Work-Study 

Work-study is a federal or state-funded financial aid program that provides funds for part-time employment to college students. Students earn their semester work-study award incrementally, through their hourly pay, from on-campus or approved off-campus agency jobs. These awards are based on early FAFSA submission, financial need as determined by FAFSA, and funding availability. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the FAFSA application, for the new aid year, before the March 1st priority deadline. Work-study jobs are a great opportunity for students to earn income and work within a professional career-oriented position that supports their growth and success.

Work-Study Eligibility

The Student Aid Index (SAI) generated by the FAFSA will determine individual eligibility for work-study funds. Students must also be admitted in a degree-seeking program and be meeting all aspects of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To apply for federal or state work-study, a student must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the U.S. Department of Education website. Please review our FAFSA page for guides and helpful videos.

Please keep in mind, a work-study award does not guarantee employment. Students are responsible for applying for jobs/positions by speaking with potential employers directly or by using the Handshake app. If students fail to obtain work-study employment within 45 days of the beginning of the semester, their work-study award will be canceled.

Be advised, students cannot exceed their semester funding limits, and can only work 20 hours per week. Work-study students and employers can review the handbook for more information on policies and procedures.

Applying for Work-Study Awards:

  • Complete a FAFSA and demonstrate financial need (limited to the total Cost of Attendance),
  • Have a high school diploma or GED certificate,
  • Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student or working toward a certificate in an eligible program,
  • Be enrolled in 6 credit hours as an undergraduate student and 5 credit hours as a graduate student,
  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen,
  • Have a valid Social Security Number,
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), AND
  • Students cannot be in default on a federal student loan or owe money on a federal student grant.

Not Eligible if:

  • Student is participating in Study-Abroad 

Work-Study Waiting List

If a student is interested in a work-study position, but did not receive an approval for funds in the initial awarding period, they can fill out the Work-Study Waiting List form, available ONLY for a few weeks before the beginning of each semester.


Access Work-Study Waiting List 

 

Applying for a Work-Study Position:

Students awarded work-study funds, need to review the instructions for "Retrieving your Award Overview below and apply for available job openings by speaking directly with their college or Department administrators or by using the Handshake app. Students are encouraged to use Handshake app to locate on-campus student employment, internships, Cooperative Education, part-time and other types of employment on a regular basis. Off-campus position are available with students who have reliable transportation; use the Handshake app to find job listings.

At the start of the fall semester, Office of Experiential Learning hosts the Student Employment Fair which is another opportunity to meet face-to-face with employers who are seeking to hire NMSU students.

Retrieving your Award Overview

Student employees need to provide a copy of the Award Overview to employers, every semester, to show that the award was accepted, the award type, and the award amount.

Accepting Work-Study Awards:

  1. Log in to myNMSU account
  2. Select the Financial Aid tab,
  3. Ensure the award year is set to the correct aid year,
  4. Select the Award Offer tab,
  5. Scroll down to view the work-study award,
  6. ACCEPT the work-study award offer, AND
  7. Take a screenshot of the page to verify for the employer that the work-study award was ACCEPTED, the award type (State or Federal), and the award amount.

Additional Information:

  • For information about completing a timesheet for your work-study job, see Timesheet Instructions.
  • New Mexico State University contracts with non-profit (501(c)(3) agencies), non-religious and non-partisan organizations to provide additional job opportunities off-campus.
  • Crimson Scholars may inquire about Crimson work-study opportunities with the NMSU Honors College.
  • To review employment dates and deadlines, please visit our Employers page.

 

Work-Study Info Guide (Students)

 WS PowerPoint Fall 2024 - image