Work Study: A Way to Work On Campus
Federal Work-Study is a program offered by PVCC as well as many other schools nationwide, such as UVA and Virginia Tech. It’s an opportunity for students to work part-time on campus or at a non-profit to make extra money in order to pay for everyday life expenses or tuition.
Work-Study is a federal need-based program. In order to be accepted students need to apply for financial aid, and the Financial Aid Office will decide if you qualify. According to the PVCC website, students usually work 10-20 hours per week. The wage for Work-Study is $15 per hour, but having more qualifications or specific skills could potentially lead to positions with higher pay.
Much like a regular part-time job, students partaking in Work-Study will get regular paychecks, and experience to put on their resume, with the convenience of a flexible schedule and being close to classes on campus.
Some jobs offered by Virginia schools include office work, student services, research, work in laboratories, tutoring and accounting. Such work could enhance focus of study and give the student valuable experience. According to the Federal Student Aid Handbook, at least 7 percent of a school’s FWS allocation must be used to employ students in community service jobs including reading tutors for children and families.
The Federal Work-Study was founded in 1964 under the administration of Lyndon Johnson. “(FWS) program is one of the nation’s oldest federal policy tools intended to promote college access and persistence for low-income students,” according to the Community College Research Center. Historically, the Federal Work Study program has been broadly supported by both political parties in Congress. For example, according to NAICU’s Federal Student Aid Summary, in 2021-22, $31,468,973 was given to various higher learning institutions in Virginia, and over one billion dollars was allocated nationwide.
More information on how to apply to FWC and help on resume preparation is posted on the PVCC website under “Work Study.”
