How It Works

If you have a work-study award listed on your Financial Aid Offer Letter you are eligible to find a job listed in the work study job listings page (requries CalNet login).

Work-Study is a federally-subsidized hourly wage job program. For example, if a department pays you $10/hr., it costs their budget a net of $5/hr. This is why Work-study is considered an "award."

Like any job, the wage can range anywhere from minimum wage to upwards of $20+/hr (usually graduate student positions). The employer sets the rate and the highly skilled/greater responsibility jobs tend to pay more.

You can start working as early as June 1 but you must stop working by either the last day of the spring semester or the last day of your enrollment. Although your Offer Letter shows that you are being offered half of your eligibility in the Fall semester and half in the Spring semester, you are not limited to earning your work study that way. For example, some students don't begin working until November, so they earn a smaller portion in the Fall and more in the Spring. How you earn your work study earnings is up to you and your employer.

Your Work-Study earnings are not applied to your CARS account. You are paid directly by your employer. Although your earnings go directly to you, you still are responsible for paying any outstanding bills in your CARS account.

The number of hours you work each week are based on how many hours you feel you can fit into your schedule, how much you are eligible for, and what your employers needs are.

See the Frequently Asked Questions section for more details.