Federal Work-Study

Designed to help students meet educational expenses via on- or off-campus work, Federal Work-Study (FWS) can play a critical role in a student’s experience at RISD. To learn more about FWS, including RISD-specific processes, see below.

What is Federal Work-Study (FWS)

FWS is a federal financial aid program that helps students meet educational expenses through employment opportunities.

Unlike a traditional financial aid grant, FWS earnings are not applied directly to your tuition. You only get access to these funds if you get hired for a FWS-eligible job. If you don’t find a job, or don’t work enough hours to earn the full amount offered to you, any unused money will be returned to the federal government. You won’t have to pay anything back—it just means you didn’t use the full benefit. So if you see FWS listed in your financial aid offer, be sure to explore job opportunities and make the most of it.

Ultimately, managing FWS income is your responsibility. (Neither the federal government nor RISD bear obligation for managing funds once they are paid out to you.) For more federal financial aid opportunities, visit Student Financial Services.

Payroll and earnings

The amount shown on your award notification is the maximum amount you can earn over the academic year. Actual earnings will depend on your work schedule and hourly rate. Generally, students work 8–12 hours per week. Since you receive FWS funds directly as wages, you cannot use your FWS award as a credit toward your tuition bill.

Students in hourly jobs are paid on a biweekly basis, provided you submit your timesheet promptly. We will deposit your weekly pay directly to the US-based bank account of your choice. You can find pay stub information, as well as direct deposit authorization, via your student employee profile in Workday.

If you are supervising a FWS student, you will need to monitor their award balances to make sure they keep within their allotted award. If you need information about a student’s financial aid eligibility and/or balance, please email us at studentemployment@risd.edu.

FWS balance

Through FWS, you are awarded a specific dollar amount each academic year. Your award is shared across all eligible student employment jobs you work, and your earnings from these positions reduce your available balance over time.

Federal Work-Study is governed by US Department of Education regulations. Institutions are not permitted to pay students with FWS funds beyond their awarded amount. Once your FWS allocation is used, those funds cannot be exceeded or replaced outside approved processes.

Learn more about your FWS balance below.

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When your remaining FWS balance reaches $500, an automated alert is sent through Workday to your FWS job supervisor(s). This alert is designed to give departments advance notice so they can plan next steps before your funds are fully exhausted.

Supervisors are expected to review your remaining balance and discuss options with you.

If you hold multiple FWS jobs, your total award is used up faster. You may reach the $500 alert and exhaust your funds sooner than a student with only one job.

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After receiving the alert, your supervisor will determine whether:

the department can continue employing you using departmental (non-FWS) funds, or
the position must end when your FWS funds are exhausted.

Each department makes this decision independently based on its budget. There is no institutional guarantee that a role will continue after FWS funds are depleted.

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Low-balance alerts apply only to the FWS position(s) identified in the notification.

If you work more than one job on campus:

Each department makes its own decision when your FWS allocation runs out:
- they may continue your employment using departmental (non-FWS) funds, or
- your position in that department must end.
Decisions are made on a per-job basis, not per student. Once a department's FWS allocation is exhausted, it is up to the department whether to continue funding the position from their own budget.

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If your FWS funds are nearly exhausted, you may request a review of your award.

To request a review of your balance, email finaid@risd.edu from your RISD account. Award adjustments will depend on fund availability and your financial aid eligibility. Approval for increased award funds is not guaranteed. Decisions are based on federal program limits and available funding.

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While Workday alerts help supervisors plan, you are responsible for managing your weekly hours so you do not exceed your award.

For guidance on how to track your hours and other student employee processes, visit Student Employee Rights and Responsibilities. If you want to know your current FWS balance, contact us at studentemployment@risd.edu.

Finding FWS jobs

If you are eligible for FWS, you can access both on- and off-campus employment opportunities.

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Not eligible for FWS?

Whether or not you qualify for FWS, you are still eligible for student employment at RISD through department-funded positions.

Department-funded jobs

Find out more

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For student employees

A student job can be a key part of your journey here—one designed to empower you through real-world experiences and prepare for long-term career and personal success.