Work and College

Finding Work

Federal Work Study and Part-time Work

Many new freshmen seek part-time work during college. Working part-time is a great way to assist with paying tuition and to have extra spending money. Part-time work has many benefits, such as improving your time management and organizational skills and gaining valuable work experience. However, it is always important to maintain a balance between the number of hours you work and the number of credits taken in a given semester.

Many offices on a college campuse hire students during the school year. In some cases the work requires that the student is awarded Federal Work Study (FWS).

FWS is a federal student financial aid program which promotes part-time employment for qualified students. Students applying for FWS positions must have been awarded FWS funds. Students interested in participating in the FWS program, apply by completing the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information on how to complete the FAFSA and apply for financial aid review Applying for Financial Aid portion of our Web site.

Finding Work

One of the best places to start searching for a part-time job is a student employment office.

In most cases, the student employment office will have a lists of Federal Work Study (FWS) and non FWS positions and off-and on-campus jobs. Some of these offices even have listings on the Web. If you are thinking about getting a job in the fall, start the search now by using UW HELP On-Line's list of employment offices.

The classified ad sections of the local or campus newspapers is another option for identifying employment opportunities. For your convenience, we have put together a list of campus and local newspapers that are on the Web.

Finally, ask friends if they are aware of any jobs. It sometimes helps to let friends know that you are looking for a part-time job.