Student Employment and Federal Work Study Program
Student Employment Through the Financial Aid Office
The Financial Aid Office administers two employment programs for students: the Federal Work
Study Program (FWSP) and the Job Location and Development Program (JLDP). The FWSP
is offered to financial aid recipients who meet certain criteria; the JLDP is available to all
university students. On the New Brunswick campus, the Student Employment Office assists
students with finding part-time and seasonal employment through both programs. On the
Newark and Camden campuses, students can receive information about the FWSP at the
Financial Aid Offices. Information about other employment programs is available in the Career
Development Center in Newark and the Career Planning and Placement Office in Camden.
Location, Hours, Phone/Fax for the Student Employment Office
New Brunswick
The Student Employment Office is located in Room 202, Records Hall on the College Avenue
Campus in New Brunswick. The mailing address is 620 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901- 1175. The office, located on the second floor, is not handicapped-accessible. However, the staff will make arrangements to meet with students and/or parents in the Financial Aid Office upon request.
The Student Employment Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to
4:30. The phone number is 732-932-8817 and the
fax number is 732-932-0524.
Newark
The office is located at 249 University Avenue, Blumenthal Hall. The hours are from 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday
(call for evening hours). The phone number is 973-353-5152 and the fax number is 973-353-5057.
Camden
The office is located in Armitage Hall, lower level, at 311 N. Fifth
Street. The hours are from 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday
(call for evening hours). The phone number is 856-225-6039 and the fax number is
856-225-6074.
Federal Work Study Program (FWSP)
The FWSP is a federally funded financial aid program. The purpose of the program is to place
financially eligible students in part-time employment so that students can earn funds while attending
college. To be considered for FWSP funds, a student must file the FAFSA form by the
priority deadline, and must be financially eligible according to federal and university policies.
Eligible students are notified that they have been offered FWSP funds on the Financial Aid Offer Letter;
they also receive a Job Preference Form with the Letter. Students who are accepting the FWSP
funds indicate that on the award letter, complete the Job Preference Form and return both to the
Financial Aid Office. Notification of job placement begins in mid-August and continues
throughout September. Students must file a FAFSA form each year and must continue to be
financially eligible to participate.
Types of FWSP Jobs On Campus
FWSP jobs exist in almost every department at the university. There are jobs in libraries, student
centers, gyms, computer centers, academic offices (like the English, Philosophy, or Economics
Departments), administrative offices (like Financial Aid, University Accounting, and
Admissions), visual arts departments, and museums, just to name a few. Many employment
opportunities are available, including general clerical, lifeguard, peer
counselor, and research assistant. Contact the Financial Aid Office at Newark and Camden or the
Student Employment Office in New Brunswick for further information.
Community Service and Off-Campus Employment (FWSP)
Students on the FWSP can choose to earn their funds in a community service job, which can be
on-campus or off-campus, or in an off-campus non-profit agency. Some of our community service jobs
include work in urban gardening programs, 4-H programs, day care, legal defense, and
community health jobs. Recently we have added community service tutoring jobs in support of the America Reads initiative. Although most of our jobs are in New Jersey, community service opportunities
may also be available in other states throughout the country.
Some students like to work for non-profit agencies, such as public libraries and city
administrative offices. In addition to the opportunities in the traditional on-campus FWSP and
the community service FWSP job options, non-profit agencies provide another source of
employment for university students, particularly students who like to work in their own town or
city. There are some specific requirements and restrictions for agencies that wish to participate.
For more information, contact the Student Employment or Financial Aid Offices.
Pay Rates (FWSP)
Pay rates range from $6.15 to $12.50 per hour. The pay rate for each
FWSP job is determined by the degree of skill or experience required for the job
and the number years the student has been on the FWSP at Rutgers
University. Students receive pay increases if they work 200 hours in a
Rutgers University FWSP job or earn 75% of their FWSP offer. Pay increases
occur once a year when the student is assigned to a job.
Getting Paid
FWSP students are paid every two weeks. The pay check comes directly to the student at the
employing department. Payment to students employed in community service and off-campus
agencies is the same as for the traditional FWSP, except that students working out-of-state can
request to have their pay checks mailed to them. The amount of each check is determined by
the number of hours the student worked during the two week pay period and the student's hourly pay rate.
Students do pay FICA taxes (usually referred to as Social Security taxes). Other taxes may be deducted,
depending on how the student fills out the federal withholding form (W-4). Students may
continue to work until they have received the total gross amount of FWSP that appeared on the
Financial Aid Offer or until the end of the academic year, whichever comes first (Students who are not registered for the spring semester must stop working at the end of the fall semester).
Working During the Summer on the FWSP
Some students choose to earn their FWSP award during the summer. In order to do this, students
must complete a separate Rutgers summer application. Applications and complete information about the
summer program are available in April at the Student Employment and Financial Aid Offices.
Summer class attendance is not required to be considered for summer FWSP but
the student must be returning to the university in the fall semester and must meet all other
eligibility requirements for the program. Earning FWS funds during the summer will reduce eligibility for FWS funds during the academic year.
Job Location and Development Program (New Brunswick Campus)
The JLDP is open to any university student interested in finding off-campus
part-time or seasonal employment. To participate, you must be a currently registered student. Students may review job listings on our website:
http://studentwork.rutgers.edu. Jobs are listed by category and information
about location and transportation are posted on the job description. Students contact the companies and arrange for interviews. All decisions on
hiring are made by the employer. There are no financial aid requirements for participation in the JLDP; the service is available to all university
students. Although Newark and Camden campuses do not have a program specifically called JLDP, the Career Service Offices receive and post
similar jobs in their offices. Newark and Camden students are welcome to use the
JLDP.
International Student Information
International students registered in New Brunswick must visit the Center for International
Faculty and Student Services before seeking employment. The Center is located at 180 College
Avenue in New Brunswick. International students registered in Newark must contact the
International Student Advising Office located in Smith Hall, Newark. International students
registered in Camden must contact the Office of Student Life in Armitage
Hall, Camden. Staff members at these offices will assist students with the requirements needed
before students can apply for jobs.
Other University Employment
Many university departments hire students directly, paying them from departmental funds (not
FWSP). Students who are not on the FWSP but would like to work on campus are encouraged to contact departments in
which they would like to work. Some of the university departments that hire students are: the libraries, the dining halls, the
student centers, the gyms, and some of the residence halls. There are many other departments that hire students. Interested
students may ask about employment opportunities in any department to determine if such jobs are available.
Additional Information
For additional information about student employment opportunities call the Student Employment
office in New Brunswick, the Financial Aid Offices in Newark and Camden, and the Career
Services Offices in Newark and Camden.
This information is subject to change without notice. Further changes to laws and regulations may make some of the information incomplete or inaccurate.
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