Federal Work-Study Program
Federal Work-Study Program is an employment program funded by the federal government and Champlain College that allows students to earn money to help with the costs of attending Champlain.
What is Federal Work-Study?
Federal work-study is awarded to students with financial need as part of the financial aid award letter. The jobs are on-campus or at certain off-campus nonprofit organizations that contract with the College.
Work-study provides valuable experience to students both inside and outside of their field of study. Students are encouraged to work part-time while in school to not only gain work experience but to help contribute to the cost of their education and mitigate loan borrowing.
- Earnings are paid to students as a paycheck based on an hourly rate
- The rate of pay is at least minimum wage.
- On average, students work 10–12 hours a week and cannot work more than 28 hours per week.
- Students are paid every two weeks for the hours worked.
- The amount of each student’s award varies, up to a maximum award of $3,000, based on financial need and availability of funds.
- Payments to students are NOT credited toward the student’s bill, so it should not be counted toward paying the bill when determining the balance due after financial aid.
- Limited federal funding restricts the number of offers.
Advantages of Federal Work Study
Gain work experience for your resume
Champlain College prioritizes hands-on experiences for our students. For this reason, you can often find work study and on-campus employment that is related to your major.
Flexible work schedule
You are a student first and employee second. Your academic life will always take first priority and you will never be expected to work long hours at the expense of your academics.
Build your work history
Even if your work study or on-campus employment isn’t related to your area of study, you can build skills that are valuable to employers. Students who have job experience and who have worked while attending school are more attractive to future employers.
Hours Limitations
Because you are a student first, we recommend you work 5-10 hours a week per position, and 20 hours per week from all combined jobs.
However, over College breaks, you may work a maximum of 37.5 hours per week if approved by your supervisor(s). No student may work more than 37.5 hours per week at any time.
Are you interested in being considered for work-study?
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 1 priority deadline for the upcoming academic year.
- Answer “Yes” to the question on your FAFSA that asks if you are interested in being considered for work-study. Even if you are not 100% sure, it is better to choose “Yes” just in case you change your mind later.
- Financial need is calculated based on Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility.
Work-study is a limited-funds program, so not all eligible students will be offered funding.
Student Wage Rates
| Student Level 1 | Student Level 2 | Student Level 3 | Student Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $13.70/hr | $13.95/hr | $14.20/hr | $14.45/hr |
Note: Rates are subject to change as of the first of each year.
Where can I find a work-study job?
It is the student’s responsibility to actively search and apply for open positions. Champlain College does not place students into jobs and cannot guarantee that every student who receives an offer of federal work-study as part of their financial aid will find a job.
Two Ways to Find Open Positions
- Use Handshake, a career resource tool, to search for on-campus positions. All Champlain College students are given a Handshake account as an incoming student.
- Attend the Work-Study & Part-Time Job Fair hosted at the beginning of the school year.
More Inside Types of Aid
Scholarships
Champlain College offers a variety of merit-based and need-based scholarships to help students cover the cost of tuition.
Federal & State Grants
When it comes to covering your educational expenses, grants are great. Typically, they do not need to be paid back, which means they're basically free money!
Educational Loan Programs
There are some fundamental differences between federal loans and loans available from private lenders. Below is a basic overview to help you begin to navigate your loan options.
Federal Work-Study Program
Federal Work-Study Program is an employment program funded by the federal government and Champlain College that allows students to earn money to help with the costs of attending Champlain.