Earn money to help pay for school with a part-time job on or off campus.

Work-study jobs are part of the federal student financial aid package. You can work part-time while taking classes, and the wages can help pay for tuition and other college expenses.

The work-study program is based on financial need. Your financial aid award package will show the maximum amount you are eligible to earn each academic year.

The Basics of Work-Study Jobs

  • Positions are available both on and off campus. On campus, you might work in the library, a dining area, or in a student services office. Off-campus positions are typically with community agencies and non-profit organizations. 
  • You get paid directly. The average pay rate for a Western Iowa Tech work-study job is generally $9 per hour. Your wages will be paid via direct deposit on the last day of each month.
  • Work-study is not a requirement. Even if your financial aid package includes work-study funding, you are free to decline this option.
  • Work-study jobs are not guaranteed. The hiring manager will interview you along with other candidates. Positions are limited and spaces fill quickly.

Read More at StudentAid.gov

How To Apply for a Work-Study Job

  1. Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 
  2. When you receive your Financial Aid Information Packet, look for details about your work-study offer.
  3. Check this page for open work study positions before the semester starts.
  4. Submit applications for the position(s) you are interested in.
  5. Request a blue Work Study Referral Form from the Financial Aid Office.
  6. Take the blue form with you to your job interview.
  7. When you are hired, ask your new manager to fill in the lower half of the blue form.
  8. Return your completed blue form to the Western Iowa Tech Human Resources Office.
  9. Complete your payroll paperwork, including your direct deposit banking information, before your first day of work.

The Human Resources office will also need copies of at least two official documents that prove your identity. You can use your driver’s license, passport, Social Security card, or birth certificate. Your student ID card is not a valid form of proof.