Get a student job on campus!
Students can earn up to $2,750 per semester or $5,500 per year for up to three years at Cabrillo.
Overview of Federal Work Study
Federal Work Study (FWS) is a federal financial aid program that promotes part-time employment for students to help finance their education. FWS is awarded based on financial need as determined from your financial aid application, so the first step to qualify is to apply for financial aid. A work-study award will be offered to all eligible students that meet the criteria. To receive these funds, students must apply for part-time jobs on-campus and may earn up to their FWS allocation. There is no employment guarantee with FWS. Jobs are competitive so make sure to start your search early.
Students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week, earning up to $2,750 per semester or $5,500 per year for up to 3 years at Cabrillo. There are several departments on campus that have positions to fill each semester on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds are limited, so not all qualifying students will receive an award.
Benefits of FWS
Obtaining a work-study job will allow you to use your earnings to pay for items in your cost of attendance such as living expenses, food, and other school-related expenses. Any earnings from FWS will be paid directly to you via your refund selection through BankMobile. Unlike other financial aid, work-study earnings will not automatically be applied to a balance on your student account - you control how you spend your work-study earnings. To learn more about financial wellness please visit our Financial Wellness Canvas Course.
On top of financial support, FWS also provides a chance to gain valuable work experience and develop transferable skills that can help with transfer or employment when you graduate.
FWS Eligibility and Finding Employment
Students must apply for the FAFSA every year to be considered for FWS. A placeholder award of $2 will be added to students award packages, for those who meet the eligibility criteria below and are approved for FWS:
Students must meet good Satisfactory Academic Progress
Must be eligible for employment
Must be registered in 6 or more units
Must have a complete financial aid application on file and remaining unmet financial need
Next steps if you are eligible and interested in being considered for a FWS position
Confirm that the $2 FWS placeholder has been added to your Offer Letter in Self Service
Add your name to the FWS Student Eligibility Waitlist. The waitlist opens at the beginning of July
Look for open positions on the Cabrillo Job Board and complete the interview process
Accept FWS position that fits your needs
Have supervisor complete the supervisor steps to ensure funding is available
FWS funding will be awarded to students on a first-come first-serve basis, so be sure to complete the steps above as soon as possible if you are interested in obtaining a job.
Final Steps
Awaiting Approval
You will receive an email from the FWS Coordinator letting you know if your on-campus job has been approved for FWS. The FWS Coordinator will increase your award to the full $5,000 award, or the award amount you are eligible for, and you will see this update on your Offer Letter in Self Service.
You will receive an email from the Student Employment Office with the next steps you need to complete before you can begin working, such as providing tax documents and fingerprinting. Your supervisor will receive an email from the Student Employment Office letting them know once you are cleared to begin working.
Time Cards
Students are required to submit a timecard to their supervisor by the 19th of each month for every pay period they work. Paychecks are disbursed through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc, and students are paid on the 10th of the following month. It is the student's responsibility to track their working and remaining hours and to submit their timecard to their supervisor on time each month.
Be sure to select a refund option through BankMobile in order to receive your FWS funds. You can select your refund preference on BankMobile's website.
Information for Supervisors
Work study funding will be awarded to students on a first-come first-served basis. In order to equitably distribute the limited FWS funding available, departments will be limited on the number of students they can hire. Students will be referred to the Student Job Board, so be sure to post your open positions right away. Once you find an eligible student that you are interested in hiring, you will need to complete the FWS Department Eligibility Wait List.
Next Steps if you are interested in hiring a FWS student
The FWS Coordinator will notify supervisors of the decision
Departments will need to post open positions on the Seahawk Job Board. Students will be referred to the board to search for open positions. For more information on posting positions on the job board, pay rates, or other employment forms/questions please see this link.