What is Work-Study?
Work-study is a part-time employment option for undergraduate and graduate students with unmet financial need. Unlike grants, loans, and scholarships, work-study is not applied directly to tuition, nor will it disburse in a lump sum.
Why Choose Work-Study?
Work study has many benefits, including:
- Take out fewer loans
- Work in your field of study
- You may be able to find a work-study job directly related to your degree.
- Earn job experience
- Gain access to campus jobs only available through work study
- Work around your schedule
- Work-study positions are required to work around your class schedule.
Eligibility
- Have at least $7,000 in need (with at least $1,000 of unmet need)
- Have a current FAFSA or WASFA on file by the WSU priority date
- Be in good Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standing with the Student Financial Services office
- Submit verification documents (if necessary) on file by the priority date.
- Enroll in at least 6 credits per term for undergraduates and 5 credits for graduate students
Getting a work-study job may reduce your offered loans if you are at your cost of attendance.
Awarding process
1. Eligibility & Employment
After completing the interest form, you will need to visit Handshake to apply for an on-campus, work-study eligible job.
Contact the Academic Success and Career Center for assistance finding work-study job.
2. Work Study Authorization
Your employer will submit a Work-Study Authorization (WSA) to Student Financial Services.
After processing the WSA, SFS will place a work-study placeholder to your Financial Aid Offer. The amount shown is not guaranteed; it is the maximum amount you are allowed to earn in work-study. SFS will notify both you and your employer of the update.
3. Hourly Position and Paycheck
Work-study jobs are limited to 19 hours per week.
SNAP Food Benefits
The US Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), called Basic Food in Washington, helps people with low incomes by providing monthly benefits to buy food.
Eligibility
- General Program Requirements: Washington State resident, income eligibility, citizenship/immigration status.
- Postsecondary Students must also meet one of the following:
- Approved for work-study and participating in a work-study job or anticipating a work-study job.
- In paid employment for a monthly average of 20 hours/week.
- Responsible for more than half the care of a dependent aged 5 or younger.
- Responsible for more than half the care of a dependent between the ages of 6 and 11 under certain conditions.
- Receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or participating in Work First, Basic Food Employment and Training, or a similar program.
More Information
Work-study eligibility generally requires an on-time FAFSA or WASFA, $7,000 in need and $1,000 in unmet need. However, initial financial aid offers may not include work-study, even if you are eligible.
You may estimate your financial need as your Financial Aid Offer is ready to see if you may be expecting work-study eligibility.
How to Determine Financial Need
- Find your total Cost of Attendance (COA) for WSU.
- Subtract your Student Aid Index (SAI). SAI is determined by the FAFSA or WASFA and can be viewed in your FAFSA or WASFA account.
- Any remaining amount is your remaining financial need.
How to Determine Unmet Financial Need
Start with the financial need calculated above. Next subtract any scholarships, grants or loan offers currently listed in your aid package (view your aid package in myWSU: myWSU/Student Center/View Financial Aid).
What remains is “unmet” financial need.
Work Study FAQ
Sometimes.
You can only be offered financial aid up to your cost of attendance. Your work-study placeholder must fit within your financial aid package without causing your total aid to exceed your cost of attendance. You may see a reduction in your offered loans to accommodate work-study. SFS will adjust loans when necessary at the time the WSA is processed.
There is no separate application process. As long as you have a current FAFSA or WASFA on file, you will be automatically considered for work study.
If you are eligible, you will be notified via your WSU email account at the end of the spring semester (typically by the end of April), after receiving your financial aid package for the academic year. Begin looking for work as soon as possible, since funding is limited and awarding does not occur until your employer submits their Work Study Authorization Form.
You do not need to be on campus to find a job—start looking on Handshake now!
If you have any questions about finding on-campus, work-study eligible employment, the Academic Success and Career Center is a great resource.
For the 2026-27 academic year, students can earn up to $6,000 in work-study per academic year ($3,000 per term). Work-study is only awarded in the fall and spring semesters.
You cannot earn work-study beyond your cost of attendance or need-based aid limits.
Awards can be placed in the fall or spring semesters as employers complete the hiring process and notify Student Financial Services by submitting a Work-Study Authorization. Work-study is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
In general, work-study is not awarded for summer term.
Any on-campus job through WSU can be a work-study position. Even if the job description does not mention work-study, apply and inform your employer during the hiring process.
Some jobs are work-study only. These positions will be clearly labeled in Handshake, WSU’s online student job platform.
Yes.
Work study is available to both graduate and undergraduate students who have a current FAFSA or WASFA on file and have remaining unmet need.
Work study positions are limited to 19 hours per week.
You will receive your work-study funds as a regular paycheck twice a month. Work-study funds do not automatically credit towards your tuition or university charges and will match the actual number of hours you worked during the pay period. You have the flexibility to choose how you use your work study funds.
Yes!
Work study is not a requirement for students to work on campus. Many students are employed in part-time positions without work-study funding. Some positions are work study only, but they will be clearly labeled as such on the job posting.
If you’re interested in part-time employment, you can locate open positions by inquiring at any campus locations where you would like to work, by checking Handshake, or by visiting the Academic Success & Career Center.
It depends.
If you are a global campus student, you may only receive work study if you are working at a physical WSU campus (Everett, Pullman, Spokane, Tri-cities) and have submitted a successful appeal.
Contact our office for help with this process.
No.
If you want to use your work-study award, you must be employed by WSU.