Financial Aid and Scholarships

Important Updates

For the Biden-Harris Administration’s Student Debt Relief Plan, please visit the debt-relief announcement.
To contact us by email, go to Contact An Expert. Current office hours can be found at Contact Us.
For quick answers to common questions, please visit Financial Aid and Scholarships FAQs.
For campus COVID-19 updates, see the latest COVID-19 campus information.

What is the Work-Study Program?

Work-Study was created to stimulate and promote part-time employment for students who have financial need. Work-Study allows a student to earn financial aid through employment. Instead of a financial aid payment, the student's Work-Study award is paid in the form of a payroll check for time/hours worked. In addition to meeting educational expenses, Work-Study offers an opportunity for students to gain work experience, as well as provide essential services to the University and the community. It may also provide:

Practical training and experience in your chosen field
Positive job experience to help you identify career objectives
An impressive resume and recommendations from former employers

UC Davis offers two types of Work-Study, Federal and Institutional. Undergraduate, graduate and international students may be eligible. Work-Study is awarded to students based on need. Students with Expected Family Contributions (EFC) of less than or equal to $20,000 and eligibility greater than or equal to $1,000 will be identified on their award notices as Work-Study eligible. Because funding is limited, not all students with need are awarded Work-Study. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible students can obtain a Work-Study Eligibility Certificate (with a 30-day expiration date) through MyAwards. Work-Study Eligibility Certificates will become available in early June. For graduate students, there are additional requirements, please see the Work-Study page for Graduate Students for more information.

Work-Study is a financial aid award. To see if you are eligible, review your personalized financial aid notice at MyAwards.

How to Hire a Work-Study Student

For information on posting a job, hiring a student, and policies and procedures relating to employment, please visit the Internship and Career Center website.

For employers looking to hire UC Davis students, please post part-time, one-time, temporary, and summer full-time Work-Study and non-Work-Study employment opportunities through Handshake. Once the job posting is complete, interested students will contact you directly.

For information on Work-Study opportunities, please use the UC Davis Employers or Non-UC Davis Employers links.