Work Study

Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.

Students that are eligible for work-study will find a work-study job on campus or with one of our campus partners, and the hours they work will be work-study funds earned. They are paid out each month, just like a paycheck!

Click here for more information about Federal work-study.

If you are interested in work-study and your award was cancelled, or you were never awarded work-study, you can complete the Work-Study Interest Form, found here, and we will review your eligibility and award/re-award work-study, if possible.

There are a couple of steps you will want to take if you are interested in getting a work-study job.

• Visit HireFresnoState for job listings. There you will find instructions for how to apply for positions that interest you, for both work-study and non-work-study positions.

Once you have been hired by campus department or partner, you will need to do the following:

• If your work-study award, was cancelled, complete the Work-Study Interest Form, found here. Our office will accept the work-study award for you.
• Email workstudy@mail.fresnostate.edu and request a job referral. Please include your Fresno State Student ID#, place of employment, your supervisor’s name and their email.
• You’ll receive an email from HR. This email will have information on completing your I-9 and requesting a background check. It is important to complete the requested information as soon as possible.
• You’ll need to go to the Payroll Office (Room 211 in the Joyal Administration Building). Please make sure you take your social security card, a photo ID, and any other necessary documents for processing.

You will want to let your supervisor know once your background check has cleared and then you can determine a start date and your work schedule. You will want to follow instructions provided by your supervisor for orientation, expectations, and other information related to your new role! Congrats!

Will you be continuing to work with your same employer for the next academic year? That’s great! Make sure you complete your FAFSA as soon as possible and please email workstudy@mail.fresnostate.edu to request a job referral for the new academic year in July. Please include your Fresno State Student ID#, place of employment, your supervisor’s name and their email.

Visit HireFresnoState for job listings. There you will find instructions for how to apply for positions that interest you, for both work-study and non-work-study positions. First time users will need to set up profile information. If you have any questions about HireFresnoState, or need help with your resume/cover letter, our Career Development Center is an excellent resource.

As a student employee, you are limited to working 20 hours a week during the academic year. Your employer may provide additional hours during school breaks (for example, spring break) and/or summer, however, each office is different.

You can hold more than one student employee position, but keep in mind, you are still limited to 20 hours a week TOTAL. For example, you could work 10 hours with one employer and 10 with another, but you cannot exceed 20 hours a week between the two, unless it is during one of those break periods where additional hours are acceptable.

You can earn up to what you have been awarded for Federal Work-Study (FWS) in your financial aid package. In some cases, we may be able to increase your work-study award if needed. Please note that FWS awards may change throughout the aid year, depending on your eligibility and other financial aid awards. You will be notified if changes are made to your FWS award.

The department/campus partner that you are working for will determine your hourly wage, which will be at least the California State minimum wage. You will also work with your supervisor to determine your work schedule. These two components, hourly wage and hours worked per week; will determine how quickly you will earn your work-study award.

If you find that you need additional work-study funding, please reach out to our work-study coordinator at workstudy@mail.fresnostate.edu to see if you qualify for additional funds.

Students are responsible for reporting their hours accurately through their MyFresnoState account. You will log in and select the “Employee Self Service” icon and then click on “Webclock” to enter your hours. You will clock in when you start your shift, and you will clock out when your shift ends.

You will want to check with your supervisor to find out when timesheets are due. Your supervisor will review and approve your time each month. Students are paid on the 15th of each month, and you can choose to have the paycheck directly deposited into your bank account or pick up a paper check at the Cashier’s window in the South Lobby of the Joyal Administration Building.

A job referral is an Adobe Sign document that you and your supervisor will e-sign once you have been officially hired. This document will indicate the amount of Federal Work Study you have been awarded and allotted for the Fall and Spring terms. It is important that both you and your supervisor complete this as soon as possible.

The work-study program is only offered during the fall and spring semesters. There is no federal work-study funding provided over the summer term, however departments/campus partners may be able to continue your employment throughout the summer using other department funds. You will want to check with your employer to see if they offer summer employment.