Work-study is a federally-funded program in the United States that assists students with the costs of post-secondary education. It is a type of financial aid that requires students to work part-time to earn money for college or career school. Here are some key points about work-study:

• Work-study jobs are part-time employment opportunities for college students funded by federal (and occasionally state) sources.
• The program provides a method for post-secondary education students to earn funds that are used toward their education.
• Work-study jobs are commonly found on campus and can include roles like administrative assistant, library assistant, or tutor. There can also be off-campus work-study jobs that involve community service work with nonprofit organizations or local elementary schools.
• Work-study earnings are not applied directly to tuition and fees. Students who are awarded work-study receive the funds in a paycheck as they earn them, based on hours worked, just like a normal job. These earnings are meant to help with the day-to-day expenses that students have and are not meant to cover large costs like tuition and housing.
• Work-study jobs have benefits that other part-time jobs may not have. Because work-study jobs are geared toward students, they’re more flexible and can work with your class schedule. They can be ideal places to meet classmates and build relationships with people across your campus. In addition, work-study earnings won’t impact the amount of financial aid you’re eligible to receive.
• The Federal Work-Study Program is limited to students with financial need, whose Expected Family Contribution is less than the cost of attendance.
• Schools that participate in the Federal Work-Study Program have a limited amount of funds they can award to eligible students. Accepting the Federal Work-Study funds offered is just the first step. In order to receive those funds, students need to earn them, which means they need to start by finding a work-study job.
• Work-study jobs may be limited, and students may still be able to work on campus without work-study if their school does not have enough work-study funds or positions to cover all on-campus student employees.

Overall, work-study is a way for students to earn money to pay for school through part-time on- (and sometimes off-) campus jobs, while also gaining valuable work experience.