Making Ends Meet

Work-Study at UCLA

By Kathy Wyer

For many students, covering the cost of college is a big stretch, and many have concerns about financing their education.

According to the most recent UCLA survey taken by The Cooperative Institute Research Program, which annually polls incoming freshmen nation- wide, two out of three students say they have “some” or “major” concerns around having to pay for college. And nearly a third of those freshmen – 29.0 percent – anticipate having to take a part-time job on campus to help defray the costs of going to college.

UCLA’s Work-Study Program, a federally-funded initiative that allows students to pay for college costs through part-time employment, plays a big part in helping students make ends meet. The program, which is a unit of UCLA’s Financial Aid Office, requires students to apply for financial aid in order to qualify for Work-Study, which is considered a parallel award to grants, scholarships, and loans. The Federal Department of Education provides a subsidy of about $3.3 million to the University to help pay a portion of students’ wages, while the University pays the balance. Each year, UCLA offers approximately $25 million worth of work-study awards to students who qualify, but statistically only about $6 million of that is actually used by those who accept the award.

Says Ronald Johnson, Director of UCLA’s Financial Aid Office, “The idea behind work-study is simple: Students earn part of the cost of their education by working part-time. UCLA has an excellent program, which facilitates students acquiring valuable work experience in the public sector, while also helping them find opportunities to participate in community service endeavors.”

According to The Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s 2006 survey, a majority – 58 percent – indicated that they had “some” concern about their ability to finance their college education. Additionally, 24 percent of freshmen said they expected to spend between $1,000 and $2,999 that they earned from work-study jobs towards covering college expenses, such as room, board, tuition, and fees. And four percent reported that $3,000 of their work-study earnings towards such expenses.

Approximately 3,000 to 3,200 students participate in UCLA’s Work-Study Program during any given year, and eligibility – which is need-based – is determined by what students and their families can afford to pay towards college costs. Students are required to work no more than 20 hours a week, and they may hold only one work-study job at a time, so they must be sure to choose a job that provides enough hours to earn the total amount of their award. The program also requires that students be enrolled at least half-time – six units for undergraduates, four units for graduates – to maintain eligibility.

Yuan Richards, a work-study Coordinator, says the award helps students in numerous ways, including developing quantifiable skills. “Work-study is unique in the financial aid family,” she says. “Besides providing a way to meet financial needs, many students gain valuable job skills, such as office, computer, communication, customer service, and interpersonal skills.”

Dionna Nicole Chambers, a first-year student majoring in English and Sociology, has held a work-study job since the fall of 2006, and is employed at the Early Academic Outreach Program where she serves as a Bruin Adviser for middle school students. Chambers, who is of mixed-race, feels she makes a difference to those she serves: “I present to the students on the process of getting into college, while also inspiring and motivating them to go to college. As a minority myself, I can connect with the students and may give them hope that it is possible to make it into a prestigious university.”

Most work-study jobs are on campus, and include a variety of positions such as working in libraries, labs, administrative offices, health care, and food services. A small number of employers come from off campus, and to qualify they must be non-profit, non-commercial businesses. Additionally, state, county, and city government offices and agencies also qualify to offer work-study employment. Employers must have a contract with the Work-Study Program through UCLA’s Financial Aid Office.

The primary goal of the program is to help students earn money to meet their college-going expenses, and also serves up an opportunity to gain academic or career-oriented employment while providing essential services to the University and the community.

Graduate students may participate in the Graduate Masters Work-Study Program, which offers career-focused opportunities for specific fields. Nine of UCLA’s graduate and professional schools participate in the program, which aims to bridge the gap between students’ academic careers and professional aspirations. Many students in this program combine work-study with their internships. Graduate students, for example, who study in the School of Public Policy may serve as interns with a local non-profit organization that provides essential services to those in need. Or a law student may work as a law clerk, doing research to help provide legal support for those engaged in community-focused endeavors.

In order to be considered for work-study, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet the deadlines for providing all the necessary documenta- tion. The FAFSA priority-filing deadline is in early March; once UCLA’s Financial Aid Office receives a student’s FAFSA information, he or she will be evaluated for financial need and a financial aid package will be established, of which work-study may or may not be a part, given a student’s need. If work-study is offered, students may either accept or decline the award, but they must formalize their acceptance through an Electronic Financial Aid Notification (eFAN), which they receive by email. Once students accept their work-study award, they are free to review available work opportunities online.

Jobs are posted and updated daily through the Work-Study job bulletin found through the Financial Aid Office’s website; students may access the site through a personal computer, or by way of terminals located throughout campus, including those in libraries and computer labs, and can login with their UCLA ID and personal identification number. Pay scales vary according to the type of position available, the skills required, and the student’s experience. When students find a position they are interested in, they must contact the interviewer listed for that job, and should continue their job search until they are offered a position that fits. Once hired, the employer will complete a work-study referral form, which is used to authorize a student’s participation in the program and verifies their placement.

Kewal Lalwani, a senior and English major, has worked for Professor Mike Rose, in the Social Research Methodology Division of the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, for more than three years, and helps with office tasks, including emailing, typing documents, filing, etc. Originally planning on a career in law, Lalwani changed her mind after working in the field of education: “It was because of this work that I sought summer work through Johns Hopkins University’s Centers for Talented Youth, after which I decided to become a teacher. Seeing students and professors – and especially Professor Rose’s work – in Education Studies has helped me to see not only the importance of the field, but also the numerous benefits from it.”

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"...UCLA has an excellent program, which facilitates students acquiring valuable work experience in the public sector, while also helping them find opportunities to participate in community service endeavors."

- RONALD JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF UCLA’S FINANCIAL AID OFFICE