What is Work-study?

Work-Study is a need-based form of Financial Aid that is earned through on or off-campus employment and received in the form of a paycheck.

How Do I Qualify?

To qualify for a Work-Study award, the student must file a FAFSA or DREAM Act Application and have sufficient financial need. The Office of Financial Aid determines student Financial Aid eligibility and notifies them of their aid in a Financial Aid Award Letter, which may include a Work-Study award.

Students who submitted a DREAM ACT application and are eligible to receive Work-Study can activate this award only if they obtained a social security number after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted them Deferred Action Status and received an Employment Authorization Card.

Additionally, all qualifying Work-Study recipients must maintain a minimum study load of 6 units each quarter.

For more information about the work-study program, please click here. 

How can I use my Work-Study?

If you are hired for an on-campus position, your employer will:

  • Accept your Referral
  • Prepare and submit employment paperwork to our office
  • Provide you with a time sheet
  • Provide you with a job description
  • Work with you to create a work schedule
  • Train and supervise you, evaluating your job performance.

If you are hired for an approved off-campus position, you must schedule an appointment with a Work-Study Program administrator. Once you have your referral packet completed by you and your employer schedule an appointment with the Work Study Unit at   finaidwsp@sa.ucsb.edu. A Zoom meeting will be scheduled by the Work-Study Unit.

 

Please make sure to email the below items when scheduling your appointment:

  • Completed Referral (no signatures required at this time); 
  • Completed Student Information Sheet; 
  • Completed Work-Study Program Student Employee Job Description;
  • and Completed Statement of Academic Relevance (required only for For-Profit Agencies)
  • Start dates for working under the Work-Study Program will be set for 1 week from the appointment date.

After the appointment is complete, the Work-Study Unit will initiate the DocuSign process for students and employers to sign referral packets. Students will need to setup an additional appointment to complete the I-9 verification process; instructions will be included during initial appointment with the Work-Study Unit.

A Letter of Clearance will be sent to your employer indicating your eligible start date under the Work-Study Program once the process is complete. A Letter of Clearance will not be generated until referral packets have been DocuSigned by both student and employer and student's I-9 verification is complete.