Work Study

The Federal Work-Study (WS) program is a way for students to earn money to help pay for their educational expenses.

There are many WS jobs available, so you have an excellent chance of being hired. Employers benefit by receiving a government subsidy when they hire WS students, so they are more likely to hire a student who is eligible for WS.

The WS program is a good way to help serve your community ( such as tutoring) and by working in areas related to your course of study.

Employers let you work a flexible schedule that won't conflict with your classes.

FWS is a financial aid need-based program, so your income does not affect your future financial aid eligibility, even though it is taxable.

Your FWS employer can become an excellent reference for your resume. Many employers are impressed with students who have work experience and who worked while attending college.

Work-study can be a valuable experience where you'll learn communication skills, time management, critical thinking, as well as special job skills such as using computers and office equipment.

Contact the Financial Aid Office at (870) 862-8131 ext. 238 if you have more questions about the Federal Work-Study program.

Paperwork

Your award notice must be signed and returned to the Financial Aid Office, Administration Building 105. Check the listings of Work-Study jobs on the website. Contact the supervisor listed to apply for a position. After you work out the details of your job with them, complete the necessary paperwork. Priority will be given to students who qualify for Federal Work-Study. 

You must complete the following personnel papers before beginning to work:

• Student Placement Form
• W-4 form
• I-9 form

Your employer will have these forms. They must be sent to the Financial Aid Office with a copy of your driver's license and Social Security card. 

Remember - if you haven't signed the Award Notice and/or the Student Placement form and completed the personnel papers, your payroll check will be delayed. 

Schedule and Earnings

Your employer will help you arrange your schedule based on the number of hours you're allowed to work and your class schedule. The number of hours depends on the amount of your Work-Study Award. 

Example

*Based on average award of $1000 per semester. 
The example above illustrates the weekly schedule for a student worker.Work-Study students may not work more than a combined 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week (Sunday through Saturday) in all jobs on both campuses. 

You and your supervisor can keep track of the amount of Work-Study award that has been used. 

Example

Students are allowed to work between the Fall and Spring semesters ONLY if they have unearned funds left from their Fall award, and are awarded FWSP and pre-registered for Spring. 

Students are allowed to work between the Spring and Summer semesters ONLY if they have unearned funds left from their Spring award, have been awarded Work-Study for Summer, AND are pre-registered for Summer. 

Remember, if you begin working before the beginning of a semester you may earn all your allowed work-study award before the end of the term. This may result in the loss of your job before the semester ends. 

No additional money may be awarded to work between semesters. 

Timesheets

• Your supervisor will record hours on the Work-Study Program time sheet.
• The time sheet is due in the Financial Aid Office, AB 105, by the 4th of each month.
• Late time sheets will cause your payroll check to be delayed.
• Your supervisor will notify you when and where to turn in your time sheet.
• Make sure all information is correctly filled in on your time sheet.
• Always sign in and out for unpaid breaks and lunches.
• Don't forget to sign your time sheet and have your supervisor sign it also.
• Please list your Social Security number and the number of hours you are enrolled.
• You may want to keep a copy of your time sheet in case of questions later.

Tips

• Notify your supervisor in advance when you are unable to work.
• Cooperate with your supervisor and other employees in a responsible manner.
• You must remain on a particular job for the duration of the assigned period (just because you locate another job on campus is not reason for a transfer).
• Give adequate notice to your supervisor if you plan to terminate your job for any reason.
• If job-related problems arise, tell the supervisor - communication often alleviates difficulties.
• Respect the confidentiality of all information to which you have access in your work assignment.
• Reapply each year for the Federal Work-Study Program and financial aid by filing a Free application for Federal Financial Aid after January 1st of each year.
• To be considered for the work-study program for summer, you must also complete and return an Application for Summer Financial Aid to the Financial Aid Office.

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Prior service members honorably discharged and having served at least 24 months and Active Duty personnel 

First-time applicants must complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for VA Education Benefits). Veterans must also provide a copy of the “Member-4" page of the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). Active Duty personnel must have their Education Services Officer complete Part II of the VA Form 22-1990. 

If the veteran contributed to the $600 “kicker” (to receive an additional $150 per month), a copy of the LES or voucher needs to be attached to the application packet to ensure proper payment. 

If a veteran participated in the College Fund, the Department of Defense will provide confirmation information to the VA for proper payment. 

Transfer students, or SouthArk students who have changed their academic degree objective after already receiving VA benefits under Chapter 30, must complete the VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).

Chapter 31

Vocational Rehabilitation 

Veterans may be eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits if they have a service-connected disability or disabilities rated by the VA at 10 percent or greater. For more information, go to www.va.gov and click on Vocational Rehab & Employment Services, or call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 and request an application (VA Form 22-1990).

