Students who have federal work-study funding (FWS) in their financial-aid package, are a member of Cornell Tradition, or a part of the Foreign Student Employment Program (FSEP), are eligible to participate in the CWSP.  Review your financial aid on Student Service Center to ensure you have a FWS award.

Students need to actively accept, reduce, or decline offers for all Federal Work Study (FWS), federal student loans, and university loans through Student Center. For instructions on how to accept FWS or loans, please review this tutorial. FWS cannot be earned and student loans will not credit to the Bursar statement until they are accepted, or reduced, and all standard Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes are complete.

Need help understanding your financial-aid award letter? See the 2-min Cornell video “Understanding Your Award Letter” or call Financial Aid at 607-255-5145.

• FWS awards are determined for a specific employment period: academic year or summer.
• Funding must be used in the corresponding employment period.
• Eligible students are granted FWS funds as a part of their financial aid package for the academic year, they must specifically apply for FWS funds in the summer.
• An academic-year award does not guarantee a summer award, and vice versa, as situations are liable to change.

• Taking a leave of absence or withdrawing from Cornell will affect eligibility.
• Academic year employment must be registered in classes full time. FWS is not available for part-time enrollment.
• Registration holds, including bursar, dean’s, and medical holds will affect ability to start working.
• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress for continued eligibility.

Students must have completed an I9 for before they may begin to work. This is done after the hire has been started. Make sure to have your original documents on hand, copies are not accepted. To ensure you have the proper documents, review the options required at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents. You will not be able to start your position until the I9 step is completed.

• FWS award calculations are based on your financial need; thus, an academic year award does not guarantee a summer award, and vice versa.
• Your FWS award is for a specific employment period – academic year or summer.
• Academic year work study awards can be earned in one semester or spread across the academic year.
• FWS funding not used during an academic year or summer does not roll over. You must apply for FWS for the academic year, and then again for the summer, if you wish to work during this time.
• The FWS balance you do not earn cannot be converted to cash, nor can it be applied to your Bursar balance. Basically, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
• Students are automatically terminated at the end of the academic year and at the end of the summer employment session.

How much can be earned?

You may earn the amount stated in your financial aid package as a Federal Work Study award. This figure is equal to your “gross wages,” not the taxable portion of your earnings. If you have more than one work study position, remember to add earnings from all jobs when calculating how much of your award remains. Email the CWSP Coordinator if you’d like to check your FWS balance.

FWS award reduction or cancellation

Your FWS eligibility can be reduced or cancelled by the Office of Financial Aid at any time based on changes to your financial aid package and/or status at Cornell.

What is not covered by Federal Work Study?

Your employer will be billed for your wages at 100% (as opposed to 0-25%) if any of the following occur:

• You earn wages in excess of your Federal Work Study award;
• You work prior to receiving your appointment email;
• You work overtime (over 40 hours);
• You lose your work study eligibility and continue to work; or
• You submit hours to be paid after the end of the academic year or summer for which you were hired.

Running out of Federal Work Study?

When you have earned 75% of your FWS award, you will receive an alert notification in WorkDay. CWSP also receives this notification and will send you and your supervisor a separate email with your balance. Track your hours carefully so you do not exceed your FWS award.

If you continue working after your FWS award ends, or, after your employment term ends, your employer will be billed for 100% of your wages.

If your FWS award is depleted, you have the following options:

• First: Petition your Financial Aid counselor for an increase to your FWS award. Do not wait to look into this option; it should be done immediately. During this period you are not eligible to work. Contact Financial Aid for more information by phone 607-255-5145.
• Second: If you are a Tradition Fellow, notify the Tradition office that you have exhausted your federal work study award. The Tradition office will notify the CWSP Coordinator with proper documentation.
• Third: Ask your employer if they are able to pay 100% of your wages. If they can, they need to communicate this in writing to the CWSP Coordinator.

If your FWS award is increased, it is your responsibility to notify the CWSP Coordinator immediately.