Work Study

The Federal Work-Study Program allows you to earn money to pay for school by working part-time. You’ll earn at least the current federal minimum wage. However, you may earn more depending on the type of work you do and the skills required for the position. Your total work-study award depends on:

- - - - When you apply
        
        Your level of financial need
        
        Your school’s funding level

Work Study

Work Study offers students a chance to earn money for education expenses by working part-time. They get paid every two weeks through federal and state funds, with a starting wage at least the local minimum.

Eligibility

To apply for work-study funds, you must meet these minimum requirements:

Have a complete and current FAFSA or CASFA* on file.
- Note: Summer work-study funds require that students complete the FAFSA for the current and the upcoming school year.
Be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours.
Be meeting all academic standards per Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
Pass a background check upon hire.

Pay Rate

The current base pay rate is $15.00/hour for the 2024/25 aid year. Students generally begin at a lower pay rate.

After completing the FAFSA, and your award is ready to view in your student dashboard, you will receive a generic work-study offer of $2,000 per semester ($4,000 per academic year).

Hours Per Week

You can work up to 20 hours while classes are in session and up to 28 hours when class is not in session (breaks, and in between semesters), based on funding.

*Note: Students submitting CASFA must also be DACA eligible to participate in the work-study program.

TYPES OF WORK STUDY

Federal Work-Study Federal funds that are awarded first-come, first-serve to students to assist with their college financing through part-time campus employment. Requires student to demonstrate financial need.

Colorado Work-Study State funds that are awarded first-come, first-serve to assist Colorado residents only with their college financing through part-time campus employment. Requires student to demonstrate financial need through the EFC from FAFSA.

Must be a Colorado resident to qualify

Colorado Work-Study without Regard to Need Same as the regular Colorado Work-Study, though it does not require student to demonstrate financial need through the EFC from the FAFSA

ASSET and CASFA students are eligible for work study, but they must be DACA recipients to qualify. DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, offers administrative relief from deportation to eligible immigrant youth who arrived in the United States as children. Its primary objectives are to shield these individuals from deportation and grant them the ability to work legally through a renewable two-year program.