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Federal Work-Study (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) is a federally funded financial aid program offered to students who demonstrate financial need. FWS awards are determined by the Financial Assistance Office. To qualify for FWS, you must apply for Financial Aid by filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and be offered FWS as part of your Financial Assistance Award.

To find out if you are eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program at Pepperdine, please visit the Office of Financial Assistance in Thornton Administration Center on the second floor or call (310) 506-4301.

Student employee and supervisor working


Frequently Asked Questions

How do FWS awards work?

Through the Federal Work-study program the student may earn up to the amount of his/her award by working for an on-campus FWS job or an approved off-campus community service partner. Wages are paid in part by the federal government and in part by Pepperdine. Current pay rates vary, starting at minimum wage. Wages are paid bi-weekly following the University's payroll schedule.

IMPORTANT: Students with FWS awards are not guaranteed employment on-campus. Every student is given the same, equal opportunity to apply for jobs they are eligible for, regardless of their financial awards.

What jobs can I get if I have a FWS award?

FWS positions offer the opportunity to work on-campus in various academic, administrative, and recreation-oriented offices, as well as opportunities to work off-campus with our community service partners. The Student Employment Office partners with the following local nonprofits who are our off-campus community service partners:

 Jumpstart

Brief Job Description:
Jumpstart sends teams of 6-8 Pepperdine students to classrooms in the greater Los Angeles area twice a week to read and support developmentally appropriate practices in a preschool classroom in an effort to provide early literacy intervention and socio-emotional learning skills. For the entire year, corps members are paired with a small group of preschool children to teach them, but most importantly to engage in meaningful on-going service in our neighboring communities.

Together, these students implement curriculum, plan family involvement events, and serve at the learning centers. Participants earn their full work-study award and receive an additional education award from AmeriCorps.

Must be able to:
- Commit to serving 300 hours of service throughout the year (fall AND spring semesters), with 45 of those hours being training
- Participate in a background check process
- Ability to keep a consistent schedule open throughout the academic year.
- Qualify for Federal Work Study or Pepperdine Work Program, or willing to work with the Office of Financial Assistance to look into having this added to your financial aid package - Note: must have a FAFSA on file or willingness to submit a FAFSA
- Consistently prepare high quality classroom materials and consistently attend and perform classroom duties and procedures.
- Attend weekly team planning meetings in addition to scheduled Jumpstart trainings.
- Must be available one of the following four hour blocks twice a week:

Mon/Thur: 8am-12pm; 12pm-4pm; 2:00pm-6:00pm
Mon/Wed: 8am-12pm
Tue/Fri: 8am-12pm; 12pm-4pm; 2:00pm-6:00pm

Jumpstart is currently accepting applications with a Fall start date for the 2022/2023 academic year. To apply or learn more about Jumpstart click here.

 The Boys and Girls Club of Malibu

Boys and Girls Club of Malibu

These position falls under Pepperdine's Federal Work Study Community Service agreement with the Boys and Girls Club. The job will take place with the Boys and Girls Club at one of their sites in Malibu. The supervisor of work will be a Boys and Girls Club staff personal. Since this position utilizes the student's Work Study award, the student will be hired through Pepperdine's hire module and payment will be received from Pepperdine.
Must provide your own transportation to and from the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu.

The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu currently has 4 open positions posted under Pepperdine's FWS Community Partner Agreement. Please visit Handshake to view job descriptions and to apply.

  1. Teen Program/ Elementary Assistant and Tutor
  2. Administrative Assistant
  3. Special Events & Marketing Student Lead - B&GC Wellness Center
  4. Community Affairs & Outreach Student Lead - B&GC Wellness Center

Please visit the Handshake Job Postings website to see what jobs are available through the FWS Program. Visit the How to Find Jobs On-Campus for more details.

 Emily Shane Foundation

Emily Shane Foundation
Job Title: Mentor/Tutor

Brief Job Description:

Provide online support to failing/struggling middle school students in the mainstream classroom. Our nonprofit charity's SEA (Successful Educational Achievement) Program only serves those how could not afford this support and truly need it to succeed in school. You will be trained prior to commencing. Your focus will be on organization skills, study skills, and most of all, intensive help with the subject areas where the student is performing poorly. The goal is to help the student achieve academic improvement and to acquire the skills needed to be a successful student.

