Students

When you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you indicated you were interested in FWS. FWS awards are based on “financial need,” as determined by the FAFSA application and satisfaction of federal and institutional requirements. For more information on eligibility, contact the Financial Aid Office at 727-873-4128 or Bayboro Hall 105.

What is FWS?

USF has a pool of money that comes from a federal grant (Department of Education), and USF contributes matching funds which are used to create jobs and pay wages to students who receive Federal Work Study (FWS) awards and who want to work part-time while going to college.

FWS funds are awarded during the Fall and Spring semesters.  You must meet the eligibility requirements and then find a FWS job in order to earn your award money.  As you work at your job, you may earn up to your award amount (and/or your employer’s available FWS funds) in the form of wages, paid bi-weekly.

Your total earnings will depend on a number of factors, such as how many hours you work, your rate of pay, the funds available to the department in which you work, etc.  Thus, it is not uncommon for students to have remaining award money that they cannot earn.  Discuss this with your supervisor if it is a concern.

USF has a pool of money that comes from a federal grant (Department of Education), and USF contributes matching funds which are used to create jobs and pay wages to students who receive Federal Work Study (FWS) awards and who want to work part-time while going to college.

FWS funds are awarded during the Fall and Spring semesters.  You must meet the eligibility requirements and then find a FWS job in order to earn your award money.  As you work at your job, you may earn up to your award amount (and/or your employer’s available FWS funds) in the form of wages, paid bi-weekly.

Your total earnings will depend on a number of factors, such as how many hours you work, your rate of pay, the funds available to the department in which you work, etc.  Thus, it is not uncommon for students to have remaining award money that they cannot earn.  Discuss this with your supervisor if it is a concern.

You will receive a paycheck bi-weekly and your earnings are intended to help cover your living and educational expenses. Be sure to discuss your award amount and your hours per week with your supervisor.

FWS jobs are on-campus working for various departments in Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and other offices at USFSP that have received FWS department coverage allocation.

All departments are required to post their FWS job openings in Handshake located at usfsp.joinhandshake.com

After reviewing the job description and nature of the work and taking into consideration the skill level of the student, hiring departments are authorized to establish the FWS hourly wage. The following job categories and pay ranges give you an example of potential pay ranges depending on the type of work you do and your experience:

General Support Pay Range: Min. Wage 
A position is considered to fall within this category if it is considered a general support role and requires minimal to no experience.  Positions in this category could include the following duties, tasks, and skills within the job description:

• Clerical duties such as filing, record keeping, operating office machines, typing, etc.
• General receptionist duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments, referrals, etc.
• General duties such as desk duties, assisting students, security, facilities maintenance, operating equipment, etc.
• Courier duties such as mail sorting, pick-up, loading, etc.
• General physical labor such as moving furniture, set-up, delivery, outdoors, etc.

Specialists and Technicians Pay Range: Min Wage- 17.00* per hour
A position is considered to fall within this category if it is considered to serve a specialized function which also involves more specialized training.  Positions in this category require experience and/or specialized skills which demand greater on-the-job problem solving and attention to detail.  Positions in this category could include the following duties, tasks, and skills within the job description:

• Specialized office support and customer service duties that require complex processing and communication skills.
• Computer skills such as upgrading equipment, database management, use of specialized software programs, etc.
• Laboratory skills such as preparing/performing laboratory experiments, cleaning equipment, preparing solutions, use of specialized machinery/technology, etc.
• Research skills such as collecting information, using specialized software programs, advanced data entry, etc

During the summer, there is a separate program in place which is very similar to the FWS program; however, funding comes from institutional and state financial aid fees instead of the federal government.  The program is called Summer Work Study(SWS).  SWS has similar eligibility requirements as FWS.

The Financial Aid Office will notify you in late Spring if you may be eligible for SSE.  If notified, you must have your supervisor (or potential supervisor) complete the form provided to you by Financial Aid Office, then return the completed form to the Financial Aid Office to request to be awarded SWS.

These funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis according to when you arrive at the Financial Aid Office with your completed paperwork indicating you have a secured an SSE job for the summer.

Since your pay is being funded from the FWS grant, the hiring department must terminate your FWS/SWS job when you’ve earned the amount of your FWS/SWS award.

That’s your choice.  About 60% of those who receive FWS awards take advantage of them.

FWS positions are just like other employment, which have requirements and expectations per the supervisor or department. Federal Work Study is a Financial Aid program intended to assist students with financing their education.

Yes. If you are hired, you are considered a regular USFSP employee. Like any other USFSP employee, if your supervisor feels you are not performing up to expectations, he or she has the right to terminate your appointment. This does not happen very often. Most students really enjoy their FWS jobs and the opportunity to work with members of the staff and faculty. In fact, most of the employers take an active interest in helping to mentor their FWS employees.

FWS students may not exceed 20 hours per week when classes are in session, with most students scheduling about 12-15 hours per week. Undergraduate students must be enrolled for at least 6 semester hours (half-time). If you drop some classes and fall below half-time, your FWS appointment may be terminated.

You must maintain a minimum overall USF GPA of 2.0.

If you plan on attending summer school sessions, there will be an opportunity to apply for a separate summer SWS award.  Begin to look for this opportunity through notification from the Financial Aid Office in the latter part of the Spring term.  Any of your unused FWS award money from Fall/Spring cannot be carried over to your summer term.

Also, in the very rare situations where supervisors feel students have intentionally violated USFSP rules and policy, they will refer the matter to the appropriate agencies (Student Relations, Student Judicial Services, USFSP Human Resources Office, or the University Police) for investigation and disciplinary action as appropriate.