Work-Study Program
The Work-Study Program
The Work-Study program offers the chance to earn college funds by working a part-time job on campus or at community service agencies. You can apply for Work-Study jobs that match your interests, skills and career plans. Work-Study programs allow students to earn money for school-related expenses while understanding that school comes first.
Work-Study is offered as both a federal program from the U.S. Department of Education and through Carolina Works, which is funded by the University.
Work-Study Supervisors: Find Resources Here
Learn more about the program directly from Work-Study students!
Receiving a Work-Study Award
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a type of self-help financial aid, different from grants and loans. Through the FWS program, you are paid competitive wages in exchange for working in one of a variety of FWS positions with on-campus entities or off-campus community service partners. The program also strives to provide you with employment opportunities only available to Work-Study students which will support your academic and professional development as well as deliver a paycheck.
Carolina Works (CW) is also a type of financial aid program, very similar to the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program. CW students are paid competitive wages in exchange for working in one of a variety of sanctioned positions with on-campus entities or off-campus community service partners, just like in FWS. Also, like FWS, the CW program strives to provide you with employment opportunities which will support your academic and professional development as well as deliver a paycheck.
The main difference between CW and FWS is that CW funding is comprised entirely of institutional funds. All students who participate in summer Work-Study receive CW awards since FWS awards are only available during the academic year.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards are provided if you complete a FAFSA and show sufficient need.
Carolina Works (CW) awards are provided based on nominations from Work-Study supervisors and requests from eligible students until all funding has been exhausted. Students who show financial need on the FAFSA but do not qualify for FWS can complete the Loan to Work-Study Conversion Form to participate in CW as long as funding remains.
Eligibility for Work-Study awards are determined on an annual basis. It is possible to be eligible in one year and not the next. If you demonstrate sufficient need on your FAFSA, you should automatically receive Work-Study funding. If you did not receive a Work-Study award but received either Federal Direct Subsidized Loan funds or UNC Loan funds, you are eligible to participate in the Work-Study program if you complete the Loan to Work-Study Conversion Form. For assistance with the conversion process or to request more information, contact us.
One Work-Study offer is given annually to a student for the Fall and Spring terms of the academic year. Students can use this Work-Study offer at any point in either semester. Unused offers do not carry over into summer or following terms and they do not impact future Work-Study eligibility.
Summer Work-Study offers operate separately from Fall and Spring Work-Study offers.
Work-Study offers are given annually to students based on their specific financial aid eligibility determined by FAFSA completion. This is why a new hire record is required in JobX for each Fall and Spring term and each Summer term. You must apply for a Work-Study job each Fall/Spring term and each Summer term, even if you are returning to the same job from term to term. Students’ Work-Study offers may be different from one term to the next term depending on their annual FAFSA completion and aid eligibility.