Financial Aid Work-Study

Submit a Work Study Inquiry form to see if you are eligible for funding.

Work Study Inquiry form

If you are eligible for work study funds, once you have submitted the inquiry, the Student Employment Coordinator will send you an updated award letter with your potential work study funds. You can then apply directly to the hiring supervisor (their contact information is in the job descriptions) for the department you wish to be considered for and let them know you have work study funds available. You have 30 days from the day that funds are entered into your award screen to obtain a work study position or the funds will be deleted and you will need to inquire about funding again.

NOTE: When completing your annual FAFSA or WASFA application, indicate that you are interested in work study opportunities. 

View job openings and contact the hiring supervisor for the position(s) you wish to apply for.

Reach out to the hiring supervisor listed in the job description. 

Need help preparing a resume or practicing for the interview? Email careerservices@wvc.edu to schedule a time to review your materials.

1. Once interviewed, the supervisor will indicate if they feel you are a good fit.
2. Then, the supervisor will reach out to the Student Employment Coordinator and she will send you the employment packet to complete.
3. The process of application will also involve a background check and ensuring you have the appropriate I-9 documents. 

Need help completing your application? Email studentemployment@wvc.edu to schedule a time to review it.

Once your application and materials are submitted, it may take up to 2 weeks before your position is finalized and you are able to begin working. You may not work without an all-clear email from HR with your ctcLink Employee information.

The short answer: Work study is a type of financial aid available to eligible students. Work study students work part-time and receive paychecks. Work study pay does not need to be repaid.

The long answer:  Work-study programs provide part-time employment to eligible students with either on-campus or off-campus employers. The maximum  amount a student can earn is determined by financial need and funds available. Students can work up to 19 hours per week while school is in session. Every effort is made to place students in jobs that relate to their training. Wenatchee Valley College participates in both the federal and state work-study programs.

The federal work-study and Washington state-sponsored work-study programs are need-based financial aid programs that give students the opportunity to work part time while going to school. Under either program, the employer pays only 30-60 percent of the student's wages; the rest is subsidized by federal or state funds. Work-study students can therefore find jobs and may be able to keep their loan debt down by earning part of their aid eligibility, rather than taking additional loans.

Yes. To apply for work-study assistance, students indicate on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that they are interested in work-study. It is recommended that students apply before March 15th each year to ensure availability of funds. Eligible students can apply for posted work-study positions. Learn more about applications for financial aid on the WVC Financial Aid office webpage.

Students must reapply for all financial aid programs, including Work Study, each year by completing the FAFSA.

If you get a Work Study job, you may work a maximum of 19 hours per week during the time classes are in session. The employment period will be listed on your Work Study Work Authorization Form.

After you have been hired, you should arrange your work schedule with your employer. During the school year, the number of hours you work each week depends on your hourly pay rate and the amount of your award.

Use the following formula:

• Amount of award ($) ÷ number of weeks = Weekly pay ($)
• Weekly pay ($) ÷ pay rate = number of hours you may work per week*

*The figure used for the “# of weeks” depends on whether you plan to work during final exam week or whether there will be other times when you will not work.

Your award is divided equally over your quarters of enrollment, but if you earn only part of your Work Study during a quarter, you may earn the remainder in the following quarter(s) as long as you are still awarded and continue to be eligible.

NOTE: You may work more (maximum of 40 hours per week) during quarter breaks if you are employed on campus or for a non-profit agency.

How you get paid

How you get paid depends on whether you work on- or off-campus. In most cases you will be paid at your work place. On-campus employees may elect to have their paychecks directly deposited to their bank accounts or choose a Focus Card. Some off-campus employers may offer the same service.

When you get paid

If you work on-campus you are paid twice a month, the 10th and 25th of each month. If these days fall on a weekend you are paid on either Friday or Monday. You will need to track and submit your hours worked in order to be paid. The work day payroll schedule gives you an idea of the timeline.

If you work off-campus you are paid by your employer directly according to their payroll schedule.

How much you will be paid

The range for on-campus pay rates is set by the Employee Relations Office. Individual departments assign the pay rate for each job within the WVC Student Employee Compensation Guidelines.

Off-campus pay rates are determined by the employer but must be at least equal to the entry-level rate that the employer would pay a non-work study employee doing similar work.

Recording your hours

On campus: On-campus work study employment requires you to track your time in ctcLink. Your employer is responsible to hire and enter you in the workday system so that it will notify you each pay period to submit your work hours. The workday payroll schedule gives you an idea of the timeline. Once you have submitted your work hours, the supervisor will receive notification to approve in Workday. Late submission of hours will be processed the following pay period. Please check with the Work Study Office if you are an America Reads/Counts employee for specific instructions on submitting work hours.

Off campus: Off-campus employers pay their Work Study students directly, according to the same schedule used to pay their other employees (must be at least once each month). You should find out what this schedule is when you are hired. After you are paid, the off-campus employer contacts the Work Study Office for reimbursement of a portion of your wages. This reimbursement procedure requires that you sign an off-campus time sheet (pdf) verifying your hours and the amount of pay you received.