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Financial Aid Programs

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

Federal Work-Study Program

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally-funded program that helps make jobs available for students with financial need!

This program uses federal funds to provide eligible students with up to 19 hours a week of paid employment. You must use the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply for this program.

Your application will be used to calculate an “Expected Family Contribution” or EFC. You may be offered a work-study award if you unmet need. You can check with our financial aid staff to see if you are eligible for this program. (Look in our Staff Directory webpage for the person who is designated to assist you, based on the first letter of your last name.)

While you are in this program, you must be taking at least six units and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress as described on our Maintaining Eligibility webpage.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About FWS

Am I eligible for a FWS job?

Basic FWS eligibility requirements:
  • Be enrolled in at least 6.0 units at Foothill, and
  • Be in  "Good" or "Warning/Probationary" standing for financial aid; and
  • Have a Federal Work-Study Option in your Foothill financial aid award for the academic year.  


    Special Notes: 
    • At times, the Federal Work-Study Option does not appear when it should. If you have either a Pell Grant or a Subsidized Federal Loan offer, you may be eligible to apply for any of our FWS jobs. Please email Adaly Padro at FHStudentEmployment@fhda.edu. If you are eligible for the option, she will add it to your financial aid award.
    • Sometimes seeing a Federal Work-Study Option on your award can be misleading if you were given a 12-month financial aid budget but were not enrolled in at least 6 units in summer. In that case, we must recalculate based on a 9-month budget when a campus employer checks your FWS employment eligibility. If a student has a high EFC (expected family contribution), the result may be that they no longer have sufficient financial need to qualify for FWS funds. Fortunately, this does not impact most of our financial aid students. If you have any questions about this, you can contact Adaly Padro at FHStudentEmployment@fhda.edu.
 
You must also meet the requirements that apply to all student employees:

   If you have a Foothill-De Anza GPA:

  • Your cumulative GPA must be at least 2.0, and 
  • Your most recent quarter's GPA must be at least 2.0.
    If you earned fewer than 6.0 units that quarter, your most recent quarter earning at least 6.0 units must also have a GPA of at least 2.0).

You must also have fewer than 180 attempted units at Foothill and De Anza colleges combined.

How much can I earn?

Most students are allowed to earn up to $3,000 per eligible quarter, but the amount can be less depending on your financial need. The actual amount you earn will depend on the job you choose, your salary, and the number of hours you work.

How do I get a FWS job?

Read the job postings on this page for any jobs you might be interested in. Each posting contains specific instructions about how to apply for that particular job. You may apply for as many jobs as interest you, but once you interview for and accept a job, please withdraw your application from other jobs unless all of your employers agree on dividing your permitted hours.

Apply early
  • Each year we have enough funds to fill only about 25-30 FWS positions. Once those funds are awarded, hiring stops.
  • We start interviewing for Summer-start positions (which begin as early as July 1st) in June. Interviews for Fall-start positions (which can start as early as September 1st) can start as early as mid July.
  • Historically, we are out of our initial pool of funds by October 31. That said, fund availability can change throughout the academic year. As long as jobs are posted on this webpage, we should have openings.

What happens when I accept a job?

Once you agree to accept a job, your hiring supervisor will start the hiring process by emailing the Student Employment Coordinator in the Financial Aid Office to confirm your eligibility. If confirmed, first-time Foothill student employees will be sent up to three AdobeSign documents to fill out and sign:

  • Conditions of Employment Agreement
  • Student Employment Packet
  • I-9 (federally-required work authorization form)

Please read the instructions for these documents carefully. Any errors require that the document be rejected and a new one sent for completion. (If you have worked as a Foothill student employee in the recent past, you may not need to fill out any additional documents.)

(Students who have held a student employee position at Foothill in the very recent past need fewer--and possibly no--additional documents.)

Once your required documents are accepted as complete, your hiring supervisor will be sent an email authorizing you to begin work. Your supervisor will let you know when you can begin. Be sure to give your supervisor a copy of your class schedule. Students are never allowed to work during scheduled class time.

What if there are no current job openings?

Additional FWS jobs (and funds) can open up throughout the year. Keep checking.


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Admissions & Records Building

Questions?
We're Here to Help!

Financial Aid Office

650.949.7245


fhfinancialaidoffice@fhda.edu


Building 8100, Room 8101

View Financial Aid Office Hours

 

 

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