What is the Work-Study Program?

The Work-Study Program was created to stimulate and promote part-time employment for students with financial need. It allows students to meet their educational expenses and provides an opportunity to gain work experience, as well as provide essential services to the University and the community.

Employers, please be sure to work closely with your employees to submit the required documentation in a timely manner, as Work-Study is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Once funds are depleted, the award will no longer be available. Employers are responsible for ensuring that the Work-Study Eligibility Form is returned to the Work-Study Program Manager prior to the employee beginning to work.

How Does Work-Study Benefit Employers? 

Through this program, community organizations join UC Davis in providing important training and work experience for UC Davis students at a reduced cost to the employer. Under this program, the student’s salary is partially subsidized by the Federal Government. For-profit and government agencies pay only 50% of the eligible employee’s wages. Agencies with qualified tutoring or family literacy programs may be eligible for a 100% reimbursement. Your organization employs the students and processes all hiring and payroll paperwork for your student employees. Your organization will then bill UC Davis for its share of the student’s wages on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. In addition, your organization can post positions on the University Job Web site to announce the job opportunities your organization has to offer for FREE! Your organization can screen and select the candidates you hire and will also assign and direct students’ work activities. 

Tutoring sessions can take place in a school setting or another location such as a public library or community center.  The primary focus of the tutoring must be helping students gain reading and math skills. Reading tutors can work with elementary school children and math tutors can be used for programs up to the ninth grade. A family literacy program’s focus should be on literacy education for children or their caregivers. Literacy activities designed to have children and their caregivers interact may also be eligible.

What are the Qualifications My Organization Must Meet to Participate?

Organizations participating in the Work-Study Program must meet these requirements: 

• Be a public or private non-profit, tax-exempt organization as certified by the IRS. 
• Not involve Work-Study students in partisan or non-partisan political activity associated with a candidate or with a contending faction or group in an election for public or party office, any lobbying on the federal, state, or local level or the construction, operation, or maintenance of any facility used or to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place of worship. 
• Not to displace regular employees, impair existing contracts for services, or fill vacant positions because the employer's regular employees are on strike.  
• Students may only perform work that is in the public interest.