Work Study Program at Sussex

The Federal Work Study Program at Sussex allows eligible students to earn money to help cover educational expenses by working within the College campus or in approved off-campus community service positions. Federal Work Study Funds are paid directly to the student on a twice-monthly basis as earned. Federal Work Study Students earn $15 per hour in the 2023-2024 Academic Year.

To be eligible for Work-Study, you must:

• Be a currently enrolled undergraduate student in an approved degree or certificate program
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need
• Meet and maintain all SCCC Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements
• Complete the verification process (if chosen)
• Complete the onboarding process with our Financial Aid and Human Resources Offices
  After filing your FAFSA and enrolling in courses, contact Christine Forgie, Financial Aid Specialist at 973-300-2227 or email finaid@sussex.edu to see if you are eligible for Federal Work Study.

Finding a Federal Work Study Position:

• View all of our Federal Work Study positions at Sussex County Community College
• Deans, Directors, Department Chairs and Program Coordinators may have specific Federal Work Study needs and might reach out to you as a student in a specific major or discipline, so be sure to monitor your Sussex student email for other Federal Work Study opportunities.
• If you don’t see a job listed, reach out to the Faculty Advisor, Program Coordinator, Department Chair or Dean of the area in which you’re interested and ask them if they have a Federal Work Study student in their department. Propose a position and show them the value you could bring to their department. You might create your own position!
• Have a community service organization in mind that could use a little help? Reach out to the Financial Aid Office Staff to see if they can arrange a community service placement.
• Required internships may be eligible for Federal Work Study funding. Talk to your dean, department chair, program coordinator or faculty advisor about your internship requirements. Ask them to reach out to our Financial Aid Office to see if we can help fund your otherwise, unpaid, internship.

I’ve been offered a Federal Work Study Position, now what?

• Ask the department hiring you to contact the Financial Aid Office about your placement.
• Contact the Financial Aid Office and ask them for your Federal Work Study Contract.
• Sign your contract and have your supervisor sign it as well. Instructions will be provided.
• Submit a copy of the following to the Human Resources Office:
  
  • Your signed contract
  • Photo ID/Driver’s License
  • Social Security Card or Birth Certificate or Passport
  • Voided check or Bank Document with routing and account numbers for payroll
• Fill out an Authorization to work form with the HR Office.
• HR will set you up in the ADP payroll system and give you access to enter your Federal Work Study hours on the ADP website
• You will need to complete the College’s online training in various areas such as FERPA, Sexual Harassment Awareness Training, and Email Safety and Security. An email will be sent to you from SafeColleges with a link to complete the training. Complete the training on your first day on the job and record it in your timesheet.
  Understanding Your Contract/How many hours can you work?
• Your contract spells out the approximate number of hours you can work per year (or semester) based on the dollar amount you have been allocated.
• Every student’s allocation is different depending upon their financial need, so not all contracts or awards are the same.
• Based on your contract you will need to work an average number of hours per week in order to use your entire allocation during the contract period. Your Financial Aid Counselor will help you determine the average number of hours you should work per week.
• Federal Work Study Students who do not consistently work the required weekly hours will have their contract terminated. Please discuss planned absences with your supervisor and the Financial Aid Office. If you are sick or have an emergency, please contact your Supervisor to “call out”.
• If you need to miss work, arrange with your supervisor to make up your hours. You may not go over 15 hours in any given week, but you can make up missed hours during successive weeks. (For example, if your average is 10 hours a week and you miss a week of work due to illness, you can work 15 hours in each of the next two weeks to make up the hours you missed while you were sick.)
• You may NOT WORK DURING ASSIGNED CLASS TIME, unless you make special note in your timesheets that you are working when a class was cancelled or released early! ADP has a note section in your timesheet. Contact the HR Department if you need help entering a “note” on your timesheet.
• Students may not work during the winter break when the College campus is closed, but they may work during the Spring Break if their supervisors approve.
• Work during the Summer Semesters requires approval from our Financial Aid Office. Call or email Christine Forgie, Financial Aid Specialist in the Financial Aid Office, to see if you’re eligible for work during the summer.

Tips for Success:

• Advise the Financial Aid Office of any changes to your semester’s course schedule to ensure your continuing eligibility!
• Be prompt.
• Dress for success.
• Whenever possible, advise your supervisor early of any changes to your schedule.
• Enter your hours daily in the ADP Payroll system making special notes of anytime you work during assigned class time due to cancellations or early release.
• Returning students who wish to be placed with the same position next year should discuss it with their supervisor at the end of the year and should also advise the Financial Aid Office that they wish to return to the same job next year.
• Did your placement go well? Ask for a letter of reference from your supervisor for scholarship or transfer applications.
• Don’t forget to update your resume with your Sussex County Community College Federal Work Study job!