Federal Work Study, Marquette Student Employment and Community Service

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a Title IV federal financial aid program that encourages undergraduate and graduate students with financial need to find part-time jobs, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses.  It is offered to students based on their demonstrated financial need using information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students earn this money by working and receiving bi-weekly paychecks from Marquette’s Payroll Department. It does not automatically go towards their cost of attendance expenses. Also, FWS students are not required to work, but it is a benefit that may help them find work. Through this program, students may earn up to the amount listed on their financial aid offer, and their wages will be subsidized by the federal government. Because of this subsidy, some employers require or prefer students with FWS. We recommend that you indicate on your job applications if you have Federal Work Study.

Upon earning their maximum FWS eligibility, students may continue working via Marquette Student Employment (MSE) at the discretion of their employers. FWS positions can be found in nearly every academic and administrative office on campus, as well as in Marquette recreational facilities, the libraries and residence halls.

Marquette Student Employment (MSE) positions are available to any student at Marquette University regardless of their financial aid status. Jobs are available on and off campus, and many employers hire both Federal Work Study (FWS) and MSE students. MSE positions are not federally funded, and students are not limited to the amount listed on the financial aid offer. Like Federal Work Study jobs, students are paid by working and receiving bi-weekly paychecks from the university’s Payroll Department.

If your financial aid offer includes Federal Work Study (FWS), you are also eligible for Community Service Federal Work Study (CSFWS) positions. These special positions focus on improving the quality of life for community residents or solving problems related to their needs. They provide wonderful opportunities to contribute to campus life as well as to the Greater Milwaukee community.

Not all FWS positions have a community service designation. Ask the employer or Student Employment Services staff if you have a question about a specific position. Some examples of CSFWS positions include tutoring grade school children through the College of Education, clerical work with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, assisting at a lab at the Blood Center of Wisconsin, and helping Campus Ministry coordinate community-based assistance programs such as Hunger Task Force or working with the Urban League.

Marquette partners with the greater community and posts part-time positions from off-campus business partners. These jobs may include working in someone’s home as a nanny or caretaker—often from Marquette alumni—or working with local businesses in a variety of other capacities.  Students with these jobs do not receive bi-weekly paychecks from Marquette’s Payroll department; rather, these workers are paid depending on the Payroll processes of the individual workplaces.