Work-Study Information for Students (2024)

The Work-Study Program is a financial aid program that promotes part-time employment for undergraduate and graduate students to help finance their education. Work-study is awarded based on financial need as determined by the financial aid application submitted, either the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act Application. Both undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible for work-study (see more in the Work-Study Eligibility section).

Work-Study Details
By participating in the Work-Study Program, a portion of your wages will be subsidized by your work-study award. The work-study subsidy is what makes work-study eligible students very desirable to employers. For example, if a department pays you $20/hour, it costs their budget a net $10/hour. You're a highly sought-after employee because work-study saves employers money!
Any earnings made with work-study will be paid directly to you via a direct deposit or a paper check; work-study earnings will not pay any fees within your student account in CalCentral. As a result, this will provide you the opportunity to control how you spend your work-study earnings. We strongly advise students to use their work-study earnings towards paying items within the student budget/Cost of Attendance, such as living expenses, food, books/supplies, etc.

Benefits of Work-Study
Participating in work-study can allow you to avoid student loans by earning part of your college costs rather than taking out student loans to fund your educational expenses. In addition, work-study earnings do not count against your financial aid eligibility when you fill out next year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA Dream Act Application. Whereas non-work-study earnings are considered “additional income” on the FAFSA or CA Dream Act and may affect your financial aid eligibility in the future.
While work-study provides several financial benefits, you can also gain valuable work experience and develop transferable skills while in school, putting you in a stronger position to pursue graduate school and/or employment opportunities when you graduate. Gaining professional experience outside of the classroom while also being paid through work-study will put you in a greater advantage both financially and professionally.

2024-25 Work-Study Program Year
7/1/2024 - 5/16/2025 is the Work-Study Program year. Any earnings outside these dates are not eligible for work-study.

Work-Study Eligibility

Undergraduate students must apply to be considered for work-study by submitting the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act. If the student has financial need, as reflected in the FAFSA or CA Dream Act application, then the student will be considered for work-study. An eligible undergraduate student with sufficient financial need can receive a work-study award up to $6,000.

Graduate students must must apply to be considered for work-study by submitting the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act. If the student has financial need, as reflected in the FAFSA or CA Dream Act, the student can request a conversion of their loans into work-study via their CalCentral account.

Graduate students can request to convert up to $10,000 in work-study, depending on financial need-based eligibility. If the student earns 70% of their work-study award (i.e. $7,000), and the earnings are reflected in CalCentral, the student may submit a request to convert an additional $2000 in eligible loans into work-study and receive a total of $12,000 in work-study See instructions to convert loans to work-study below, within "Converting Need-Based Loans to Work-Study".

Work-Study and DACA

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office remains committed to ensuring that undocumented students have access to the Work-Study Program. DACA students may participate in the Work-Study Program provided they applied and are eligible for financial aid under the CA Dream Act application and have a valid work permit. DACA students can request a work-study award by contacting the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.

Convert Need-Based Loans to Work-Study

If a student determines that they were not awarded work-study or wish to obtain additional work-study funding up to the maximum limit available to undergraduates or graduate students, a request can be submitted to convert need-based loans to work-study in CalCentral:

Login to CalCentral > My Finances > View Awards > Loans > Convert to Work-Study.
Once you submit a conversion request, it can take 1-2 business days to process your request.

The first step to earning your work-study award is to find a job. Work-study jobs are listed all throughout the academic year in the Work-Study Management System (WSMS).

Before you begin your search for a work-study job, please confirm that you have been awarded a work-study award in the current program/academic year and that you have formally accepted your award in CalCentral. Once logged into CalCentral, click “My Finances”, then click “View awards” and locate your work-study award. You should find a blue “Accept” click that will allow you to formally accept your work-study award. You will not be able to be offered a work-study job until you have formally accepted your work-study award in CalCentral.

1. Search for work-study jobs
Steps:

• Log into the student portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS).
• Select "Job Listings" - located on the upper left side

2. Apply for a job

• Once you have located a job that you are interested in, click on the job number
• You will be able to review the Job Request which will contain the job description, qualifications, pay rate, remote work accommodations and much more.
• To determine how you can apply for a job, review the “How to Apply” section and this will state the employer's preferred method to apply for their job.
• There may be some employers who will provide an external link to apply to their work-study job. Please review the job description and qualifications thoroughly to determine how to apply for the job.

Tips:

• Apply to as many jobs that you are interested in to increase your chances to get hired and have options.
• Work-study jobs are posted throughout the academic year, but from late July to early September you will find a significant number of jobs available as employers wish to hire students as soon as the academic year begins.

