5,000 maximum award (yearly amount)
- Returning FWS recipients: $6,000 maximum award (yearly amount)
Student Eligibility Requirements:
- Must file their FAFSA by the priority filing deadline (March 1).
- Have sufficient remaining need.
- Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards.
- Must be enrolled at least half-time to have a FWS job. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 credits to be considered half-time. Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 5 credits to be considered half-time.
- Only available for Blacksburg campus (FWS is not available for Virtual, National Capital Region, or Roanoke-based students).
The Benefits of Working a FWS Job:
- FWS income does not count against students on the FAFSA (FWS earnings are not taxable).
- Students must be paid at least $12.00 per hour; this is the State of Virginia minimum wage requirement.
- Students will never be scheduled during class time.
- Students will gain organizational and time management skills.
- It could potentially lower the amount of loan money that students borrow.
- Working while in school builds the foundation for a strong résumé.
- Having a FWS job provides experiential learning opportunities.
FWS Myths…Busted! Check Out These Facts!
Myth: Students have to work in dining or an office on campus to participate in FWS.
(Busted!) Fact: There are all types of employment opportunities available for FWS students. For the 2024-2025 school year, FWS students secured positions in the following fields: social media; event planning; health and safety.
Myth: If I work a FWS job, I cannot work another job at the same time.
(Busted!) Fact: Students can work a non-FWS job at the same time as a FWS job, as long as school schedule and bandwidth allow. If a student needs to earn more money than their FWS award, they are welcome to find a non-FWS job to supplement their income.
Finding FWS Jobs
While the first step to participating in FWS is for the student to accept an offered FWS award in their financial aid portal, the second step is securing a position through Handshake. Once an account is created, students can filter job postings by FWS. To filter job postings, go to “Jobs,” select “Filter,” and then check the box for “Work-Study.” If a student finds a position that they would like to apply for, but isn’t marked as FWS, they can request the position be converted to FWS through the employer.
FWS positions can be found both on-campus and off-campus. Off-campus positions must align with a student’s major and be approved by the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Career and Professional Development offers several resources to help students along their career journey:
Want to make “Ut Prosim” more than a motto? Tutoring and other community service positions are available for FWS students through EduTutorVA, Montgomery County Public Schools, the YMCA at Virginia Tech, and more.
FWS Student Handbooks
The FWS Student Handbooks (off-site and on-campus) are resources to help students be successful in the workplace.
- How to Find a Job
- General Responsibilities of Employees
- Appropriate Attire
- Work Schedule Guidelines
- Recording Time Worked
- A List of Employment Resources from Career and Professional Development
- …and more!
FWS Student Checklist 2024-2025
Important Dates and Deadlines |
Action Item List |
- July 1: Priority deadline for students to accept their FWS award. This ensures students can view all FWS opportunities in Handshake. Handshake also opens July 1. **If the student does not accept their FWS award by July 15 AND secure a FWS position by September 30, their FWS award may be canceled, and we cannot guarantee that they will be able to get it back. |
- Accept the FWS award in the financial aid portal. Priority deadline is July 1.
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Federal Work-Study Information for Employers
The first step to becoming a FWS employer is to contact the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid (USFA) so any questions about the process can be answered. Walk-in hours for current and prospective FWS employers are every Thursday morning, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (starting September 12, 2024).
2024-2025 FWS Award Amounts:
- First-time FWS recipients: $5,000 maximum award (yearly amount)
- Returning FWS recipients: $6,000 maximum award (yearly amount)
Student Eligibility Requirements:
- Must file a FAFSA by the priority filing deadline (March 1).
- Have sufficient remaining need.
- Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
- Must be enrolled at least half-time to have a FWS job.
- Only available for Blacksburg campus (not virtual, National Capital Region, or Roanoke).
The Benefits of Hiring FWS Students:
- We can cover 50-100% of FWS student wages. The wage split is determined by the type of business or organization employing the student. The wage splits for the respective employer types are listed in those sections below.
- Because we cover at least a portion of wages, more than just one student could be hired.
- Students often have flexible schedules.
If the agency offers a position where services are designed to improve the quality of life for community residents or to solve problems related to those residents’ needs, it may qualify for an 80% federal/20% non-federal share wage split, meaning the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid will cover 80% of the wages if a FWS student is hired for it. If the agency believes it offers a position that would qualify as community service, please contact the Federal Work-Study Coordinator at finaid@vt.edu. Organizations can receive a community service designation regardless of whether they are on-campus or off-campus.
Departments and organizations on campus are eligible to receive a 75% federal/25% non-federal share wage split, meaning the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid will cover 75% of a FWS student’s wages.
Hiring FWS students is easy!
First, on-campus employers will need to create a Handshake account and then post their job(s). The employer will need to select the box for “Work-Study” to make sure that FWS students are able to see the post. Selecting that box will also prevent anyone who is not FWS eligible to see the post. If both FWS and non-FWS students are welcome to see the post, employers are encouraged to not check that box and instead write “Federal Work-Study” or “FWS” in the job description so it can be found by FWS students.
Next, the on-campus employer will need to review the candidates and make a hire. The employer is responsible for the interview process and confirming that the student-hire is FWS-eligible in Banner (screen “RJASEAR”).
Once the best candidate(s) has been hired, the employer will need to enter the job and employee information into Banner.
Lastly, the employer will need to contact the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid so the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid can approve their hires in Banner.
Use the 2025-2026 FWS On-Campus Supervisor Handbook as a resource for hiring and employing FWS students.
The On-Campus Supervisor Handbook includes the following information:
- On-Campus Employer Checklist
- FERPA Information
- General Responsibilities of Employers
- Hiring Procedures
- Termination Procedures
- Work Schedule Guidelines
- Wage Information
- Instructions for Running FWS Balance Legacy Web Report
- …and more!
Interested in taking the FWS supervisory experience to the next level? Campus internEXP and iGROW @ Virginia Tech, two Career and Professional Development programs, offer resources and support to Virginia Tech supervisors during the student employment experience.
For-profit businesses off-campus are eligible to receive a 50% federal/50% non-federal share wage split, meaning the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid will cover 50% of a FWS student’s wages.
Hiring FWS students is easy!
First, off-campus employers will need to contact the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid and have their job description(s) approved.
Once the off-campus employer is approved, they’ll need to create a Handshake account and then post the job(s). Be sure to select the box for “Work-Study” to make sure that FWS students are able to see the post. Selecting that box will also prevent anyone who is not FWS eligible to see the post. If both FWS and non-FWS students are welcome to see the post, do not check that box and instead write “Federal Work-Study” or “FWS” in the job description so it can be found by FWS students.
Next, the employer will need to review the candidates and make a hire. The employer is responsible for the interview process and making their hire.
Once the employer has selected the best candidate(s), they’ll need to let us know and we’ll take care of the rest. The employer will be invoiced for its portion of the wages once a month.
Use the FWS Off-Site Supervisor Handbook as a resource for hiring and employing FWS students.
The Off-Site Supervisor Handbook includes the following information:
- Off-Campus Employer Checklist
- FERPA Information
- General Responsibilities of Employers
- Hiring Procedures
- On-boarding Procedures
- Termination Procedures
- Work Schedule Guidelines
- Recording time worked
- Wage information
- …and more!