Work Study

More than 30,000 college students in Texas benefit from the federal and state college work study programs that provide part-time job opportunities. Enhancement of the state work study program has the potential to provide additional financial aid and assist in retaining and graduating students in post-secondary institutions.

Current Efforts in the Federal and State Work Study Program Federal Work-Study (FWS) allocations are made to eligible institutions for the purpose of providing part-time employment to needy undergraduate and graduate students attending the institution. Institutional allocations are based on institutional requests for program funding under a statutory formula. Under the funding formula, funds are distributed to institutions first on the basis of the institution's base guarantee plus the pro rata share received during the most recent award year under the FWS Program and then on the basis of the aggregate need of the eligible students in attendance. Employers of FWS recipients must contribute 25 percent of the funding (private, for-profit organizations must match 50 percent), except in the case of established criteria for which the matching requirement is waived.

The Department of Education encourages colleges and universities to use FWS Program funds for effective tutoring programs. Institutions are allowed to pay up to 100 percent of the wages for any FWS student employed as a reading tutor of preschool age or elementary school children; a mathematics tutor for children in elementary school through the ninth grade; or, in a family literacy project performing family literacy activities.

Currently the federal work study program reaches 31,248 students with an average award amount of $1,603. Federal funds for the program total $50,117,393. The federal work study program uses a 75 percent to 25 percent match of federal funds to institutional funds, and a 50 percent to 50 percent match for private sector employment.

State Work Study Program funds are allocated on the percentage of financially needy students at each institution. Those figures are derived from our Financial Aid database.

The Texas Work Study program reached 3,409 students in Academic Year 2003 with an average award of $1,023. Texas appropriated $3,488,842 to the program. The state work study program uses a 70 percent to 30 percent match of state funds to institutional funds, and a 50 percent to 50 percent match for private sector employment.

Studies have shown that students participating in work study programs stay in school, maintain a higher GPA and graduate at higher rates.

Governor Perry's Initiative for the State Work Study Program
Through Governor Perry's efforts the state work-study program was expanded by $5 million for the 2004-05 biennium. This amount will allow approximately 5,500 additional Texas students to earn financial aid for college, while gaining invaluable work experience. The Governor continues to support increasing the amount of financial aid available to students, while providing an invaluable return to the state's economy.