3. Get Referred to a Work-Study Job
Once an employer extends a verbal/written offer to a specific job, there are a few steps that you and your employer must take to ensure your job is connected to your work-study award. The work-study referral process must be completed to connect your job to your work-study award so that you may begin to earn your award. The referral process consists of two steps:
Work-Study Referral Process:

• Step 1 - Employer offers you a work-study job via WSMS. Your employer/supervisor will need to initiate the referral process by formally offering you a work-study job via the Work-Study Management System (WSMS)
• Step 2 - Student accepts the job offer via WSMS. A job offer email notification will be sent to you via your Berkeley email and you will be advised to log into the student portal of WSMS to formally accept your job offer.

Once both steps of the referral process are complete, your work-study job will be linked to your work-study award, allowing you to earn your award.

4. Get Hired
Now that the referral process is complete, your employer will need to take steps to ensure you can complete the HR hiring/onboarding process to become hired as a UC employee or by a particular organization, if hired by an off-campus employer. It is important that you complete the HR hiring/onboarding process to ensure you are formally hired as an employee so that you may be able to begin working.

Important Reminder:If you begin to work in a work-study job before the referral process is complete, your employer will not receive the work-study subsidy. Any time worked prior to your referral effective date is not eligible to earn work-study and the employer will be responsible for 100% of your earnings. Non-work-study earnings are treated as additional income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CA Dream Act Application.

The Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) is a state funded work-study program that offers eligible students the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs, while gaining education-aligned, career-related employment. Similar to the work-study program, LAEP will provide a subsidy to pay a portion of the student’s wages.

LAEP Jobs
LAEP jobs offered on-campus will provide students with direct opportunities to participate in the research that is undertaken by the hiring department. Research is not limited to scientific research and can take place outside of an academic discipline. The research completed in a LAEP job will be directed and supervised by a faculty, staff or other mentor who will determine the research requirements.
If you are interested in finding an LAEP job, log into the student portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS) to view the job listings and filter for LAEP jobs using the “LAEP-Research” job category.
Note - only students who meet the LAEP student eligibility criteria will be able to see LAEP jobs. To confirm if you are LAEP eligible, log into WSMS and review the "Work-Study Update" section located on the bottom of the home page.

Student Eligibility
Underrepresented undergraduate students meeting all of the following criteria are eligible to participate in LAEP:

• California residents
• Enrolled in 6 or more units
• Filed a FAFSA or CADAA and have work-study eligibility
• Eligible to work in the U.S., including current DACA holders

Students who meet the eligibility requirements detailed above and are majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline are encouraged to participate.

Unlike the Work-Study Program, any earnings made through a LAEP job will count as income on the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act application and may affect your financial aid eligibility in the future.

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information about LAEP. Questions not answered in the FAQs can be submitted via a case, select “Financial Aid and Scholarships” under area and then “Work-Study.”

The UC Berkeley Career Center provides a number of services, including:

• Writing an effective resume and cover letter
• Interview techniques
• Finding an internship
• Assistance for students with disabilities

If you are not eligible for work-study, we recommend using Handshake to view jobs that do not require work-study eligibility.

1. What is work-study?

Work-study is a need-based federal student aid program that gives you the opportunity to earn money through part-time employment. This program pays a portion of your wages, so this subsidy makes you very desirable to employers! For example, if a department pays you $20/hour, it costs their budget a net $10/hour. There are three advantages for the work-study student:

• The subsidy makes you a highly sought-after employee.
• Federal work-study earnings do not count against your aid eligibility when you fill out next year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Work-study gives you the opportunity to earn part of your college costs through part-time employment, thereby reducing the need to take out student loan debt.

2. Who is eligible for work-study jobs?

Students who receive financial aid from Berkeley and have work-study as part of their financial aid package are eligible to apply for work-study jobs. In order to begin earning work-study funds you must have a complete financial aid file (no incomplete financial aid tasks) and your financial aid awards must not be conditional. Review your CalCentral account to review your awards and to make sure there are no incomplete financial aid tasks.

3. Can a Dream Act student receive work-study?

Undergraduate Dream Act students who have completed a California Dream Act application, been awarded an official financial aid award, and who have been approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) can request up to $4,000 in non-federal work-study. To do so, please open a case here. Be sure to include your Student ID (SID) number, how much work-study you want, and mention if you have a valid work authorization/permit.

