Body
Issue/Question
How do I know if a student qualifies for Federal Work-Study (FWS)?
Environment
Resolution
To make the Federal Work-Study (FWS) hiring process more transparent and user‑friendly for both students and supervisors, eligible students will be issued a Federal Work‑Study Authorization for each specific award year.
What is the FWS Authorization?
The Federal Work-Study Authorization serves as confirmation that a student has been offered and has accepted FWS funding. Supervisors and hiring staff should reference this authorization when completing ePAFs and throughout the hiring process.
If a student cannot provide an FWS Authorization, do not submit an FWS ePAF for them. This indicates the student does not yet have a complete financial aid profile, and the ePAF cannot be approved by the Student Office of Financial Aid.
Career Development can also tailor your Handshake job posting to require a screenshot of the FWS Authorization for hiring and budgeting purposes.
Where Can the Authorization be Found?
The Authorization will populate in the Self Service Financial Aid Portal after the student:
- Acknowledges the FWS terms and conditions, and
- Accepts their FWS award in the portal
Once available, the Authorization will display:
- Student name
- Student ID number
- Award amount
- Award year
- Dates during which the authorization is valid
For step‑by‑step instructions on accessing the Authorization, please refer to the Federal Work‑Study – Student Information article. A sample copy of the Authorization can be found here as well.
Why isn't an Authorization Populating?
If a Federal Work-Study Authorization is not appearing, one of the following is likely true:
- The student was not offered Federal Work-Study as part of their financial aid offer, or
- The student has not accepted the Federal Work-Study in the Self Service Financial Aid Portal
If the student has accepted their offered FWS and the Authorization still does not appear, please contact the Student Office of Financial Aid for assistance.
What if a Student Doesn’t Have FWS on Their Aid Offer?
Please direct the student to contact the Student Office of Financial Aid for assistance.