U.S. · Federal Work-Study
Work-study award to hours, at your wage.
Enter the award on your aid offer, your hourly wage and the weeks you will work.
A Federal Work-Study award is the most you can earn, not a payment you receive up front. Hours to earn it = award ÷ hourly wage. For example, $3,000 at $16 an hour is 187.5 hours, or 6.25 hours a week over 30 weeks. Federal Work-Study wages cannot be below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, and your school must pay you at least once a month.
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How the award works
Your school sets the amount you are authorized to earn, and it must tell you that amount and how and when you will be paid before the first payment for the award period (34 CFR 675.16(a)(3)). The compensation is earned when you do the work (675.16(a)(5)), and the school must pay you at least once a month (675.16(a)(2)). You can work for the school, a public agency, a nonprofit or a private for-profit employer (675.20(a)).
Wage floor and pay
The Higher Education Act bars Federal Work-Study pay below the current federal minimum wage under 29 U.S.C. 206, which is $7.25 an hour. Above that, pay must be appropriate and reasonable for the type of work, region and employee proficiency (34 CFR 675.20(c)(1)). A job that is paid more hourly uses up the award in fewer hours, so a higher wage means fewer hours to reach the same total.
Worked example
- Award: $3,000 for the year.
- Wage: $16 an hour.
- Hours to earn it: 3,000 ÷ 16 = 187.5 hours.
- Over 30 working weeks: 187.5 ÷ 30 = 6.25 hours a week.
At $12 an hour the same award takes 250 hours, or 8.33 hours a week over 30 weeks.
Limits
The award is the most you are authorized to earn. An institution may not use FWS funds to pay a student after the student has, in addition to other estimated financial assistance, earned $300 or more over financial need (34 CFR 675.26(a)(4)). Confirm your authorized amount, wage and pay dates with your financial aid office.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 2, 2026. This page has no affiliation with any agency; confirm with the agency before you rely on an amount or date.
- 34 CFR 675.16, Payments to students (eCFR). Read November 2, 2026.
- 34 CFR 675.20, Eligible employers and general conditions (eCFR). Read November 2, 2026.
- 34 CFR 675.26, FWS Federal share limitations (eCFR). Read November 2, 2026.
- 20 U.S.C. 1087-53, Federal Work-Study agreements, Cornell Legal Information Institute. Read November 2, 2026.
- 29 U.S.C. 206, Minimum wage, Cornell Legal Information Institute. Read November 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do I need to work to earn my work-study award?
Divide the award by your hourly wage. A $3,000 award at $16 an hour is 187.5 hours.
Is the work-study award paid to me directly?
You are paid for hours worked. The school must pay you at least once a month, and compensation is earned when you do the work.
What is the minimum wage for Federal Work-Study?
The school may not pay less than the federal minimum wage, currently $7.25 an hour.
What happens if I do not earn the whole award?
The award is a ceiling on what you can earn. Funds you do not earn are not paid to you.
Who can employ a work-study student?
The school, a federal, state or local public agency, a private nonprofit or a private for-profit organization under a written agreement with the school.
Not legal or financial advice
This page does arithmetic on the numbers you enter. Your authorized award, wage and pay schedule come from your school. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.