Skip to Main Content
UNLV Logo

University Libraries Student Assistant Employment Guide: Federal Work Study

Federal Work Study

What is Federal Work Study?

Work-study programs are federally funded to provide students with the opportunity to work while enrolled at UNLV. Federal Work-Study provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The benefits of federal work-study include gaining employment which can be in a student’s field of study and/or career path and valuable job skills.

  • 100% of student’s wages are paid for by Federal Title IV funding
  • Not an entitlement program
  • When completing the FAFSA your Federal work study wages will be excluded from your expected family contribution.

There are approximately 3,600 student employees on campus, of which only 600 are able to utilize work study due to the limited amount of funding each year 

Learn more about The Federal Work Study Program

Contact

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships hours are:

  • Monday and Wednesday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m

Location: Student Services Complex - Building A (SSC-A), 232

Phone: 833-318-1228

How to apply for Financial Aid at UNLV

https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/apply 

  1. Complete the FAFSA
  2. Enroll in Direct Deposit
  3. Review Your Eligibility for Scholarships
  4. Award Notification
  5. Other Important Information
  6. Paying for College

Work Study Dates

  Fall Work Study Spring Work Study
Start Date Aug 16, 2023 Jan 1, 2024
End Date Dec 31, 2023 May 15, 2024

Summer Work Study
Not guaranteed but offered in some cases.

Navigating MyUNLV

How can I check my financial aid award package?

Your financial aid information is available to you through MyUNLV. It is located in the Student Center on the left hand side under Financial Aid Information.

What are the disbursement/reimbursement dates?

Reimbursement dates can be found in MyUNLV. Reimbursement dates are 10 calendar days before school begins.

Self-Service Help Center

The Financial Aid & Scholarships office will be offering services remotely through the Rebel Success Hub
Find answers to frequently asked questions or ask your own questions. Safely and easily upload documents.

What is the FAFSA?

  • FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  • Available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
  • Student’s are required to complete and submit the FAFSA in order to receive any Federal Aid using their ‘prior-prior’ year tax information
    • For 23-24 aid year, use 2021 tax information

The University uses the information reported to determine their eligibility for most aid.

  • Deadlines.
    • The FAFSA opened on December 31st 
    • UNLV’s priority deadline is April 15th

*Aid is awarded on a first come first serve basis

  • Verification
    • Remember to check your RebelMail frequently
    • Processing verification paperwork is typically about 2-3 weeks
    • We cannot determine eligibility until you have completed verification.

Mandatory Financial Aid Workshop

Every fall semester in September the Libraries hosts a mandatory financial aid session held in Lied Library. 

Learn important information about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Work Study as well as why you must apply early to avoid not receiving funding.

This workshop will be facilitated by an expert from the UNLV Financial Aid office.

*Mandatory for all library student assistants unless graduating. 

Determining if you are eligible

Cost of attendance (COA) - Expected family contribution (EFC) = Financial need

  • To determine a students eligibility, a student must submit their FAFSA and have completed verification (if selected)
  • Factors that can affect any additional Need-Based aid include...
    • Such as: Pell Grant, UNLV Grant, Millennium Scholarship, Subsidized Loan

** If your enrollment status changes after being awarded work study funds, notify the Work Study office and your campus employer immediately. **

Work Study Requirements (Maintaining Eligibility)

Must be held by student employees in order to be considered for eligibility. 

  • Must be meeting SAP
    • 2.0 cumulative Undergraduate GPA
    • 3.0 cumulative Graduate GPA
    • Completion rate of at least 70%
    • Undergraduate may not exceed 186 attempted credits
  • Enrolled in at least 1 credit hour as a degree seeking student
    • Please take note, being enrolled in only 1 credit will affect federal work study award amount
  • Have financial need
    • Requires a FAFSA application to be filled out every year 
    • October 1st is opening day

General Questions

Is there a way I can be considered an independent?

You are able to be considered independent if you are 24 or older, married, have your own dependents, currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, or in any other circumstances listed on this link https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/checklist/before-applicant.


If I don’t get financial aid this year, does that mean I can’t get any next year?

Financial aid awards may vary each year depending on your FAFSA information. It is not set in stone, therefore it is important to update your information every year.

 

How long does it take to process financial aid information once it has been turned in?

The financial aid office will usually process the information in 2-3 weeks. You can also keep checking MyUNLV for updates.

 

What if a parent refuses to provide any information, such as taxes, for FAFSA?

The Higher Education Act of 1965 states that you can still have the option to take out loans from the college; however, there is unfortunately no way to guarantee that you will receive grants as a dependent with no parent information available.


When you update, change, or fill out the FAFSA, does it let the Financial Aid office know about the changes?

Yes, you will receive an email confirming that your FAFSA was updated and processed at UNLV.

   

What happens when a parent you don’t live with claims you on their taxes? 

Financial aid information is dependent upon the parent you live with.

 

What happens if my forms are lost at the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office?

The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office has a large number of forms to process. If, for any reason, your forms get lost along the way, you will need to resubmit them. To avoid this happening, please make copies of the forms you turn in and check in with Financial Aid regularly to ensure that your information is being processed.

Verification

What is verification?

Verification is a review process authorized by the U.S. Department of Education for UNLV to verify any information submitted by students on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was completed accurately. The verification review process ensures a student receives a correct financial aid award package.


Why have I been selected for verification?

The United States Department of Education selected your FAFSA record for review.
You were selected by UNLV because you submitted data on your FAFSA record which was deemed as discrepant information.

 

How will I know if I have been selected for verification?

You will receive an email from UNLV Financial Aid & Scholarships explaining it. It will also appear on the bottom right hand side of your MyUNLV to-do list box.


If I get selected for verification, will I ever be selected again? 

Yes, it is common to be selected again for verification.


To learn more of the What, Why and How of the verification process and frequently asked questions. Click here: http://www.unlv.edu/finaid/verification

Reference Material

The information on this page reference the materials listed below. Feel free to ask any questions to Evelyn Rodriguez, Human Resources Coordinator  or Kim Kaplan, Libraries Human Resources Director.

© University of Nevada Las Vegas