The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program is a federally subsidized employment program, which provides part-time work opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. This program provides a valuable opportunity for students to offset their education costs. Local nonprofit organization can benefit from this by hiring students to fill a variety of positions in their organization. Employers initially pay the student’s entire salary, but then are reimbursed 50% by the university.

To be eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) at the University of Arizona, an off campus organization must comply with the following:

• The employer must either be a non-profit, federal or state organization. If the employer is non-profit, they must submit a copy of their complete 501(c) 3 to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) verifying their tax-exempt status.
• The employer must submit an agreement signed by an authorized representative of the agency. This agreement is not valid until signed by all parties.
• The employer must submit a job description for each position. The descriptions must be updated at least once each fiscal year. More than one student may be employed under one job description. Wages must be at or above the minimum wage and be based on the type of work and qualifications required for the position.

After we receive the required documents we will submit them to our contracting office.  From there it will take approximately four to six weeks to be reviewed.

Compliance requirements:

• The employer must comply with The University of Arizona Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. Employing a FWS student can neither displace regular staff positions nor impair existing contracts for service.
• The employer must only interview and hire students who have been issued a valid FWS Authorization Form for the respective academic year. The employer must complete the form and send it to OSFA and keep a copy for their records. Note: You will not need to fill in the Position Number, Department Number, or Department Account Number.
• Any hours worked beyond the student’s FWS eligibility or outside the dates specified on the FWS Authorization Form will not be reimbursed. If the employer wishes for the student to continue to work beyond the award amount, they can do so by paying for 100% of the students’ earnings.
• While classes are in session, students may work a maximum of 25 hours per week. During breaks and summer, hours may be increased up to 40 hours per week. Work hours should be arranged based on the student’s academic schedule and the employer’s needs.

Invoices and Timesheets are Due at the End of Each Month

To Expedite Your Reimbursement

• Return the completed FWS Authorization Form to OSFA before the student begins working.
• Use the monthly FWS time sheets - fill in the number of hours worked each day and do not include holiday or vacation hours.
• Make sure the timesheet is signed by both the student and supervisor.
• Submit your invoice and timesheet(s) no later than 10 days into the subsequent month for reimbursement. Invoices must be submitted on organization letterhead. All students employed by your organization can be entered on one invoice.

Processing time is 30 days. For inquiries, contact Melva Gutierrez at 520.626.0061 or romerom@arizona.edu.