Federal Work-Study 
For Medical and Graduate Students

Award amount

Depending on a student’s eligibility, the usual FWS award is $6,000 for the academic year.

Pay

Most positions pay $18 per hour. Community service positions pay $20 per hour if on-campus and $22 per hour if the student needs to travel off-site.

Students will be paid biweekly via direct deposit. Students must swipe in and out of PCOM’s Kronos timekeeping stations in order to keep track of hours and be paid.

Hours

Students are responsible for managing their FWS hours and may not work in excess of their FWS award as part of their financial aid package. Working in excess of the FWS award could result in reduction of a student's federal student loans and/or PCOM scholarships.

Federal Work-Study eligibility

To be eligible for FWS, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Have completed the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year.
• Have submitted all financial aid requirements.
• Be enrolled at least halftime (usually at least 3.0 credits, but there are exceptions).
• Be matriculated in a degree-seeking program.
• Must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Have room in their cost of attendance (AKA financial aid budget) for the appropriate academic year.
  • If a student is borrowing student loans up to their maximum cost of attendance, the student will have the option of reducing a loan to make room for a FWS award.

Students returning to the Federal Work-Study Program must have the following:

• Federal Work-Study award is on your aid package.
• The current award form is completed and returned to the financial aid office.
• You and your supervisor received the authorization email with your start date.

Contact your respective financial aid office to inquire about your eligibility for FWS.

Step 1: Find a job

It is the student’s responsibility to seek out and apply for a FWS job by contacting supervisors/departments around campus. Visit the Work-Study Job Listing page on myPCOM to view potential job positions at PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia. Schedule a time to meet with the job's department supervisor to interview for the position and discuss responsibilities, tasks and a schedule.

Step 2: Complete paperwork

After a student has been hired for a work-study position, students can notify our office about the position with our Work-Study Application. Our office will be able to assign paperwork for you to complete and submit through that same application. If a student has any questions or prefers to complete the documents in-person, please visit the Financial Aid Office on your respective campus.

Step 3: Authorization email

After the FWS application forms are completed, the paperwork process could take about two weeks to be finalized. The student and their supervisor will receive a FWS authorization email that will show the date the student may begin working. Students may not begin to work prior to the authorization email.

If you have additional questions, please contact your respective financial aid office.

All medical and graduate students must abide by the following terms and conditions when working a Federal Work-Study position at PCOM, PCOM Georgia or PCOM South Georgia:

First day of work

• New incoming students may not begin working until their first day of classes.
• After the award form is completed, the student and supervisor must first receive an FWS authorization email before the student can begin working. Students may not begin working until the date listed in the authorization email.

Last day of work

• Graduating students may not work after the last scheduled day of enrollment. You are considered no longer enrolled.
• Students taking a Leave of Absence may not work after their last day of class.

Federal Work-Study hours

• Students may not exceed 8 hours per day.
• Students may work up to, but cannot exceed, 20 hours per week while enrolled in classes.
• Returning students not enrolled for summer courses may work up to, but cannot exceed, 30 hours per week over the summer term. Students must be registered for the fall term once registration opens.
• Students are not permitted to work when PCOM is officially closed for holidays.

Timekeeping

• Students must swipe in and out using PCOM's Kronos timekeeping stations around the campuses in order to keep track of hours and be paid. Time stamping on a computer is not permitted.
• Students working remotely must keep a time sheet that is handed into their supervisor for approval at the end of each pay period.
• If a student misses a swipe, the student must contact their department supervisor or timekeeper on the same day! The department supervisor or timekeeper is responsible for correcting the swipe within Kronos.
  • If a missed swipe is not resolved by the last day of the appropriate payroll, the student will be in jeopardy of losing their work-study eligibility.
• Students are responsible for managing their FWS hours and may not work in excess of their FWS award as part of their financial aid package.
  • Working in excess of the FWS award or the weekly hour limits listed above could result in reduction of a student's federal student loans and/or PCOM scholarships.
• If a student works five or more hours in a work day they will automatically be deducted a 30-minute lunch period by PCOM's Kronos timekeeping software.

Other information

• Students may only work in one FWS position at a time.
• Students may not work during class time; including a class that has been cancelled, a class that is recorded, or a class that you are auditing.
• Students may not work at an off-campus site (unless the community service site is approved by the Financial Aid Office).
• Research assistant students may work on their school thesis during work hours if their research pertains to their thesis.
• Cases of dishonesty (such as a student clocking in but not working) will be brought to the respective department for disciplinary action.
• At its discretion, the financial aid office, may instruct students to discontinue to work if they are not following the terms of the program. A student may be instructed to meet with the work-study coordinator to make sure that the guidelines are understood. Students that continue to not follow the guidelines will be in jeopardy of losing their work-study eligibility.

Overview

Work-study students may be able to qualify for Supplementary Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) also known as "food stamps" in their state of residence. The main qualifier is demonstration of earning Federal Work-Study dollars. Students do not need to work a certain number of hours or earn a certain amount of money. Applications will usually ask for a recent pay stub.

State applications (PCOM)

• PA Compass
• NJ SNAP - Department of Human Services
• DE Assist
• NY MyBenefits

State applications (PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia)

• GA Food Stamps
• My Alabama
• SC SNAP
• My FL Families

Or visit SNAP to find your state's online application.