About Work-Study
The Federal Work-Study program provides funding for part-time, on- and off-campus jobs for eligible undergraduate and graduate students.
Awards are generally $5,500 for the academic year (Fall and Spring Semesters) and $3,600 for the Summer Semester. The amount of the award is the maximum amount a student can earn within that academic year or Summer Semester. Students are not guaranteed to earn the full amount of their award, and unused portions do not roll over into the next enrollment period. An award must be in place for each period a student works.
Most work-study jobs are 15-20 hours per week and may not exceed 29 hours per week. Consult with your work-study supervisor to set your schedule so you do not exceed your awarded hours.
Students must abide by all departmental regulations regarding work assignments. Additionally, students are not allowed to be present or working at their work-study job during scheduled class time. Doing so may jeopardize their work-study eligibility.
Work-study jobs are not eligible for benefits.
Read the 2025-26 Work Study Quick Guide (PDF)
Read the Summer 2026 Work-Study Quick Guide (PDF)
Read the Federal Work Study Handbook (PDF)
Work-Study Eligibility
- Students must have financial need as determined by information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about the FAFSA.
- Students must be enrolled at UMKC in at least one (1) credit hour or more.
- Students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Students may request work-study if it is not automatically included in their initial award offer. Because funding is limited, they may be added a wait list.
Request Work-Study
Funding for work-study is finite and varies from year to year. Work-study awards are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis and students are automatically considered based on their initial award offer. If a student does not receive work-study in their initial award offer, they may submit a request for work-study. If funding is available, and they are eligible, a work-study award will be added as part of their financial aid award offer. If funding is currently unavailable and the student meets all other eligibility criteria, then they will be added to the work-study wait list based on their request.
Work-Study Waitlist
Students not awarded work-study may request to be put on the waitlist.
Submit a request to be added to the waitlist
Work-Study Positions
If you qualify for work-study, you will be sent an award notification. You must accept the work-study award in Pathway. If the award is not accepted, it may be removed to be awarded to another student.
Having a work-study award does not guarantee a job, and a student can work only one work-study job at a time. Some students are able to obtain work-sudy in an area related to their area of study. However, many of the available work-study positions are administrative, which provide valuable job skills though they may not necessarily be in the area of choice.
Work-study positions are posted on Handshake. New students must attend orientation and register for classes before they can create a Handshake account. If you are unable to access Handshake or have difficulty finding a work-study job, contact Career Services at 816-235-1636.
Find UMKC Work-Study Job Postings on Handshake
- Select “UMKC Student Only Login" and enter your UMKC username and password.
- Select "Career Center" on the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.
- Choose Resources.
- Select “Work-Study Jobs”.
- Click on the work-study Jobs website link.
- Reenter your UMKC username and password.
- View all available federal work-study job openings.
Starting Your Work-Study Job
Students with an academic year award who start classes in the Fall may begin working the first day of classes and stop working the last day of classes. Students who have a Summer award may start working the first day of Summer classes and stop the last day of Summer classes. Students who have an academic year award and a Summer award may continue working through breaks, provided the award from the previous term is not exceeded.
Before you start your work-study job, your hiring supervisor will provide you with all necessary paperwork. You will be required to provide two forms of identification for your I-9. After the payroll paperwork is completed, you will receive your paycheck through direct deposit (PDF) every two weeks.
Alternative Employment Opportunities
If you didn't receive a work-study award, you can still find part-time employment.
Additional Types of Aid
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