The summer work study program is a federal need-based financial aid program that allows students to earn income over the summer while gaining valuable legal experience. The funding for the federal work study program is provided by the government and the employer; the government pays 75% and the employer is required to pay 25% of the amount earned by the student. The employer’s contribution is known as matching funds. Temple provides the matching funds on behalf of eligible Temple work-study eligible employers who are approved to participate in Temple Law School’s Off-Campus Summer Work Study program.
There are 5 PHASES to the Summer Work Study process:
PHASE 1: Summer Work Study Application and Award Process
PHASE 2: Eligible Work Study Job Requirements
PHASE 3: Matching Funds Process
PHASE 4: Payroll Process
PHASE 5: Getting Paid
For information on the possibility of earning academic credit for your summer experience through a practicum, please contact Assistant Dean for Students, Jennifer Bretschneider at jennifer.bretschneider@temple.edu.
Phase 1 - Summer Work Study Application & Award Process
How To Apply:
Work study is a need-based federally funded financial aid program and to be eligible, applicants must complete the requirements outlined below. The deadline to submit the required applications is March 15, 2024.
- 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (You must also complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA if you do not currently have one on file) AND
- 2024-2025 Temple Law School Financial Aid Request Form
Award Notification:
Students who filed by the March 15th deadline and who demonstrate financial need through their FAFSA application will be notified by mid April via their Temple email if they have been awarded summer work study.
The email notification will also include instructions for additional steps that need to be completed in order to earn this funding.
For most students the financial aid office will be able to advise you as to the likelihood of your receiving a work study award if you need to know before that time in order to apply for or accept a specific summer position.
Award Amount:
For summer 2024 the maximum work study award amount is $5,250. You must work and fulfill all of the additional work study and payroll requirements to earn this funding and you can only earn up to the amount offered in your summer work study award.
Summer Work Study Attributed Earnings:
Federal regulations stipulate that a portion of a student’s summer earnings must be used to meet educational expenses during the following academic year if they are not enrolled at least Part-Time during the summer. The amount, known as attributed earnings, is determined by subtracting taxes and job related costs from the student’s gross summer earnings. The summer work study attributed earnings is then included in the student’s financial aid package for the upcoming academic year as a source of need based aid.
If you are enrolled at least Part-Time (4 credit hours) over the summer, the allocation of work study attributed earnings is not applicable.
EXAMPLE: a student who earns $5,250 in summer work study will have $2988 deducted from their 2024-2025 academic year cost of attendance. This will only affect students who borrow student loan amounts up to the cost of attendance because it will reduce the loan amount they are eligible to borrow. If a student does not borrow up to the cost of attendance, the attributed earnings will not affect their financial aid package. This attributed earnings could be less if a student does not earn the full $5,250 awarded to them or based upon a student’s particular circumstances. Students are encouraged to contact the Law School Financial Aid Office for further information on how this may impact their 2024-2025 financial aid package.
Phase 2 - Eligible Work Study Job Requirements
Eligible Work Study Positions:
Employers must be a nonprofit organization; however it does not need to be law-related employment to qualify. Work study can be used for on-campus jobs, i.e. working as a research assistant for a law professor, working at the law library, or other law school or university department.
Work study can also be used for off-campus jobs, i.e. working for a non-profit organization, clerking for a judge, or working for a government agency. Summer work study cannot be used for positions at private or for-profit employers or law firms. Your employer can be out of state, however, you must make sure you have completed all work study and payroll requirements prior to leaving the area as part of the payroll process must be completed in person.
Work Study Job Search:
Students are responsible for finding their own work study eligible employment. If you need assistance, please consult the Office of Career Services. If you are not sure if a position requires you to have work study, please find out from your employer as soon as possible so you will know if you need to apply for matching funds.
Off-Campus Work Study Agreement Requirement:
In addition to meeting the federal work study eligibility requirements, the federal government requires that all eligible off-campus work study employers who plan to participate in Temple Law School’s off-campus Federal Work Study Program must complete an Off-Campus Work Study Agreement with Temple Law School.
Please see the matching funds process below for information on the work study agreement.
Phase 3 - Matching Funds Process
Matching Fund Requirement:
In order to be paid from work study funds, you must secure the required matching funds.
- On-Campus Employment: Matching funds are automatically covered by Temple University. Students are only required to complete Temple’s payroll process (see PHASE 4: Payroll Process).
- Off-Campus Employment: Students must confirm with their employer that their work will be unpaid. If the work will be unpaid, then the student will need to apply for matching funds through the Law School Financial Aid Office and complete Temple’s payroll process. Students being paid by their employer do not qualify for matching funds.
The matching funds application requires that you provide your employer’s contact information. Our office will contact your employer to complete the required Off-Campus Work Study Agreement. The employer must complete the agreement with Temple Law School BEFORE you can begin working and in order for you to be paid through work study funding.
Securing Matching Funds (for Off-Campus jobs only):
The Matching Funds Application process is for Off-Campus jobs only. If you have verified with your employer that your work will be unpaid, then you can apply for a Law Foundation Matching Grant from the Law School Financial Aid Office.
- The Law Foundation Matching Grant Application will be available on April 19, 2024. Matching funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and on the availability of funds. We will try to provide as many eligible students with a match as our funding level will accommodate.
- You must already have a summer work study position in order to apply for a Law Foundation Matching Grant. If you do not have a summer job as of April 19th, please be assured that we will continue to accept applications for Law Foundation Matching Grants from students for as long as we have funds available.
- The matching funds application is completed online. Please follow the steps below to ensure it is submitted successfully:
1. Visit: Law Foundation Matching Funds Requests – Available April 19, 2024.
2. Log in with your Temple AccessNet Username (TUxxxxxx) and password.
3. Completed required fields and click SUBMIT.
4. A confirmation page will appear verifying that you have successfully submitted the application. Applications will be electronically logged as they are received.
Phase 4 - Payroll Process
You must sign up for Temple University Payroll in order to be paid.
Completing the Payroll Process:
- On-Campus (Law School): You will need to see Cynthia Gale in Klein Hall, room 814. You can also contact her at 215-204-6721 or cgale@temple.edu for instructions on how to sign up for payroll.
- On-Campus (Main Campus): Please see your supervisor for information regarding payroll.
- Off-Campus: The Law School Financial Aid Office will email students approved for a Law Foundation Matching Grant instructions on how to complete the payroll process.
Payroll Instructions: How to Sign Up for Payroll
Phase 5 - Getting Paid
Students who are receiving a Law Foundation Matching Grant for their off-campus work study position and students who are working within Temple University, are considered employees of Temple University and will need to submit their work hours to Temple in order to be paid for the work they are doing in the summer. Pay earned through a summer work study job is issued via direct deposit and the amount of the paycheck is determined by how many hours the student worked in that pay period.
- Students who are working off-campus will be sent Instructions on how to submit their hours upon completion of all employer eligibility and payroll requirements.
- Students working on-campus will be given time submission instructions at the same time that they are given payroll instructions.
Summer Work Study Pay Guidelines
- Summer Work Study funding can only cover work done within the summer work study period, May 20, 2024 to August 23, 2024. Any work done before or after the summer work study period will not be paid for by the work study program.
- Your work schedule will be determined by you and your employer, however, under University payroll guidelines you may not work more than 40 hours a week.
- The hourly rate for law students under the Federal Work Study program is $12-15 an hour
- Summer work study pay is issued every other Friday via Direct Deposit.