Current Students

Federal Work Study (FWS) Graduate Assistantship Student Information Sheet, Academic Year 2008-2009

Federal Work-Study Graduate Assistantships are need-based assistantships. Therefore, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if they are eligible to be appointed to a FWS position. Federal Work-Study Graduate Assistantships are a special subset of the traditional FWS program, using FWS funds for assistantship stipends. The nature of work and financial compensation is the same as that for other graduate assistantships. The value of the assistantship is included as part of the student's total financial aid package and can therefore affect the student's eligibility for other aid, particularly student loans.

Eligibility for Federal Work-Study alone does not guarantee appointment. Students should check with their departments as to the availability of appointment. If a FWS graduate assistantship is not available, a student may still be eligible for other aid, and should check with the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA).

Important! An FWS assistant's earnings are limited to the maximum FWS award set by OSFA.

Steps to Follow

Complete and submit the 2008-09 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if you are eligible to be employed in a FWS position.

Using your 2007 tax return, complete the FAFSA as soon as possible, ideally by March 15, 2008. It is helpful to get this done early. For the fastest results, students should file the FAFSA electronically. FAFSA on the Web may be accessed from the OSFA Web site at www.osfa.uiuc.edu or directly at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Identify a FWS position by asking at your department or checking with other units on campus.

The department/appointing unit will complete a FWS Graduate Assistantship Appointment Request Form for the position and submit it to the OSFA by April 11, 2008. FWS graduate assistantship descriptions carry a "pending availability of funds" notice, and therefore cannot be interpreted as a firm commitment on the part of the department.
You may need to file a Special Circumstances Form with OSFA.

Students whose income will decrease significantly upon enrolling in graduate school should go ahead and file the FAFSA. Once you receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal processor, you may complete a Special Circumstances Form to reflect the decline in current income. The Special Circumstances Form is available online at the OSFA Web site www.osfa.uiuc.edu. The completed form and supporting documents can be submitted to OSFA via fax (217-265-5516) or mail. The OSFA will then reevaluate your eligibility using your estimated 2008 income instead of your actual 2007 income. It will take approximately four weeks to process the Special Circumstances Form. If your aid eligibility is affected by the Special Circumstances Form, you will be sent a letter reflecting your revised aid eligibility.