Student Employment

There are many great job opportunities at NDSU and in the surrounding community for both Work-Study and non-Work-Study students. NDSU works with departments, local non-profit organizations, and local businesses to list employment opportunities for students on the Handshake Job and Internship Board. NDSU’s Career and Advising Center also provides additional listings for co-op, internships, and full-time employment opportunities.

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a student aid program which provides funding to support part-time employment opportunities (on and off campus) for eligible students. Awards are a form of financial aid which helps pay a percentage of the hourly wages earned. You are encouraged to seek jobs that relate to your course of study. We also encourage students to work in community service positions whenever possible.

NOTE: The money earned is paid to you in the form of a paycheck. It is not applied to your student account. You choose how to use the money you earn; and, it is money you do not have to pay back.

In order to be considered for Federal Work-Study (FWS), students submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. FWS is a "need-based program" which means you must have demonstrated financial need. This is determined by the information provided on the FAFSA. All students who are eligible may not be awarded FWS funding due to overall budget limitations.

To be eligible to receive a work-study award, students must:

Applying for Work-Study Jobs

Federal Work-Study (FWS) positions can be found on the Handshake Job and Internship Board. Once you find a position that interests you, simply apply using the directions listed in the job posting. When meeting with a potential FWS employer, you must bring a copy of your financial aid award letter. To locate your award information:

  1. Log in to Campus Connection
    • If you do not know your User ID or Password, call the NDUS Help Desk at 1-866-546-3358, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  2. From the Student Homepage, click the Financial Aid tile
  3. Click Awards on the left side bar
  4. Click Summary under the Awards header on the left side bar
  5. Print that screen

Annual Training Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Gain work experience
  • Hours are flexible and are generally Monday through Friday
  • Earning extra cash to use as you see fit
  • Earnings from work-study is not held against you on the following year’s FAFSA, potentially increasing your eligibility for additional financial aid
  • Most jobs are on-campus, so no long commutes

To be eligible for work-study you must meet the Standards of Academic Progress, which requires earning and maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or higher and successfully completing 67% of the credits attempted. You must also meet maximum credit requirements for your program of study.

You should contact Tammy Fraase at tammy.fraase@ndsu.edu to see if you are eligible for a work-study award. Awards are subject to fund availability.

No, you must earn those dollars by having a work-study job. You can view available work-study jobs on Handshake. While some schools may match students to jobs, at NDSU you can review available positions and interview for the ones best suited to your interests and academic schedule. Work-Study is just like any other job. If you are having difficulty finding a work-study job, please email Tammy Fraase at tammy.fraase@ndsu.edu for additional guidance.

No. While the name "Work-Study" does imply working and studying, you are being paid to work. A few positions may have you watching the front desk or answering phones when needed, and you may have time to study and do homework. However, it has been strongly recommended and encouraged that all employers provide their Federal Work-Study students more responsibility and work to do while they are on-the-job.

No. Students may only work one Federal Work-Study (FWS) position at a time. You may certainly work another position elsewhere, but it should not be under FWS funding.

No. All holds must be lifted before you can begin using your Federal Work-Study award.

Because student employees are considered University employees, you'll need to complete documents required by the NDSU Payroll office. For instance, NDSU requires all students complete an I-9 and verify that you're eligible to work in the United States by providing proof of identification and previous employment. You can find more information about the required documentation and hiring process on the USCIS I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification website.

Hourly wage and number of hours worked vary depending on the employer and the position. Wage rates must be equal to or exceed minimum wage. Students may work up to 20 hours maximum per week while in a Federal Work-Study position.

No. Students cannot continue using Federal Work-Study (FWS) funding once they have reached their total award amount. Employers may request an increase in their FWS student’s award, but there is no guarantee that the award will be increased. Increases are based on available funds and student eligibility. You may continue working for the same employer; however, the employer becomes responsible for 100% of the hourly earnings once the Work-Study award amount has been paid out.

No. Remaining balances on awards will be lost once the current academic school year is over. Federal Work-Study funding is not available during the summer term.

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