What is Federal Work-Study?
The Federal Work-Study Program provides need-based funding for part-time jobs to Undergraduate and Graduate students who need additional financial aid. It originated in 1965 by the Office of Education of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Many jobs are available, both on and off-campus and include community service work. The FWS Program offers training for our students where they can work up to 20 hours weekly and gain valuable experience.
Apply
To be considered for the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and include the Queens College School Code (002690).
Please note: The Work-Study question has been removed from the 2025–2026 FAFSA applications. Students may still be awarded Federal Work-Study based on their Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA. Since FWS funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, we encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible to maximize your eligibility.
Click here to learn more about Federal Work-Study eligibility.
Note: Only students who have been awarded Federal Work-Study are eligible to apply for available FWS positions. Students who accept the Work-Study award via your CUNYfirst account, will receive placement instructions via email.
2025-2026 Federal Work-Study
For the upcoming 2025–2026 academic year, you may still be eligible for Federal Work-Study even if an FWS award is not included in your original financial aid package.
However, please note that the Federal Work-Study waitlist for the 2025–2026 aid year is now closed.
If you have any questions regarding Work-Study, please contact QCWorkStudy@qc.cuny.edu.
Eligibility
Work Study is awarded to:
- U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens
- Be a matriculated student in a degree granting program at Queens College, and enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) per semester
- Be in good academic standing and making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree, based on Federal Title IV aid guidelines
- Not be in default of a Federal Perkins Loan or Direct Loan
- Not owe a refund of a Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG or other federal aid
- Meet other eligibility requirements
Accepting your FWS award
Eligible students who have been awarded Federal Work-Study (FWS) can view their award information in CUNYfirst by navigating to Student Center > Financial Aid > Awards, where the Federal Work-Study award will appear in the package.
Students may accept their FWS award offer for the Fall and Spring semesters directly through their CUNYfirst account. Please note, awards that are not accepted may be cancelled in the future.
Once you have accepted your Federal Work-Study award, you will receive an email with detailed placement instructions. Job placement is conducted by appointment only.
If you experience any difficulties accepting your award on CUNYfirst, please contact QCWorkStudy@qc.cuny.edu for assistance.
Salary
The pay rate for on-campus Federal Work-Study positions is $18 per hour for undergraduate students and $19 per hour for graduate students.
Students are paid biweekly according to the payroll schedule provided during placement. Please note that your first paycheck may take up to four weeks to process.
Note: You may not earn more than the total amount of your Federal Work-Study award for the academic year. Both you and your supervisor are responsible for monitoring your work hours and ensuring that your total earnings do not exceed your award amount.
Waitlist
Because Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards are allocated by the U.S. Department of Education on a first-come, first-served basis, funding is limited and may run out. However, we maintain a waitlist for students who are interested in being considered if additional funds become available.
To be added to the waitlist, you must meet the eligibility requirements listed above. Please note that joining the waitlist does not guarantee a Federal Work-Study award. If you are selected from the waitlist, the Office of Financial Aid Services will notify you via your Queens College email with further placement instructions.
The Work-Study waitlist is now closed for Fall 2025. Please continue to check our website for updates regarding Spring 2026 waitlist availability.
Placement Process
All Federal Work-Study placement will end on Friday, March 6th, 2026, for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Please be aware that Work-Study placements for Fall 2025 are not guaranteed at this point into the semester due to a limited number of available jobs.
Note: Placement and Federal Work-Study awarding has not begun for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please monitor the Financial Aid website for updates on 2025-2026 Work-Study.
Instructions for On-Campus Placement and Work-Study Document Submission Process
Once you accept your Work-Study award, please allow 24–72 hours for the system to generate an onboarding task in your Tasks and Holds tile in CUNYfirst. When the task appears, make sure to complete it as soon as possible.
An email will also be sent with instructions and details on the required documents. All Work-Study documents must be uploaded directly to the Students Forms platform. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create a Student Forms account to begin the upload process.
After submitting all required documents, please email QCWorkStudy@qc.cuny.edu to confirm that your materials have been uploaded for review.
Instructions for Off-Campus Placement
If you are interested in working off campus through the Federal Work-Study program, you must have an existing Work-Study award for the current academic year. Students will not be awarded solely based on the submission of the Work Study Internship Application.
Contact us at QCWorkStudy@qc.cuny.edu to view the CUNY Off-Campus job posting or if your are interested in working through the Public Service Corps, you must complete the Work Study Internship Application. Public Service Corps (PSC) is a paid internship that utilizes your Federal Work-Study grant. An application must be completed with your resume attached, and it must be submitted to the Office Financial Aid Services. PSC salary ranges $18.00 – $19.00 hourly depending on grade level.
Learn more about Public Service Corps Internships here.
Guide on How to Apply for FWS Jobs
Handshake is the official job platform for Queens College students to search and apply for on-campus and Federal Work-Study (FWS) positions. Through Handshake, students can view available job openings, upload resumes, and connect directly with campus employers.
Please note that only students who have an existing Federal Work-Study award posted to their CUNYfirst financial aid package are eligible to apply for FWS positions.
Below are two helpful guides to walk you through the process of claiming your Handshake account and applying for FWS jobs:
- FWS Jobs Handshake Instructions – Step by Step (PDF)
A detailed guide with screenshots explaining how to log in, filter for “Work-Study” jobs, and successfully submit your application.
- How to Apply to FWS Jobs – Handshake (PDF)
A quick reference flyer outlining key steps, including how to accept your FWS award in CUNYfirst and prepare your Handshake profile before applying. There is also a youtube video on this flyer that can help guide you.