Federal Work Study Program
Purpose - The purpose of the Federal Work Study Program (FWSP) is to provide undergraduate students part-time employment to meet their financial needs and give them work experience while attending college. Employment under the FWSP must be reasonably available to all eligible students; however, funds are limited. FWSP employment must, to the extent practicable, complement and reinforce the educational program of each student receiving assistance under the program.
Eligibility - Student eligibility is determined from data provided by the FAFSA completed by the student for each academic year. Normally, eligible students who have indicated interest in receiving work study funds on their FAFSA may be awarded such when their academic year financial aid award is posted. Howver, priority is given to contnuing students who are eligible and received FWSP funds the prior academic year.
The student must meet the following requirements for eligibility:
1. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
2. Have a demonstratable financial need determined by the federal methodology (the FAFSA).
3. Be matricualted at CCSU which means being admitted and enrolled in a degree program.
4. Enrolled a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester.
5. Be in compliance with the FA Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy and be in good academic standing with the university.
Award Notification - The FA work-study coordinator oversees the awarding of FWSP funds to eligible students. Generally, the funds are listed along with other financial aid awarded the student and may be accessed and accepted through the student's Pipeline account at www.ccsu.edu. The student may also be notiified by email and or letter.
Finding a Job - It is the student's responsibility to find an on-campus job in order to utilize their work study award. Most CCSU departments seeking student employees with work study eligibility post jobs available with the Center for Advising & Career Exploration (formerly Career Services) located in Willard 100. The job listings are then posted on their website. This list is updated weekly.
It is recommended that students register as soon as possible on the Center's website at www.ccsu.edu/career to view available jobs. Because all departments do not post their positons available, students may find it necessary to visit various departments on campus and speak with the FWSP supervisor for an interview
Completing Employment Process - Once the student has been interviewed and offered an employment positon by a department's student employment/ FWSP superivsor, the following steps must be taken:
1. Obtain a signed FWSP Award Certificaton form from the FA Office at Memorial Hall 103 and return it to the employer.
2. Complete any paperwork required by the department FWSP supervisor.
3. Complete and sign all forms and documents required by the Payroll Office located in Marcus White Annex 006.
Unitl all steps have been fulfilled, the student's employment is not completed. A student may not work for more than one department at a time.
Payroll & Hourly Wage - FWSP students are paid according to the university's by-weekly payroll schedule. Checks are picked up by department personnel and disbursed to students in the department. Students may also utilize direct deposit by applying at Payroll Serivces at Marcus White Annex 006.
The student's hourly wage is determined at the departmental level wherein the supervisor utilizes the Student Worker Pay Rate & Job Classification form when determining fair and equitable hourly wages and subsequent yearly pay raises. Every work-study job falls into a particular pay level depending upon the reqjuired skills and experience. The pay rate form also allows a department to reward and increase a student's salary equitably each year the student returns to work for the same department. The State of Connecticut's minimum hourly wage is generally used as the base criteria for starting and subsequent hourly pay rates.
Monitoring Hours Worked & Earnings - A student may not work more than 40 hours during a bi-weekly payroll period when classes are in session nor during the student's scheduled class periods. It is the student's responsibility to provide the employer with a copy of the student's official class roster so that the department and student may devise a schedule which benefits both. Once the student's awarded FWSP funds have been utilized, the student must be terminated. If the department chooses to rehire the student utilizing 100 percent of department funds, that may be initiated through Payroll Services.
FWSP Guidelines
Center for Adivsing & Career Exploration (formerly Career Services)
