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South Texas College of Law Houston/Admissions & Aid/Student Financial Services Home/Information/Types of Financial Aid/Federal Work Study

Federal Work Study

The Federal Work-Study program at South Texas College of Law has several benefits:

1. Provides financial assistance to students who have financial need and desire to work.
2. Provides experience and training to students.
3. Provides networking opportunities with faculty, staff and professionals in the community.
4. Lowers the amount that you will borrow by decreasing your Graduate PLUS loans.
5. Allows you to work around your class schedule.

How To Apply

How to apply for Work Study

IMPORTANT: Students must receive their official start date by Student Services prior to working. This date will be established throughout the fourth phase.

1) Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

  • The Department of Education requires a current FAFSA application on file to demonstrate Financial Need. Please allow 3-5 business days after submission for STCL to receive your FAFSA application.

2) Search and apply for work-study job postings within Symplicity.

  • Students may search for, and apply to, open Federal Work Study positions. If it is determined that a student is ineligible for Federal Work Study employment, the student may still search and apply for open College Work Study positions.

3) Supervisors will initiate the hiring process by submitting a Hire Form via etrieve.

  • On campus Supervisors may submit a WorkStudy – On Campus Hire Form online to review potential candidate(s) Federal Work Study eligibility, or to directly hire a student, for their position.
  • Off campus Firms/Organizations will contact the Office of Student Services to ensure program participation contracts are up-to-date. Then they will be sent the WorkStudy – Off Campus Hire Form to initiate the hiring process for a student.

4) Complete New Hire, or Re-Hire, paperwork.

  • If you are extended an offer for work study employment, then you will receive communication to complete HR paperwork. Additional documentation needed will consist of proof of identity, employment authorization, and bank account ownership for direct deposit.
  • Students may not begin working until the hiring process is completed.

5) Establish a work schedule and begin employment.

  • Student employees will work with their supervisor to establish a work schedule around their courses not to exceed 20 hours per week.

 

Note:

Federal Work Study funds that are awarded to eligible students must be included in the Financial Aid Package. This may result in reduction of the Graduate Plus Loan amount (or the Alternative Loan if applicable) to ensure a student’s total financial assistance does not exceed their Cost of Attendance per term.

Eligiblity

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered eligible for Federal Work Study employment, students must:

  • Demonstrate financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Accept the Federal Work Study (FWS) award as a part of their Financial Aid Package offer.
  • Meet and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid purposes.
  • Must not hold another active student employee position.

 

For questions concerning eligibility please contact the Office of Student Services.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I work in more than one Work-Study position?
No. Students are only allowed to be actively employed for one Work Study position concurrently.

Can I work at an Off Campus Law Firm/Agency?
Yes. Students are able to work as Federal Work Study students with approved firms/agencies. You may search for open positions within Symplicity.

*If a firm/agency is not currently in contract with STCL to hire student workers, then they may contact the Office of Student Services (Financial Aid) for program participation.

(713) 646-1820 | studentservices@stcl.edu

How much will I be paid?
The current hourly rate of pay is $14.00 per hour for both On-Campus and Off-Campus positions for the 2023-2024 academic year.

How much Federal Work Study funds can I earn?
The current standard FWS award offer is $3,000 per term.

Note: You may be able have your FWS award modified based on your anticipated employment earnings and availability of funding. Please reach out to Student Services for further information.

Why do I need to reduce my loan to accept the Federal Work Study award?
Federal Work Study (FWS) funds are funded by the federal government to students demonstrating financial need as determined by the FAFSA application. As such, by federal law, the program requires that:

  • FWS funds must be included in your financial aid award package, and
  • the total amount financial assistance awarded cannot exceed your cost of attendance.

As such, your Graduate PLUS loan may be reduced to ensure your cost of attendance is not over-awarded.

How many hours can I work?

You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week. You will develop a schedule with your supervisor once you are hired.

Student employee work schedules must:

  • not exceed 20 hours per week
  • not exceed 8 hours per day
  • not conflict with schedule class time
  • not work on holidays, winter break, or during scheduled exam time(s).
  • allow for at least a 30-minute break if working a consecutive 6-hour period

How will I receive the funds?

Work Study funds are considered earned income and will be paid directly to you on a bi-weekly basis.

It is advised to enroll in direct deposit upon hire to ensure paychecks are received in a timely manner. If direct deposit setup is not established or complete, then a check will be mailed each applicable pay period.

Do I need to have any special qualifications to work?

In some cases you may. You should review each job description in order to determine if you meet all of the identifying qualifications for the position.

Will there be time to study on the Job?

Although the title of the program is Federal Work-Study, it doesn’t imply that you will have time to study. The primary purpose of the FWS program is to gain experience in an employment setting. If you find that you have completed all of your work, you should ask your supervisor for direction.

How do I find a Work Study position as a newly admitted student?

The Career Resource Center will grant newly admitted students access to Symplicity later into their first semester. At that time, you may search for open positions within Symplicity.

For more information on the Career Resource Center, and the services they offer, click here.

I am a returning student employee what do I need to do?

Ensure that you have a current FAFSA on file. You may apply for a posted position within Symplicity. Your supervisor will initiate the re-hiring process using the Hire Form through etrieve.

Contact Us

For more information or assistance with the Federal Work Study (FWS) program please reach out to us below.

General questions and concerns:

Office Student Services and Support
(713) 646-1701
studentservices@stcl.edu

Active student employee questions and concerns:

Christina Nutall, Assistant Director, Student Services
(713) 646-1775
cnutall@stcl.edu

Active/Potential Employer questions and concerns:

Chandra Gonzalez, Senior Director, Student Services
(713) 646-1772
cgonzalez@stcl.edu