|
Student Work-Study Allowance Program
Introduction
Who is Eligible?
How Much May I Earn?
What Type of Work May I Do?
How Do I Apply?
If you're a full-time or 3/4-time student
in a college degree program, or a vocational or professional program, you can "earn
while you learn"
with a VA work-study allowance.
Don't rely on this document to determine if you're eligible for work-study
or education benefits. To receive a formal decision from VA, you must
file a claim for benefits.
The VA work-study allowance is available to persons training under the following
programs:
- Montgomery GI Bill--Active Duty (38 U.S.C. Chapter 30)
- REAP Participants
- Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserve (10 U.S.C. Chapter 1606)
- Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (38 U.S.C. Chapter
32)
- Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (38 U.S.C. Chapter 35)
- Eligible dependents under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 may use work study only
while training in a State.
- National Call to Service Participants
VA will select students for the work-study program based on different factors.
Such factors include:
- Disability of the student
- Ability of the student to complete the work-study contract before the end
of his or her eligibility to education benefits
- Job availability within normal commuting distance to the student
- VA will give the highest priority to a veteran who has a service-connected
disability or disabilities rated by VA at 30% or more.
The number of applicants selected will depend on the availability of VA-related
work at your school or at VA facilities in your area.
 Go
to Top
You'll earn an hourly wage equal to the Federal minimum wage or your State
minimum wage, whichever is greater. If you're in a work-study job at a college
or university, your school may pay you the difference between the amount VA
pays and the amount the school normally pays other work-study students doing
the same job as you.
You may elect to be paid in advance for 40 percent of the number of hours
in your work-study agreement, or for 50 hours, whichever is less. After you've
completed the hours covered by your first payment, VA will pay you each time
you complete 50 hours of service.
You may work during or between periods of enrollment. You can arrange with
VA to work any number of hours you want during your enrollment. But, the total
number of hours you work can't be more than 25 times the number of weeks in
your enrollment period.
Go
to Top
Services you perform under a VA work-study program must be related to VA work.
Examples of acceptable work are:
- Processing VA paperwork at schools or VA offices
- Performing outreach services under the supervision of a VA employee
- Performing services at VA medical facilities or the offices of the National
Cemetery Administration
The work you actually do will depend on your interests and the type of work
available.
Go
to Top
For forms and information, one or more of the following offices or representatives
can assist you:
- Any VA regional office.
- Any VA office or Vet Center.
- Local representatives of veterans organizations.
- Reserve Education and Incentives Officers.
You can download a copy of the application form HERE.
Consult a telephone directory under United States Government, Department of
Veterans Affairs, for the telephone number of the office nearest you. Toll-free
telephone service is available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U. S.
Virgin Islands. Call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) or for the hearing
impaired call 1-800-829-4833.
VA supervisory personnel occasionally monitor telephone calls. They do this
to ensure that the public receives accurate information and courteous responses.
The person monitoring a call does not keep a record of the caller's name, address,
file number, or telephone number.
To obtain information on other sources of assistance, contact the financial
aid office at your school.
Go
to Top
|
RSS Feeds