Finding a job with good pay and a flexible schedule is hard to find nowadays, but not at Del Mar College. Del Mar’s federal work study program ensures part-time jobs are available to undergraduate and graduate students with financial needs.

“Typically when a student fills out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, it asks the question, are you eligible? Are you interested in work study? At the end of the application, it may tell them what potentially they could be eligible for. You could be eligible for other additional programs and one of them that may be mentioned is work study,” explained Financial Aid Director Joseph Ruiz. “If not, students are always welcome to come to any of the financial aid offices located on any campus.”

There are many benefits to work study such as developing skills, networking in your field, and building a solid reference for future employment. The eligibility requirements to participate in the work study program are simple: students must be registered for at least six credit hours as an undergraduate or graduate student. Students can work up to 19 hours per week and are paid $8 to $10 per hour every two weeks. The students’ employment earnings are directly deposited to their personal account. The money earned through the Work Study Program does not affect financial aid eligibility.

Student workers also have job security on campus, making it easy to balance work commitments with academic responsibilities. Hours and schedule are flexible so students can easily cut down working hours if schoolwork becomes more demanding, like during final exams. Work study employers understand that school comes first and will work around a student’s class and study schedule.

“The federal work study program is probably the best job that a student can have because the student essentially is paid with tax-free money. So, whatever they make they take home, and we’re very flexible in a sense that if a student says they need to be off to study or has to write up a paper, most departments should be very flexible with students allowing them to have the time to spend studying or writing papers or doing what they have to do,” said Ruiz. “Because you’re a student worker, the first part of that is that you’re a student, so we must ensure that you’re successful as students first. We’re flexible with our time so we want to see you succeed as students first.”

For more information go to the DMC website and search “Types of Financial Aid” to learn more. Or contact the DMC campus Financial Aid Department at financialaid@delmar.edu with any questions.