Qualifications:
Excellent grasp of middle school subject material
Ability to work effectively with younger students who learn differently and who may be below grade level in one or more subjects.
A mentor/tutor for SEA, must be kind, empathic and want to make a difference in their student's life.

Please visit the Handshake Job Postings website to see what jobs are available through the FWS Program. Visit the How to Find Jobs On-Campus for more details.

 Getty Villa

Getty Villa

Job Title: School Program Aide

Due to COVID restrictions, work with the Getty Villa is currently on hold for the 2020/2021 academic year. We hope to resume this program in 2021/2022.

2019 Brief Job Description:

The J. Paul Getty Museum's K-12 single visit (field trip) program is the largest of any U.S. art museum in the number of students who receive a guided tour. This program serves over 160,000 K-12 students annually at the J. Paul Getty Museum's two locations – the Getty Center and the Getty Villa.

The Museum's Education department at the Getty Villa is looking for work study students to assist with the K-12 single visit program for the upcoming school cycle commencing fall 2019. Shifts are from: 9:30 am-12:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Work study students may work some or all of these shifts, up to 15 hours/ week. No weekend work is required. Three work study students are needed per shift, and there are up to nine positions available.

Please visit the Handshake Job Postings website to see what jobs are available through the FWS Program. Visit the How to Find Jobs On-Campus for more details.

 Law Office of the Los Angeles County Public Defender

Law Office of the Los Angeles Public Defender

Brief Job Description:

Interns assist the office in many ways, such as collecting information from clients, organizing files, assisting with technology, and numerous other tasks. The program enables the Intern to become exposed to the inner-workings of the largest Public Defender's Office in the country. 

The opportunity is available to current Pepperdine Caruso School of Law students who qualify for a Federal Work Study award.  For more information, please reach out to lawfinaid@pepperdine.edu.

 Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law

Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law

The opportunity is available to current Pepperdine Caruso School of Law students who qualify for a Federal Work Study award. For more information, please reach out to lawfinaid@pepperdine.edu.

 Step Up Tutoring

Step Up Tutoring

Job Title:
Virtual Tutors

Job Description:

Virtual Tutor
Tutor will be assigned to a student from Los Angeles Unified School District. Step Up tutors will tutor and mentor youth enrolled in 4th, 5th or 6th grades in the subjects of Math and English. Tutors help students improve academically and give them a chance to connect and socialize during the COVID-19 pandemic, a very lonely and uncertain time in children's lives. Minimum expectation is 2 hours a week for at least 3 months.

Tutors will be assigned at least one student to provide 2 hours a week of one-on-one support in both Math and English. Tutors must be located in California to complete a required fingerprinting background check (Live Scan). The Live Scan cost will be offset by a maximum of $50. Tutors will need to pay for the Live Scan expenses and will then be reimbursed by a maximum of $50. Tutors will also be compensated by Pepperdine for up to 2 hours for the time taken to complete Live Scan.

A Virtual Tutor should be enthusiastic about making a difference in the lives of LAUSD students!

Please apply through Handshake.

Please visit the Handshake Job Postings website to see what jobs are available through the FWS Program. Visit the How to Find Jobs On-Campus for more details.

Can a student earn more than the maximum amount that is awarded to them?

Students cannot exceed the maximum FWS that was given to them. However, some departments will retain students with departmental pay based on workload and availability of funds. We encourage students to find other available jobs to earn more money, such as an off-campus job or an on-campus job that pays departmentally. There are also on-campus positions that are not paid by Pepperdine, such as a job with Sodexo Dining Services, eFollett and/or the Pepperdine Book Store.

Can a student work more than one job on-campus?

Yes, students can work more than one position on-campus. IMPORTANT: students cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the school year and no more than 29 hours per week when classes are not in session. For example, during the school year a student can work 5 hours a week in the Payson Library, 10 hours a week with Athletics Office, and 5 hours a week in the Weisman Museum (which is a total of 20 hours a week.)