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Work-Study

Work-study is an award that allows you to work on campus and earn a regular paycheck.

Benefits of Work Study

Some benefits of work-study include:

  • Your job is convenient – it’s easier to get to work on campus between classes.
  • You’ll gain valuable work experience and build your resume with professional experience.
  • FICA tax is not deducted from your earnings, so you’ll have more take home pay than a comparable off-campus wage.
  • Campus employers make your education a priority and design work schedules around classes.
  • Every dollar you earn is a dollar you won’t have to pay back later.
  • Work-study earnings are deducted from your income on future FAFSAs, so you could be eligible for more aid.

Please review information below on this site for program details. If you still have questions, email us anytime at FAWorkStudy@BoiseState.edu.

Work-Study Overview

Program Information

Work-Study Eligibility

Work-study is based on financial need as determined by FAFSA. Funds are awarded as part of your financial aid package.

You’ll need to meet the following criteria to be considered for work-study:

  • Enroll at least half-time (minimum of 6 credits for undergraduates or 5 credits for graduates).
  • Submit the FAFSA and have demonstrated financial need
  • Maintain Title IV Eligibility

For initial awards (offered in April and May for the following fall semester), you must also:

  • Answer “Yes” to the FAFSA Question: “Are you interested in being considered for work-study?”
  • Submit the FAFSA by the February 15 priority date.
  • After initial awards are offered, we will make offers from our waiting list. Requests are processed in date order of submission.

Note: Limited Funding

Work-study funding is limited. Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee an award.

Rules and Limitations

Work-study funding is only available if you have received a work-study award.

Work-study jobs are limited to no more than 20 hours per week.

Important Note: University policy allows all student employees to work up to 29 hours per week (or 40 hours during school breaks). All additional hours worked above the 20 hour work-study limit must be paid from departmental funds. This will require the student to be hired in an additional job assignment, as a regular student employee, to submit any extra hours.

You cannot work during regularly scheduled class hours you are enrolled in.

Your work-study assignment will end, and work must stop for your work-study job assignment, in any of the following scenarios:

You earn your full award amount within the aid year.

On the last day of classes of any term, for students who are graduating and/or are not attending at least half-time during the following term.

You no longer meet federal eligibility, including:

Awarding Work-Study

We offer automatic, initial awards each year in late April or early May for students who meet eligibility criteria for the upcoming fall semester. Priority is given to students who earned work-study in the previous year, followed by those who indicate they are interested in work-study on their FAFSA. After initial awards are made, we award any remaining funds to students from our waitlist in date order of when the requests are submitted. If offered, you will receive an email to accept your award.

Add yourself to the waitlist, if you have not yet received an award.

Please submit a Work-Study Request if you are interested in receiving a work-study award. Reminder: We have limited work-study funds and are unable to award all students that are eligible.

Please only submit your information if you have filed a FAFSA, will be enrolled in 6 or more credits, and have remaining need on your account. The formula to determine your remaining need is:

Image of Budget, Resources and Need page in Student Center.
You Cost of Attendance (direct and indirect costs) determined on your FAFSA. In this example, the estimated need is $40,880.00 minus the total aid of $8,245 leaving a remaining need of $32,635.

Remaining Need = Cost of AttendanceExpected Family ContributionAll Other Awards (except for all undisbursed loan amounts)

  • After you have done the formula, a positive number would indicate remaining need.

NOTE: Submission of this form does not guarantee that you will receive work-study funding.