Work-study aid provides funding for part-time jobs for eligible students with financial need. Wages can be used for educational, living or leisure expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study. The College of Idaho participates in federal and state work-study programs as well as its own institutional work-study program. Federal and state work-study are need-based awards and require completion of a FAFSA.
Awards and Jobs
Receiving work-study funding requires two things: a work-study aid award and a work-study job. Students receive notification of work-study eligibility and an award amount with the rest of their financial aid award information. Work-study awards are only paid out through work-study jobs on-campus and are paid directly to the student, just like a paycheck. You must be hired into a work-study position in order to be paid work-study funds for your work, and a work-study award is not a guarantee that you will be hired. Openings are posted on Handshake and are offered by different departments on campus. Each department has its own application and interview process and makes its own hiring decisions.
Just like any other job on campus, students hired for a work-study position must be authorized to work for the College. This process involves completion of HR paperwork, securing a social security number (SSN), completion of an I-9 form, identity verification, and payroll setup. Once a student has cleared the hiring process they're ready to begin work.
Payroll Procedures
Work-study students are required to track their hours worked through the same system as regular College employees. However, students cannot work more than 20 hours per week across all of their campus jobs. This limit applies to all work-study hours, non-work-study hours, and any mix of these two types in a given calendar week. Students must record their worked hours on their electronic timesheet. Completed timesheets are electronically signed and then automatically sent to the supervisor for approval. Reminders about timesheet deadlines are sent each month, so make sure to keep an eye out for the deadline to ensure prompt payment of your work-study funds. Paychecks are sent to campus mailboxes on the last working day of the month. If you sign up for Direct Deposit through HR or the Business Office your wages will be sent directly to your bank account.
It's very important that you keep track of your work-study award balance. You are awarded one amount for the entire year and we split the amount in half by semester. You can only work up to the limit of your award. If you work too many hours and run out of funding you probably won't be able to work anymore that semester, regardless of when in the semester you run out of funds.
Pay Rates
The vast majority of work program positions will be compensated at $10 per hour; however, these positions that (i) require advanced expertise/knowledge/skill, (ii) require students to lead or supervise other students, and (iii) require manual labor will be paid at a higher rate. It is important to note that any funds earned through on-campus employment will be taxed by the federal government and the state government as income base on your personal tax bracket.