Federal Work Study (FWS)

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a form of financial aid awarded to students who demonstrate financial need and meet certain eligibility requirements.

A Federal Work Study award in a student's financial aid package is determined through the annual application for financial aid known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are eligible, your FWS award will be listed on your Financial Aid Award letter.

  • An employment award is an offer, not a guarantee, of a job.
  • It is NOT a loan, grant or scholarship so it is not credited towards tuition or room & board.
  • Students must obtain employment on their own through an application process.
  • Awards may typically be maximized with approximately 8 to 10 hours of work per week.
  • The award amount is not the maximum amount a student can earn per year, just the maximum amount that can subsidized through FWS funds.
  • It is Ithaca College's policy that while school is in session, students are limited to working a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week, which includes all Ithaca College student employment.
  • Earnings are distributed to students in the form of biweekly paychecks based on the number of hours worked. It is not credited to the student's tuition account.

Downloadable Resources

file-outline FWS FAQ Flyer - student-employment-fws-flyer.pdf (373.08 KB)

You can download this flyer for more information regarding FWS

Frequently Asked Questions

If you know you have Federal Work Study, or if you're unsure and want clarity on what FWS is and how it does or does not effect your student employment experience at IC, read below to learn more.

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a form of financial aid awarded to students who demonstrate financial need and meet certain eligibility requirements. Not every student at Ithaca College is eligible for FWS. FWS does not guarantee students a job. Students interested in using their FWS award must find a student employment position, apply directly on the prospective student employment database and be offered the position based on their qualifications.

A Federal Work Study award is determined through the FASFA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are eligible, your FWS award will be listed in your financial aid package. Instructions on how to see your financial aid package can be found here. If you are unsure of your status you can reach out to student financial services directly to confirm: SFS@ithaca.edu.

Yes. All IC students are eligible for campus employment regardless of Federal Work Study status and can apply to open positions directly through the Prospective Student Employee Job Database.

A FWS award does not guarantee employment. Students awarded FWS are eligible to work on-campus or with IC’s community partners through the FWS community service program. The FWS community service program is a fantastic way to do meaningful work with local non-profits in the Ithaca community. For more information see that page here and apply directly on the prospective student employment database. 

At Ithaca College, we don’t differentiate between students who are awarded a Federal Work Study (FWS) award as part of their financial aid package and students who are not awarded a FWS award. Jobs on campus are competitive and are open to all students to apply, regardless of their financial aid package. Whether a student has a FWS award or not, they are paid exactly the same way for the hours they work,in the form of a bi-weekly paycheck.

The main difference is the money students with FWS earn is subsidized by the Federal Government whereas the money Non-FWS students earn is paid for by Ithaca College.

Being awarded Federal Work Study is not a guarantee of money or employment.You will need to independently secure a job on campus.To view the current list of available jobs on campus please visit our Recruitment Cloud. If you apply for a position, and are offered a job, then you will be eligible to receive money for hours worked. The money you earn will be directly paid to you via a paycheck or by direct deposit into your personal bank account.The money you receive does not get directly applied to your tuition bill.

No, our students are not limited to earning only the amount of their Federal Work Study (FWS) award. Students can work up to twenty (20) hours a week in accordance with our student salary structure. If students work and earn in excess of their Federal Work Study award amount, Ithaca College subsidizes the remainder of the money earned.

Yes, all IC students are eligible for campus employment by searching our Recruitment Cloud and applying for available positions.

Proof of Work Study

Request For Proof of Work Study If you currently hold a position on campus and need a letter to verify that your on campus employment is being subsidized by FWS funding please complete this Work Study Request Form.

Proof of Work Study Form
Read more about FWS from Student Financial Services (SFS)

Student Financial Services (SFS) handle all the details regarding your financial aid package including your federal work study allocation. Any changes you need to make or specific questions you have should be directed to them. 

SFS FWS page