Academics · Subject Resources · Paying for school

A work-study award,
turned into hours
and paychecks.

The award on an aid offer is not money in the bank: it is paid as wages. Type the award, the wage and the weeks, and the calculator shows the hours a week it takes and what each paycheck will cover.

Plan the hoursWhat you get

The work-study calculator

The worked example is made up: a $2,500 award at $12.50 an hour over 30 weeks. Nothing you type leaves this browser.

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What you get

Academics · Subject ResourcesFree

What you finish with
Hours a week to earn the award, pay per week, check and month, a check against the weekly limit, and the share of a monthly cost covered. It prints as a summary and downloads as a spreadsheet.
Who it is for
College students with a work-study award, families reading an aid offer, and high school seniors comparing offers.
Format
Browser calculator for a phone, tablet or computer, by touch or keyboard. Prints a summary; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); export and import a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Subject Resources space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions, a correction or a request: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Find the work-study award on the financial aid offer.
  2. Type the job’s hourly wage and the weeks you will work.
  3. Check the school’s weekly hours limit.
  4. Add a monthly cost you want the pay to cover.
  5. Print the plan or download the spreadsheet.

Plan the hours

How the plan works

An award is a ceiling on wages.

The worked example: a library desk jobAward$2,500paid as wages÷ $12.50 an hour200 hoursacross the year÷ 30 weeks6.67 ha weekEvery two weeks$166.67gross payThe worked example: a library desk jobAward$2,500paid as wages÷ $12.50 an hour200 hoursacross the year÷ 30 weeks6.67 ha weekEvery two weeks$166.67gross pay
A work-study award is a ceiling on wages, not a grant: the money comes only as you work the hours, spread over the weeks you have.

How work-study pays

Federal Work-Study is part of a financial aid offer, but it is not deducted from the bill. You find an eligible job, on or off campus, and are paid at least the federal minimum wage for the hours you work, up to the award amount. The school sets the hours you may work, often around 20 a week while classes meet, and how often you are paid.

Taxes and next year’s aid

Work-study wages count as income for federal income tax, so some tax may be withheld. Students who work for the school they attend while enrolled at least half time are generally exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. On the FAFSA, work-study earnings are reported so they are not counted against next year’s aid.

Sources

  1. Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education. Work-study jobs: how Federal Work-Study works (studentaid.gov).
  2. U.S. Department of Education. Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 6, chapter 2: Federal Work-Study (fsapartners.ed.gov).
  3. Internal Revenue Service. Publication 15-A and the student exception to FICA for students employed by their school (irs.gov).
  4. Federal Student Aid. FAFSA: reporting work-study earnings as excluded income (studentaid.gov).

The worked example is made up. Your school’s financial aid office sets hours and pay schedules. Your figures stay in this browser. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.