2004-2005 Financial Aid

Work-Study Information

Work-study is a form of financial aid available to students who demonstrate financial need. You have to file all the necessary financial aid papers, including the FAFSA, in order to determine if you are eligible for work-study. In the state of Pennsylvania, most of the non-profit employers, such as the various court systems, hire only work-study students. They do this because in this state, the state agency, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA for short), pays the employer's portion of the student's wages and the law school pays the rest. It costs these employers nothing to hire you!

Because the employers go through PHEAA, they abide by the rules of PHEAA and one of their requirements is that you be a Pennsylvania resident. If you are not a resident of Pennsylvania, you have two choices:

1. You can appeal your residency status if you now feel you should be considered a resident of this state.

or

2. You can see if you can negotiate a direct contract with your employer.

If you wish to try and appeal your status, you need to do the following:

1. You need to write a letter explaining why you feel you should be considered a resident of PA.
    
2. You need to submit a copy of your PA driver's license, your PA voter registration card, a copy of your lease and any other documentation that might help your case.
    
3. Bring all this to the Financial Aid Office.

Other Implications of Work-Study

1. If you want work-study for either summer of 2004 or the academic year 2004-2005, you have to file all the financial aid forms for 2004-2005.
    
2. Any work-study award you receive is deducted from the amount of aid you receive for the academic year.
    
3. Off-campus employers MUST be in the state of Pennsylvania and must be approved by PHEAA or you will have to negotiate a direct contract with your employer.
    
4. Wages range from $10 to $12 per hour. The pay rates are as follows: $10 for first-year students, $11 for second-year students, and $12 for third-year students.

Work-Study Form

If you are interested in being considered for the federal work-study for either the upcoming summer or the upcoming academic year, please complete the Work-Study Form.

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