Work-Study
Students with financial aid may have one of two types of work-study as a part of their financial aid package:
- Federal Work-Study
- Reed Work-Study
Use the steps below to see if you have work-study and what type:
- Log in to Banner Self-Service Financial Aid portal.
- Select the 2024–25 academic year via the drop-down menu on the upper right corner.
- Click on the Terms and Conditions tab, and carefully read the information provided.
- Click on the Financial Aid Offer tab, and review your offer.
What is work-study?
The amount listed as "Reed Work Study" or "Federal Work-Study" on your financial aid package is the amount of money that Reed expects you to earn through work to help meet your demonstrated need. Your work-study earnings are meant to assist you in covering your indirect educational expenses (such as books, personal supplies, transportation). Most work-study awards are $2,000/year, which equals about 5 hours of work per week at the standard Reed student pay rate during academic semesters.
How do I earn my work-study?
Work-study is earned through any hourly on-campus student job at Reed (or for students with Federal Work-Study, it can also be earned in off-campus Federal Work-Study positions through SEEDS). Students with work-study are responsible for seeking out and applying for on-campus positions. Once hired and working, student workers are paid bi-monthly by direct deposit or paper check. Work-study earnings are NOT automatically applied to your student account. Work-study earnings are paid directly to the student, and it is up to the student to use earnings for their personal educational expenses.
What if I don’t earn the full amount of my work award?
Your work-study earnings are meant to assist you in covering your indirect educational expenses (such as books, personal supplies, transportation). If you don't earn your full work award, you may find that you need to fund those expenses from another resource (such as an additional loan or family contribution). Not earning your work award will not result in owing a balance to the college or any changes to your financial aid package. Unearned work-study amounts will not be replaced with grant aid. If you have questions about your aid package in relation to this, feel free to reach out to your financial aid counselor.
I applied to the first-year work-study job pool. What’s next?
Students who applied to the first-year work-study job pool are matched with positions as positions become available. You may be contacted at any point throughout fall semester by a supervisor if you are matched with an open position. We match as many students as possible with jobs, however, the job pool is not a guarantee of a job match. In the meantime, you are absolutely welcome to apply for other on-campus jobs via Handshake, on which positions are posted throughout the year. You can earn your work-study in any hourly on-campus job, regardless of whether you were hired through the job pool.
Do you have to have work-study in order to work on campus?
Students do not need to have work-study in order to work; any current Reed student is eligible to work in on-campus positions. However, most on-campus positions prioritize hiring students with accepted work-study awards as a part of their financial aid. *The only exception to this is SEEDS off-campus positions - only students with Federal Work-Study can work in SEEDS off-campus positions.
Who can work in Off-Campus Federal Work-Study Positions through SEEDS?
In order to work in a SEEDS off-campus Federal Work-Study position, you must have Federal Work-Study.
Award must say Federal Work-Study (not Reed Work-Study) in order to be eligible to work in SEEDS off-campus Federal Work-Study positions.