4. Can graduate students receive work-study?

If you have filed a FAFSA for the current academic year and are eligible to receive federal financial aid and have financial need, you may be eligible for work-study. Review My Finances in CalCentral to see if you can convert loans to work-study.

5. Can I keep working if I'm not enrolled or graduate?

No, you cannot continue to earn work-study if you are no longer enrolled. If you withdraw, are dismissed, or graduate, your last day to earn work-study funds is the last day of your enrollment. If your employer wants to continue your employment they may choose to do so, but they are responsible for paying you 100% of your earnings without the work-study subsidy. This arrangement would be between you and your employer and any earnings after enrollment will not be work-study eligible. You must immediately notify your employer of changes in your enrollment.

6. I’m an athlete, how can I keep my commitments?

Check with your coach to see if there are work-study positions related to your sport or within the athletic department. If not, search for jobs with multiple positions to see if you can find something that may allow absences because others can cover for you. Another option is to search for jobs wherein the employer is looking for short-term commitments, such as assistance for a one-day or weekend conference.

7. How can I get the most out of the work-study program?

Big picture: work-study jobs give you an edge to help pay for college and graduate with less debt.

Bigger picture: work-study jobs help you develop your resume, network with employers, obtain major/career-related work, and assist you in becoming a savvy, aggressive job hunter.

Biggest picture: One day, you'll be in a position to set-up a contract with Berkeley's Work-Study Office and save your company/organization money by reaching back and hiring your fellow Cal Bears. Your work-study experience will have traveled full-circle.

8. Is work-study mandatory? Do I have to get a job?

No, you are not required to work. You may have the option of converting your work-study to loans. If you do not use work-study, it is less likely you'll receive it as part of your financial aid the following year. If you don’t convert your work-study to loans or don’t earn it, be sure not to include it as a resource in your personal budget.

9. Do I have to work at a work-study job?

No, but one of the advantages of work-study is your earnings are not counted as additional income on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you work at a non-work-study job, you will need to report your earnings as income on your FAFSA. This is better than not working…but not as good as working at a work-study job.

10. Is there summer work-study?

No, there is no summer work-study. Work-study awards from your 2023-24 award package cannot be earned after the Spring 2024 term ends on May 10, 2024, or after you are no longer enrolled, whichever is earlier. However, if you have work-study as a part of your 2024-25 award package, you may begin earning these funds as early as July 1, 2024, provided that your 2024-25 financial aid file is complete (no incomplete financial aid tasks) and your financial aid offer is not conditional. Review your Cal Central account to review your awards and to make sure there are no incomplete financial aid tasks.

Although your 2024-25 work-study funds can be earned as early as July 1, 2024, your 2024-25 work-study award is specifically designed to meet your expenses during within the 2024-25 award year. Earning your work-study award in July 2024 deducts from your 2024-25 award package. As a result, we advise that you save these earnings to pay your expenses once the 2024-25 academic year begins.

There is no option to convert summer loans to work-study. Work-study is not available for Summer Abroad Programs, Education Abroad Programs (EAP), or Intercampus.

This is the most important question you can ask! When hired by an employer, your work-study award can only be earned after you and your employer take steps to complete the referral process.

If you have an accepted work-study award, have a complete financial aid file (no incomplete financial aid tasks) and your awards are not conditional, your employer can take these steps to refer you to the work-study job:

1. Employer offers your a work-study job via the Employer Portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS)
2. Student accepts the work-study job offer via the Student Portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS)

Once the referral process is complete, this will connect your work-study award to a specific job and allow you to earn your award through your current job.

If you already have/ had an existing work-study job during this award year and you’ve now been offered another position, you will determine how to allocate your work-study award between the jobs as part of the acceptance process. Remember to leave enough money in each existing job to cover 100% of your past and, if any, future anticipated earnings.

Your referral is valid from the work-study referral effective date we assign after you accept the offer until either you are no longer enrolled (graduating in December, for example) or until the last day of the spring semester.

Very Important: If you begin to work before the referral process is complete, your employer will not receive the work-study subsidy. Any time worked prior to the completion of the referral is not considered work-study. Non-work-study earnings are treated as additional income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

1. Am I assigned a job by the work-study office?

No. You get to review job openings and apply as you would for any other job. The application process will give you an opportunity to develop your resume, which you’ll include with your application, along with a cover letter, and it will often include an interview. The employer chooses how students apply and the employer does the hiring through the referral process.

2. When can I begin applying for jobs?

You can begin applying for jobs when you can log in to the student portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS).. Though you may see work-study in your "My Finances" in CalCentral, if your financial aid offer is "Conditional," your file is incomplete, or you have holds, you won't be able to log in.

