Sonoma State University

Community-Based Federal Work-Study for Community Partners

Partner with Sonoma State University and allow us to cost-share the wages for students who want to work for your organization!

Sonoma State University is interested in forming partnerships with local community organizations who wish to employ our students under SSU’s Community-Based Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program.

How does this work?

SSU offers a financial aid package that allocates a portion of funds to students who would like to gain experience by working in the community. Through this program, students can work at your organization while our financial aid package pays the student directly for their work.

Program Details:

  • Our Community-Based Work-Study Program allows students to work for your organization during the academic year. 

  • It is possible to hire the same student for consecutive academic years. 

  • Your organization can request and host more than 1 student. 

  • Students cannot exceed 20 hours/week during classes. 

  • Students cannot be required to work during breaks, however, if your organization wants them to work during breaks and they agree to, they can work during the winter and spring breaks for up to 40 hours/week. 

  • Students are paid at a rate of $16/hour.

  • If you are interested in employing a student over the summer break, or if a student’s financial aid package runs out and you wish to continue to employ them, the student will no longer be in the Community-Based FWS program, and your organization will be responsible for paying the student fully and directly at that time.

How will I know when a student’s aid package runs out?

Most students are allotted either $3000 or $4000 in their FWS aid package. This means, at a rate of $16 per hour, the aid package will last the student for either 187 or 250 hours. Due to this, project-based work with a low-training requirement is recommended, particularly if it is not within your organization’s capacity to hire the student directly after their FWS funds run out.

How can I get started? 

Please contact Caroline Bañuelos to express your interest in this opportunity: caroline.banuelos@sonoma.edu | (707)-664-3493