Office of Student Financial Assistance
University of Alaska Anchorage
http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/financialaid/federalwork-study.cfm
What is Federal Work-Study?
 It is a part-time job opportunity
 Wages can be used to help pay for college expenses
 Award amount is the total amount you can earn
during the academic year
 Usually $4800 per year, but totals are established by
eligibility and need. Award totals can be increased if
funds are available and you are eligible
 Work-Study is paid every other week by direct
deposit to a personal bank account
What is Federal Work-Study? (cont’d)
 Federal work-study is awarded based on financial
need, as determined by the FAFSA, and the availability
of funds
 File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
early!
 Work-Study wages are subsidized
 50% of your wages are paid from work-study funds
 50% of your wages are paid from employer funds
 Advantages:
 Earnings can be excluded from income when filing FAFSA
 You can work around your class schedule
 You will usually have time off during school breaks or have
opportunities to work more hours.
Where Can I Work?
 UAA offers many Federal Work Study opportunities to
its students. A student may work at the bookstore, the
library, the Learning Resource Center, an office in
Enrollment Services or one of the many other offices
and departments around campus or at UAA affiliated
community campuses such as Eagle River, Mat Su,
Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound and Kodiak.
 A student can choose to do a community service
position as part of federal work study. A position must
be vetted through the Career Services office as well as
financial aid to coordinate and determine
appropriateness of venue.
How Do I Find a Job?
 Go to the University of Alaska Human Resources
website
http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/humanresources/empl
oyment/ and click on Search All Jobs. Search for
Student Worker Positions, filter by location, select
those you would like to apply for, and submit an
application to the University. For most jobs, you
may be required to submit a resume and other
documents. The work study pay rates are available
here.
Interview Tips
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Follow directions on job posting on how to apply
Take it seriously
Dress appropriately
Be on time for the interview
Be prepared to talk about yourself and your work
experience
Bring/send a resume, or job history
Let employer know you have been awarded Federal
Work Study
Ask questions—duties, hours, pay rate, expectations?
Thank the employer
What Are the Pay Rates?
 The type of job you find determines the pay rate—
each job classification has a pay rate range
attached
 The lowest student pay rate:
 $8.75/hour (current minimum wage) changing to
$9.75 effective January 2016
 The employer may choose to give merit raises
 10 steps of pay for each job classification
How Do I Get Paid?
 You will be asked to fill out the I-9
 The I-9 is used to prove identity & eligibility to work
in the United States
 You will need to show evidence of identity and
eligibility using original documents
 You can use, for example, a Passport, Driver License, Social
Security Card, Birth Certificate
How Do I Get Paid? (cont’d)
 You will be asked to establish a direct deposit
account
 Must provide voided check or letter from bank with
your account number and routing number clearly
indicated
 You pay is deposited directly into a bank account of
your choice
How Do I Get Paid? (cont’d)
 You will be asked to fill out the W-4 form
 The W-4 is used to determine amount of tax
withholding:
 Have an idea for number of exemptions you will claim, or
if you will file “Exempt”
How Do I Get Paid? (cont’d)
 You will submit a time sheet on uaonline to document
hours worked
 Important: submit correct time on time sheet and get
supervisor’s approval
 Ask your employer about deadline for submitting hours
worked
 Pay day is every other Friday and timesheets are due
every other Monday by noon.
Work-Study Rules I Should Know
 You may have only 1 work-study job at a time
 It is important to find a job early, as jobs get filled
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quickly
Try to earn all of your award amount
If you are a Resident Advisor you will need to submit a
Budget Adjustment Form to reduce any housing or
board benefits you are awarded in that position
You must not work during scheduled class times
You must not work more than an average of 20
hours/week during class session
Online Resources & Contact Info
Good luck with your job search! Don’t
hesitate to contact us if you have any
questions!
Contact Info:
Office of Student Financial Assistance
907-786-1480
http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/financial
aid/federal-work-study.cfm
Career Services- Rasmussen Hall
907-786-4513
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uaa_career@uaa.alaska.edu