Whenever you begin, speed is crucial in the job hunt. Imagine an employer posts the job and the next day receives a resume and cover letter addressing their specific position. Very impressive! Also, do not wait to hear from one employer before applying to other positions. While you're waiting to hear from that employer, those other positions are getting filled.

3. When can a spring admit start working in a work-study position?

Students who begin at Berkeley in the spring term can start working in a work-study position as early as December 1st, before the spring term begins.

4. When is the last day that I can find a job?

Work-study positions are available throughout the year except between the last day of the spring semester and July 1st. From mid-August to early September the number of available jobs peak between 250-300 listings per day, many with multiple positions. At the beginning of the spring semester, a smaller peak occurs and just before summer the number of positions increases again. In between you'll usually see about 100 job listings. If you click the "Begin Date" heading twice, you'll see jobs posted weeks/months in advance.

We suggest that you look for a job as early in the year as possible. If you wait until May, you may not get hired before the end of the year. If you want to work during the summer, you need to be planning to enroll in the upcoming fall semester and you need to have a work-study award for that term.

5. What types of work-study jobs are available?

There is a huge variety of work-study jobs, both on and off campus, available. A quick way to see is to sort the job listings by clicking on the link. Note: If you have work-study, always view the job through your login area. The "sample list" hides information needed to apply to the job.

6. Will I find a job relating to my intended major/career?

We encourage you to apply for jobs related to your major or career. There is an extensive off-campus employer presence to provide you with lots of opportunities. If you are a freshman, we suggest that you not worry about a major-related job in your first year. You could be competing with upperclassmen and grad students, and it is a transition year for you. Your academics come first…so consider less-demanding jobs to get started.

Consider what works well with your schedule and pays well. Also, think in terms of networking. If you want to work in a particular major-related area, but don't have the required course work yet, see if you can get any kind of job in that department. Do a great job and make contacts. Networking, networking, networking. Those major/career-related jobs will come.

7. How do I find a work-study job?

• Login to the student portal of the Work-Study Management System (WSMS).
• Select "Job Listings"

You can search for a particular job category or you can sort according to the job headings. "Rate" is the most popular sort option. Click once, lowest to highest, click again, highest to lowest. But here's a better job tip: do a comprehensive search first, going through all the jobs listed and apply to any and every job that interests you. The next day, log-in and click the heading "Posted On" once and click it a second time. That will sort the selection according to the latest jobs posted and save a lot of time.

For job details, click on the 10-digit job number (far left).

Note: some students review the "Qualifications" and rule themselves out because they don't meet all of the qualifications on a job. We advise you to focus on reasons to apply, rather than the reasons not to. The employer may be willing to train you in an area where you don't have experience or where the qualification is preferred. Of course, if it qualifications states that the student "must" meet a certain qualification, you will need to complete a self assessment to confirm if you meet that required qualification. Don’t confuse the term “prefer" to mean "must have."

8. I have a great six-page resume, and my cover letter tells the employer how much the job will help me. Why haven't I gotten one interview?

More is not better in the job hunt! Your resume should be one page and your cover letter should not focus on why the job is good for you, but why you are good for the job. You do so by relating your skills and experiences to the job's specific qualifications. And remember, those experiences do not need to be from previous paid jobs; your volunteer, sports, community service, and classroom experiences have given you a wealth of marketable skills! Not sure where to begin? What to cut? The Career Center can help!

1. My financial aid is listed as "Conditional." Can I be hired in a work-study job?

You cannot earn work-study or be referred to a work-study job until the "Conditional" status is removed. Review My Finances in CalCentral to find out what you need to do to resolve your conditional award.

2. My message reads "File Incomplete." Can I be hired in a work-study job?

You cannot earn work-study or be referred to a work-study job until your file is complete. Be sure to review My Finances in CalCentral to find out what financial aid tasks are in a status other than complete.

3. I have work-study in My Finances, my offer isn’t “Conditional,” and I don’t have a “File Incomplete” message; how come I can’t log-in at the work-study site?

This is very important: things that may seem unconnected to your financial aid (and thus, work-study) will indeed affect it. Here’s what can stop you from being able to log in to the work-study website:

• Your grades are poor and your department enters an academic hold on your record.
• You owe the university money and billing and payment puts a financial hold on your record.
• You have an administrative hold per the Registrar’s Office.

These holds can affect your financial aid eligibility. If you have a hold, you will not be able to obtain a work-study job.

