Federal Work Study Hiring Process

1. Determine if you have a work study budget.
   • Check with your Budget Officer to see if you have a budget for Federal Work Study. Your department is responsible for the budget associated with 25% of student wages, which satisfies the FWS matching requirement.
   • If you do not have a budget for Federal Work Study in account code 1210 FWS Student Salaries WSU Match, your Budget Officer must contact the Budget Office for instruction.
   • *The Budget Office will evaluate and move funds to your work study budget quarterly. Departments are responsible for identifying funding available for department share.
2. Determine your work study position number.
   • This position number is tied to specific federal work study fund accounts.
   • The position numbers can be found when you create the job requisition through the WuHire system. New position numbers can also be requested when you submit the job requisition.
   • WuHire system was launched on 10/07/2024. If you do not have access to the system, contact Human Resources at hr.servicecenter@wichita.edu.
3. Post your open position in WuHire.
   • Students will be able to view and apply for your position online.
   • If you need assistance with WuHire, please contact Human Resources at hr.servicecenter@wichita.edu.
4. Determine each student candidate's eligibility for work study.
   • Email finaidworkstudy@wichita.edu to confirm eligibility for the Federal Work Study Program.
     • Students must be enrolled at least half time (Undergraduate Students = 6 hours, Graduate Students = 5 hours)
     • Students must have a completed FAFSA application for every academic year in which they are being hired.
     • International students are not eligible for work study.
   • If your student is approved for work study, you must complete a position description. This form is required for each academic year and for each position number in which a student is employed.
5. Interview your candidates and decide which students to hire.
   • Each department is responsible for scheduling interviews and beginning the hiring process.

6. Once you have selected a student, submit an Offer Card in WuHire.

   • If you have not already submitted a FWS position description form, please submit the completed form to finaidworkstudy@wichita.edu.

   • If you need assistance with WuHire, please contact Human Resources at employment@wichita.edu.

   • FWS Authorization Dates:
     • Academic Year 2026-2027: August 2, 2026 – May 22, 2027
     • Dates By Term:
       
       • Fall 2026: August 2, 2026 – January 2, 2027
         • Last day for students graduating in Fall 2026 is December 10, 2026
       • Spring 2027: January 3, 2027 – May 22, 2027
         • Last day for students graduating in Spring 2026 is May 13, 2027
       • Summer 2027: May 23, 2027 – July 31, 2027
         • Last day for students graduating in Summer 2027 is July 23, 2027

Students who are no longer eligible for work study, resign, or are released from their employment:

1. Each department must submit a termination to end the work study position and indicate the last day of employment.
2. Contact hr.servicecenter@wichita.edu for instructions on this process.
3. Make sure to include all approval levels.

1. If you have changes to department contacts, email finaidworkstudy@wichita.edu. This is essential so your department does not miss important announcements and updates.
2. Complete a position description for each student and each position the student holds. This form is required for each academic year and for each position number in which a student is employed.
3. Bi-weekly reports are sent from the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships after the end of a pay period.
   • You must monitor your student’s remaining eligibility.
   • If your student’s eligibility is exhausted, email finaidworkstudy@wichita.edu to see if your student is eligible for an increase. If no increase is available, your student must be terminated from the work study (WS) position and moved to a regular (RS) position if they continue to work.
   • In the case a student’s eligibility changes, earnings may be moved from work study funds to your regular department budget. You will be contacted if this occurs.
4. Keep record of your student’s hours worked. This can be requested at any time by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for audit purposes.
   • Federal regulations prohibit students from working during their scheduled class times. Even if their class is cancelled, they cannot be scheduled for work during that time until the official end of the semester.
   • Students may enter their time through their myWSU portal. The designated approver in your department must approve their time by the sign-off deadline designated by Timekeeping.  For questions, contact Timekeeping.

• Students may work up to 30 hours per week while classes are in session. Departments are responsible to monitor students’ hours.
  • During scheduled breaks, such as holiday shutdown and spring break, students may work up to 40 hours as long as they are enrolled in the next term and have retained eligibility.
• Confirm with your student their enrollment to ensure they remain enrolled at least half time.
  • If your student falls below half-time enrollment, they must stop working under the Federal Work Study program and be moved to a regular position.
  • Students graduating at the end of a term cannot work beyond the office last date of the term.