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Work-Study Financial Aid & Scholarships

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Federal Work Study Employers

Funding for the Federal Work Study (FWS) program is limited and we cannot guarantee employers will receive interested applicants. If you do FWS students, you may not hire more students than the number of positions advertised on Handshake.

  • The FWS program operates during the Fall and Spring semesters.
  • Fall graduates may not work beyond the last day of Fall finals week.
  • All FWS hires must stop working by the last day of academic year see Dates and Deadlines.
  • Employers are responsible for tracking department/organization allocation as well as student's allocation. Any excess (overages) will be paid by Department or Organization.

Required Documents

  1. Submit an Intent-to-Hire for each student intended to be employed under the FWS program. Financial Aid forms are available on the Financial Aid Forms website
  2. Ensure the Student Employment Personnel Transaction Form (SEPTF) is submitted for each hire. Review the prospective Employer Hiring Manager Packets.
  3. FWS student hires must also complete hiring paperwork with the Student Employment Office (SEO) and should be referred to SEO at time of hire.

For additional hiring information visit Student Employment Office website.

Unit 11 Student Hires

  • Complete an Intent-to-Hire for each student intended to be employed under the FWS program.
  • Complete the ASE-PTF
    • ISA - Instructional Student Assistants
    • GA - Graduate Assistants
    • TA - Teaching Assistants
  • Ensure student has completed student hiring paperwork as required by Academic Student Employment (ASE).

For additional hiring information for Unit 11 visit Graduate Studies-Academic Affairs.

The student cannot begin working with until required documents have been completed. Once completed, the employer, the student and the FWS program will receive a Student Employment Confirmation email.

Department ID and FWS (CMS) Position Number

Employer should ensure that all information entered on the SEPTF is accurate. Inaccurate information can result in billing the incorrect department/organization for a student hire and/or reporting incorrect payroll information to the State Controller's Office.

Continuing employers should use the same Dept ID and CMS position number from the prior year.

Off-Campus Employers

Off-campus employers hiring FWS students must complete the SETPF with the following information

  • CMS Position #: the number created by Accounting specific to your organization
  • Student Job Classification: Off-Campus Federal Work Study 1872
  • Department (ID) #:
    • 81500 (America Reads)
    • 81400 (Off-Campus, non-America reads positions)

If assistance is needed with completing your SETPF, please contact the Student Employment Office.

Employer Allocations and Shared Costs

The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office will notify all prospective FWS employers of required mandatory orientation sessions.

Departments in attendance will receive an allocation for the upcoming aid year. Allocation will depend on but not limited to, available FWS funding, number of employers participating, percentage of funds used in prior year(s).

The employer is considered a FWS employer, once all FWS employer participation documents have been signed and/or invoices have been paid. Participation documents will be sent to prospective employers once all orientations have concluded.

Employers are highly encouraged to utilize the FWS Budget Calculator created by Accounting to help organize and track student awards and dept/org allocations.

Allocation Calculation

Generally, a student is allocated a FWS award for the academic year (Fall and Spring). The FWS award for the 2024-2025 aid year is $6,000 (i.e., $3,000 Fall and $3,000 Spring). The department / organization is funded depending on how many positions are requested.

For example:

  • If requesting two (2) FWS positions for the 2024-2025 academic year, the dept/org would be allocated for $12,000 for the academic year.
    • 2 positions x $6,000 = $12,000 dept/org allocation.
  • The employer must ensure that they are tracking each hire/project earnings based on hours scheduled so that the students do not receive FWS earnings more than their award and the dept/org remains within their allocation.

Shared Costs

Depending on the job duties/description of the FWS position will depend if the employer will have shared costs to fund the FWS position contributing to students FWS earnings. Shared costs (if any) will be included in the Department Allocation Form / Off-Campus Agreement Worksheet.

For non-community service or non-reading/math tutor positions the employer shared costs are 30% of their dept/org allocation:

Using the allocation example above:

  • If the Department/Organization allocation is $12,000 the department will share (contribute) 30% to students’ wages = $3,600.

For community service or reading/math tutor positions the FWS programs funds the students FWS earnings 100%.

Reconciling Employer Allocations

The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office is required to spend FWS funds allocated to Sac State before the end of the academic year. As such, we will begin reconciling unused FWS funds monthly beginning with Fall Census. Any unused funds will be re-allocated as needed.

The employer is highly encouraged to post FWS positions (i.e., Handshake) before the start of the semester to ensure students are interviewed, hiring paperwork is completed and hired by the University CENSUS.

Student Allocations

Students are awarded FWS based on meeting the minimum criteria. If the student is not awarded FWS, they can the request consideration to participate in FWS by completing the FWS Request Form available on the Financial Aid Forms website.

For the 2024-2025, the student award is $6,000 ($3,000 per semester) for the academic year or if attending one semester, the award is $3,000.

The employer should make note of the students FWS Award amount. The award amount is the amount the student can receive in FWS earnings. Employer must keep track of student’s monthly earnings to ensure the student does not receive earnings more than their award.

Overages

Student Overages

Overages can occur when:

  • The student has earned FWS earnings more than their FWS award;
  • Unanticipated changes to the student's financial aid file caused the students FWS award to be reduced;
  • The student has changed FWS employers but is still limited to the same FWS award that was used with their previous employer. Meaning student has less available FWS earnings with the new employer;
  • The student was hired and ineligible to participate in the FWS program;
  • Student does not have a FWS award;
  • Student does not meet the eligibility criteria to participate in FWS program.

We will work with the employer to resolve student overages, but this may result in moving overages to the Department or invoicing the employer.

Department/Organization Overages

Overages occur when

  • The employer hires more students than what was allocated.
  • Under projected the student's earnings and the student has earned more than their award, impacting department allocation.
  • Employers have not been allocated FWS funds and/or participation documents have not been signed, but hire FWS students.

We will work with the employer to resolve overages, but this may result in moving overages in student wages to the Department or invoicing the employer.

Job Posting

Once approved as a FWS employer, you may begin posting positions on Handshake. Students will have access to view FWS positions beginning July 1.

  • Positions remain active for 60 days or until filled, whichever happens first.
  • Positions are reviewed to ensure federal compliance.
  • Review of your job description and approval can take 3-5 business days from date the position was submitted for a posting.

Handshake

Handshake is the platform used to post FWS positions and administered by the Career Center. Visit Handshake through the Career Center website for more information on using this platform and posting a FWS Position.

Performance Evaluation

Student employees are expected to behave ethically and professional and are subject to standard University regulations. Violations of department/school work rules (e.g., poor performance, absenteeism) will be addressed accordingly.

Student employees have the same opportunity for performance review as staff. Supervisors may use the Student Employee Work Performance Evaluation/Review.

Time Sheets

  • You must adhere to the payroll calendar days when completing time sheets.
  • Timesheets (payroll) should be submitted in a timely manner, before the fifth of each month to avoid delays payment of student.

Off-Campus Employers

  • Ensure timesheets are signed by student and designated staff.
  • Notify the FWS program once timesheets have been submitted sacstatefws@csus.edu.
  • Our designated off-campus timekeeper will approve students time and/or reach out if there are any issues.