Student Employment

More than 2,000 PSU students have campus jobs and many more students work for local employers. There are a variety of opportunities to earn money to help pay for school, get work experience, and build skills to help you in your career while you’re studying at PSU. Search for Work Study jobs and other job opportunities. Graduate students can also earn positions as Graduate Assistants.

Federal Work Study

Federal Work Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study. Federal Work Study funds are not guaranteed; you earn Federal Work Study if you are hired for a student job on campus that is designated as a Federal Work Study job. Whether you receive funds for Federal Work Study or not, we encourage you to look use PSU’s job search tool. Students may work up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and receive a monthly paycheck (based on an hourly wage) that they can use for educational expenses. Off-campus Work-Study positions are also available with government and community service agencies who have signed a contract with PSU to provide Work Study employment for PSU students.

Students awarded Federal Work Study may present a Certificate of Eligibility to their employer. This form can be accessed in your student account.

Eligibility for New Students

Admitted as an undergraduate (Fall term admits only)
FAFSA completed by February 1
Eligible for the Federal Pell Grant
Enroll at least half time (6 credits or more) each term
Answer “yes” to work study question on FAFSA

Federal Work Study funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligibility for Current Students

FAFSA must be submitted by February 1
Must be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant
Enrolled as an undergraduate
Must enroll at least half time (6 credits or more) each term
Must answer “yes” to Work Study question on FAFSA
Must have earned Federal Work Study award during the prior academic year at Portland State University

Federal Work Study funding is very limited, and is typically exhausted very quickly. At this time there is no waiting list for students who were eligible but were not able to earn Work Study funds.

Federal Work Study for Summer Term

Continuing PSU students may be eligible to earn Work Study funds during the Summer term preceding the year you are awarded Work Study. You may be eligible if you have been awarded Federal Work Study for the next academic year, have accepted it, and are enrolled at least half time in fall term.

Submit Summer Work Study Form