Federal Work-Study Program

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federal program which offers eligible students part-time opportunities to work up to twenty hours per week and earn a pay check. Job opportunities are located both on-campus or with an approved off-campus Community Service Partner (CSP). Work-study is a need-based form of financial aid, and eligibility is determined by the information the student provides on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Benefits

We do our best to match work-study students with jobs related to their field of interest, in most cases.  Here are some of the benefits of work-study at NLU:

• An opportunity to earn money to help pay for educational expenses.
• Provides many valuable experiences. Future employers are usually impressed with students who have work experience.
• Provides opportunities to serve the community (including tutoring, mentoring and family literacy) and to work in areas related to your field of study.
• Creates and atmosphere to practice communication, interpersonal, time management and other skills.
• Development of marketable skills
• Your supervisor knows you are a college student first and therefore; they try to be as flexible as possible in scheduling work hours around your class schedule.
• Your FWS supervisor may become an excellent reference.

Earn While You Learn!

Eligibility

A student must:

• Demonstrate financial need via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy .
• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National.
• Have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau).
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program.
• Not have certain drug convictions. Further information is available online at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/criminal-convictions.
• Not be receiving aid at another college or university simultaneously.
• Sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) stating that:
  • you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and
  • you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes; and

Additional information regarding eligibility criteria is online at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility. 

Information for New Federal Work-Study (FWS) Students

How to apply for a FWS Job:

For students who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the current academic year, follow these steps:

• Review the Federal Work-Study jobs on the Handshake App (https://nl.edu/student-services/career-bridge/job-portal/) and apply for a job that interests you.
• The hiring supervisor will contract you if they wish to schedule an interview.
• If hired, complete all required hiring paperwork that you receive.
• Wait for authorization to begin work.

Information for Federal Work-Study Students Looking to be Rehired:

For students who have complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the current academic year, follow these steps:

• Contact your supervisor to see if you will be rehired.
• If rehired in an on campus job, complete the rehire paperwork that you receive.
• If rehired in an off-campus job with one of our Community Service Partners (CSP), complete the CSP rehire paperwork that you receive.
• Wait for authorization to begin work.

NOTE: It is imperative to complete the student hiring process, including all required FWS employment paperwork prior to the start date. Otherwise, the University and the hiring department is out of compliance with federal laws and regulations which could result in the University receiving federal fines.

Getting Started After Hired

Federal Work-Study (FWS) Community Service Partnerships (CSP) with Not-For-Profit Agencies

• Interested in partnering with NLU to offer Federal Work-Study positions at your location? 
  Learn more about this exciting win-win partnership! 
  
  You provide the job and training and we handle the payroll and provide the funding!
  
  

NLU Departmental (internal) Hiring of Federal Work-Study (FWS) Students

• If you are an NLU department that would like to hire or rehire a FWS Student Employee, please read the Guide to Hiring FWS, GA-FWS, and GA Students, 2324 and complete the Authorization to Employ (ATE)/Job Posting.