Try to avoid the domino effect of one problem creating another. Pay the bills owed to the university, make sure all required documents have been submitted, and always, always, put classes and grades first! You’ll feel better, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll have more time to pursue things that are more important to you.

For financial and administrative holds, contact the office that placed the hold, as indicated on your CalCentral dashboard. For academic holds, contact the dean's office of your college or school.

4. How can I get work-study as part of my financial aid or increase the amount of work-study in my award?

Depending on your financial need (as determined by your cost of attendance (budget) and the expected family contribution (EFC) from your FAFSA) and your financial aid awards, you may be able to convert a portion of your offered loans to work-study.

You can view your current work-study and/ or loan awards by logging into CalCentral and navigating to your Financial Aid Award Details under the My Finances tab. From here you can submit a conversion request by selecting the appropriate convert link next to your award(s) and following the instructions displayed. If the amount available to convert is greater than $0, then you’ve got eligible loans to convert!

5. Why did my work-study amount decrease?

Work-study can decrease because financial aid in another area increased, e.g., an outside scholarship check arrived. Your financial aid package is a zero-sum game; you can't receive more financial aid than you're eligible for. Or it decreased because you requested that it be converted to a loan. Or it decreased because you withdrew, were dismissed, or graduated (students who are not enrolled cannot continue in their work-study position). Students who are on academic probation may have their work-study eliminated.

6. Do I need to accept loans to convert them to work-study?

No, if you plan on converting loans to work-study, leave that amount as "Offered" and not as "Accepted." You can accept a lesser amount and hold the difference in reserve to convert to work-study.

7. What does my work-study dollar amount mean?

If your financial aid includes the initial maximum of $4,000 in work-study, that is the total amount you can earn in a work-study position (it takes into account both the work-study share and the employer's share, anything earned over your $4,000 limit is 100% owed to you by the employer). Your financial aid offer splits it into $2,000 fall and $2,000 spring but as far as work-study is concerned, you can earn any or all of that amount at any point during the program year (July 1st until the last day of the spring semester) while enrolled and as long as you are going to be enrolled for both semesters.

8. Is it possible to exceed the limit of $4,000 in work-study per year?

Yes. If you have eligible loans and you have earned at least 70% of that $4,000 you can request to convert additional loans (up to $2,000) to work-study via the conversion link in CalCentral. Note: Until those earnings are reflected in CalCentral you will be unable to submit a request. If you know you have additional loans eligible to convert (i.e., subsidized loans), make sure you do not accept the amount that you plan on converting.

1. How many hours per week do I need to work?

It depends on the hourly wage. For example, if you have $4,000 in work-study for the academic year and you find a $20/hour job, figure on three months of solid work for the Fall: September, October, and November to earn $2000. That's $~670 per month ($2,000/3), which equals $167.50/week ($670/4), which equals 10.15 hours per week of work ($167.50/$16.50 per hour). This, by the way, is right in the optimum range of hours to work during the week while going to school. A national study showed that students who work 10-15 hours per week have a higher graduation rate than the overall student body. However, the graduation rate begins to decline as the number of hours worked increases above 15 and students who try to work more than 20 hours per week and go to school full-time have the highest dropout rate.

2. Will a job hurt my studying time?

It takes time management but it can be done. Money savvy students are preferring to work part-time or full-time during the summer rather than take out more loans. A few years ago a student who worked 15 hours per week each semester, was involved in extracurricular activities, and had a great GPA, told us her secret: "no TV."

3. Once hired, do I have to stay in that job?

You can leave a job. You want to try to do it on good terms, give two weeks’ notice, and never take any displeasure out on your job duties. But if you have to quit on short notice, quit. Do not, however, include that three-day job on your resume or include that supervisor on a list of references (it is highly unlikely you'd get a good reference).

Think in terms of the big picture: you don't want to wake up in a cold sweat one night fifteen years from now, wondering if your life would be different, if your career would be different, if you'd gotten into a better grad school, if your GPA as an undergrad had been higher, if you'd had a higher grade in that one class, if you had more time to study for the midterm instead of giving in to an unsympathetic employer who demanded that you work.

Conversely, employers are not obligated to keep you employed if you are not performing your job duties.

4. Can I work more than one job simultaneously?

Work-study does not limit students according to hours or jobs. As long as you haven't earned your award amount, you can split it between two or more jobs. For campus positions the university usually limits students to a maximum of 20 hours per week (adding up all your campus jobs) during the fall and spring semesters. Check with the hiring department's payroll administrator.

