FWSP Student Resources

Eligibility Requirements

In addition to being deemed financially eligible according to federal and university policy and meeting all annual Office of Financial Aid eligibility parameters for obtaining aid, all students must file the FAFSA by the Rutgers priority deadline.

Continuing FWSP students must also meet a minimum earnings requirement established by the OFA in order to be eligible from year to year.

Getting Paid

All FWSP students must be registered in the Rutgers payroll system by the department they work for before they can begin working. Students can elect to either sign up for direct deposit (recommended) or receive a paper pay check. In most cases pay checks will be sent directly to the department the student works for. However, students working in Off-Campus Community Service jobs must pick up their pay checks from the Student Employment Office.

Students will only be paid for hours worked.  All breaks, lunches, holidays and most absences are unpaid. However, under the New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law (NJ ESL), FWSP student employees are eligible to accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked up to a total of 40 hours per fiscal year. Students who have been employed by Rutgers for at least 120 calendar days may begin to use accrued paid sick time. For questions regarding the NJ ESL, please email NJESL@hr.rutgers.edu.

Students may continue working until they have earned their entire FWSP offer or until the end of the academic year, whichever comes first. Students who are not registered for classes must stop working immediately.

Pay Rates

Pay rates for FWSP jobs are determined by the Student Employment Office based on the level of skill or experience required for the job. Pay rates range from $15.13/hr to $20/hr. Students can find their pay rates in their assignment information within the FWSP portal.  Unfortunately, at this time, pay rate increases based on merit or length of service are not offered.

Maximum Hours per Week

FWSP students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the academic year when class is in session.

During breaks (winter, spring, summer) FWSP students may work up to 35 hours per week as long as the SEO has permitted students to work during breaks.

Prohibition on Studying While Working

Students are not permitted to study or complete school work during work hours while being paid with FWSP funds. All FWSP jobs are real part-time jobs and require students to work in these jobs to earn their funds.

Work Schedule

FWSP students will set up their work schedules directly with the department they work for. Students and supervisors should arrive at a schedule that allows the department to benefit from the student’s availability and that allows the student to earn the necessary amount of money. The amount of funds available, the hourly pay rate, and the number of weeks in the semester should all be taken into consideration when setting a work schedule. If a change in work schedule is required, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss with their supervisor.

Departmental Rules

As an FWSP employee, students are expected to adhere to the rules of the department they have been assigned to work for. These include, but are not limited to, rules governing confidentiality, attendance requirements, dress code, and rules about the use of office technology.

FWSP students are also expected to follow all instructions given by their supervisors and complete tasks to the best of their ability.  Failure to follow rules, policies, procedures and instructions may result in termination and loss of FWSP eligibility.

Reassignments

Requests for job changes will be accepted on or after October 15 of each academic year. If a student feels that they have extenuating circumstances that warrant a job change prior to October 15, they must contact the SEO on their campus to speak to a staff member.

While each case is carefully reviewed, there is no guarantee that any request for a job change will be granted. It is highly recommended that students continue working in the job they were originally assigned to until they are notified of approval of their job change request.

Declining your FWSP Offer

Students who wish to decline their FWSP offer for either the fall or spring semester or the entire academic year, must complete a Data Change Form. Please note that declining a FWSP offer may result in loss of future eligibility.

FWSP Appeals

Students who do not receive a FWSP offer as part of their financial aid package, but believe they should be eligible, can submit a letter of appeal for FWSP funds to the Office of Financial Aid.

All letters of appeal are carefully reviewed but there is no guarantee that appeals will be granted.

International Students

International students registered in New Brunswick must visit the Rutgers Global office before seeking employment.

Other Employment

For information on non-FWSP part-time and seasonal job opportunities, please see the Job Location and Development Program.

Students seeking positions through the Rutgers Internship & Co-op Program (RICP) or full-time positions upon graduation should contact the Office of Career Exploration and Success.