5. Can I move money from one work-study job to another after I've accepted each of them?

You can move unearned money from one job to another. To do so, please contact us. Be sure to include your Student ID (SID) and provide dollar-specific instructions (such as "...move $xxx from job A to job B").

6. Can I work after the last day of the Spring semester?

There are no work-study-subsidized jobs between the last day of the Spring semester and July 1st. If the employer allows you to work during that time, they are responsible for 100% of your earnings.

If you have work-study as part of your Financial Aid for the following Fall semester, the employer can repost/register the job through our website to reflect the new program year via a July 1st or later begin date and refer you to the position. This is because you receive a new financial aid award each year and possibly work-study as part of that award. The new award needs to be activated, applied to the specific job, and tracked for our federal audits. New and continuing students can begin earning their Fall work-study award as early as July 1st.

7. What happens on the last day of the Spring semester?

The work-study program year is over. Any work-study award amount left unearned is gone. It does not carry over into your financial aid for the next program year.

1. How much does a work-study job pay?

From minimum wage to upwards of more than $20/hour (usually graduate student positions). Employers set the rate and the highly skilled/greater responsibility jobs tend to pay more.

2. If I don't work, do I have to give the money back?

Since you don't receive the money until you earn it, and you can't earn it without having a work-study job, there is no money to give back. The answer is "no."

3. Do my earnings go to my student account?

No, work-study earnings are not disbursed to your student account and do not reduce your tuition bills. They are earned wages through employment that you’ll receive in the form of a paycheck. You will need to budget earnings towards your college costs.

4. Who do I contact to be set-up on payroll?

Contact the Human Resources administrator where you work. If unsure, ask your supervisor. Note: Payroll does not go through the Work-Study Office; students are paid directly by their department/employer.

5. What do I need to be set-up on the UC Berkeley Payroll?

To be set up in payroll, you will be asked to complete your New Hire Paperwork using DocuSign, an electronic system where you will sign most of the paperwork online. You will also need to provide two forms of ID in order to complete the Federal (I-9) Employment Eligibility Verification Form which you must do in person, after completing the paperwork. Your supervisor can assist you with questions about coordinating this and will work with Berkeley Regional Services (BRS) for these actions.

6. How do I get paid and how often?

You are paid directly by the department or your off-campus employer. Off-campus employers pay according to their own schedule. In a campus position, you will most likely be paid bi-weekly. Please visit the Controller's website for general payroll information. Please refer here for direct deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer instructions. For specific questions about your pay, please direct them to payhelp@berkeley.edu because the Financial Aid Office Work-Study unit is not part of the payroll process.

7. Are my work-study earnings taxable?

Yes, generally work-study earnings are taxable, just like regular work earnings. Please refer to your payroll department with specific questions about how your income is taxed. For on-campus employment, you can email your questions to payhelp@berkeley.edu . Note that off-campus employers are obligated to deduct FICA taxes. You will be required to complete a W-4 Employee Withholding Allowance Certificate when you start working, which will determine how much income tax is withheld from your work-study earnings. Here is a link to the W-4 form for you to review prior to completing it.

8. How do I receive my W-2 form?

W-2 forms are usually provided to you by your employer at the end of January. If working off-campus and being paid directly by your employer, your employer provides the W-2 form to you. If paid by the University, your W-2 will be provided by UC Path. You can read FAQs about UC Path W-2s, or contact payhelp@berkeley.edu for more information.

1. Are there any restrictions with work-study jobs?

Yes, federal regulations restrict work-study from being used to:

• Displace a regularly-hired or budgeted employee - for instance, we can work with for-profit companies, but the job needs to be created for a student and be directly related to a student's major/career goals. Summer internships are great for that. On the other hand, we couldn't allow an employer to hire the subsidized work-study student as part of its counter help, because the employer would be displacing a regularly hired/budgeted employee.

• Promote organizations that restrict membership, such as a union.
• Campaign for a political candidate or issue.
• Lobby legislatures.
• Recruit members for a religious organization or construct/maintain a religious building.
• Work outside the United States unless with a branch of the campus or the U.S. government (an embassy, for example).

2. Can any employer be a work-study employer?

Any campus employer can be a work-study employer and we also work with off-campus employers who set-up a contract with us. We have a large off-campus presence and all across the SF Bay Area. See our List of Off-Campus Employers.

3. Can I participate in work-study while I am studying abroad?

No, students may not participate in work-study/LAEP during their term(s) abroad. Any work-study award offers will be replaced with loans.