If you are authorized Vocational Rehabilitation, the VA will notify SouthArk, and we will inform the Business Office and the Bookstore about your sponsorship. Although tuition and fees are paid in full, students are responsible for submitting fee bills prior to the payment deadline. Failure to do so will result in schedules being purged for non-payment.

Chapter 35

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

First-time applicants need to complete VA Form 22-5490 (Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance). Dependents or spouses of 100 percent VA-rated disabled or deceased veterans should provide a copy of their birth certificates or marriage licenses when applying to facilitate processing by the VA. 

Transfer students, or students changing their degree objectives after receiving Chapter 35 benefits, need to complete VA Form 22-5495 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).

Chapter 1606/1607

Reservists, National Guard members and U.S. Coast Guard members 

First-time applicants need to complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for VA Education Benefits) and provide a copy of the DD Form-2384 (Notice of Basic Eligibility ©NOBEª).

Some Chapter 1606 applicants are eligible for the “Selective Reserves Kicker” that can increase the monthly rate from $100 to $350, depending on the MOS of the reservist. If applicants are eligible for the “kicker,” they need to provide a copy of the contract.

Transfer students, or students changing their degree objectives after receiving VA benefits, need to complete VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).

Both Chapters 30 and Chapter 1606 students are required to verify their enrollment on or after the last day of each benefit month by calling the VA at 1-877-823-2378 or by accessing the VA website (

www.gibill.va.gov/wave/

Students will be prompted by the automated system to provide their VA file numbers (SSN) and passwords (first time password is the last 6 digits of your SSN).

Chapter 33 / Post 9/11

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Payment Rates For 2012 Academic Year (August 1, 2012 - July 31, 2013) 
The Post-9/11 GI Bill program is comprised of multiple payments. All payments and maximum amounts listed on this page are applicable to individuals eligible for the full benefit (100% eligibility tier). If you are not eligible for the full benefit, the payment and maximum amounts listed will be prorated based on your eligibility percentage. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill you may receive a:

• Tuition & fee payment sent directly to the school
• Tuition & fee payment sent directly to the school
• Monthly housing allowance sent to you
• Books and supplies stipend sent to you
• One-time rural benefit for certain veterans

For more information visit the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs

VRAP

Congress passed, and the President has signed into law, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). VRAP offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans. 

The VRAP offers 12 months of training assistance to Veterans who:

• Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Are unemployed on the date of application
• Received an other than dishonorable discharge
• Are not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
• Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
• Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program

The program is limited to 45,000 participants from July 1, 2012, through September 30, 2012, and 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014. Participants must attend full-time in order to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program ($1,564 effective October 1, 2012). DOL will offer employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program. 

Participants must be enrolled in a VA approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, and train the Veteran for a high demand occupation. 

For more information visit the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs, Education

What courses will the VA pay for?

The VA does not pay for courses which are not prerequisites or required in students’ degree programs. Students are responsible for ensuring that the courses apply toward their degrees. If they are not sure, they should consult with their academic advisors. If students wish to take courses that are not required, we will certify only the required courses and report a change in status affecting only those courses.

Does VA pay for repeated courses?

VA will pay for repeated courses as long as they are required and the grades previously earned do not meet degree requirements. Enrolling again in a course from which a student withdrew is not considered a repeated course. If a student declares academic bankruptcy, the VA does not pay for repeated courses unless the student earned an unsatisfactory grade the first time the student attempted the course.

Does the VA pay for remedial or refresher courses?

The VA will pay for a remedial course if the student has a deficiency in the subject. The VA will not pay for refresher courses.

What happens when a student withdraws from a course or resigns?

If the withdrawal changes the student’s enrollment status, the VA will reduce the student’s rate of pay. If the withdrawal occurs during the drop/add period, as defined by the VA, an adjustment is made on the rate of pay. If the withdrawal occurs after the drop/add period, the reduction may create an overpayment, unless there are mitigating circumstances. If there are mitigating circumstances, the student must submit a “Statement in Support of Claim” to the VA. The statement needs to include the VA file number. If the VA does not approve the claim, the overpayment is applied retroactively to the beginning of the semester. The only exception is the “one-time up to six-hour exclusion” which does not require mitigating circumstances.

What happens when a student is deployed?

If students are deployed, they should contact the Office of Veterans Affairs immediately and, if possible, provide copies of their orders. If resignations or changes of status occur for this reason, the VA will not charge students with overpayments, provided they submit documentation. Students must contact their deans’ offices to initiate resignations. Students who were deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle were given 100 percent refunds of tuition and most fees. A copy of the University policy on military deployment is available in the Office of Veterans Affairs. Students who resign because they are deployed need to re-apply for admission, if they are not enrolled for a regular semester. The application fee is waived with proper documentation of the deployment.

What are the VA monthly pay rates?

Current monthly rates for education benefits can be found on the VA website, www.gibill.va.gov/education/benefits.htm.

How does the VA pay monthly benefits?

With the exception of advance pay, the VA pays at the end of each benefit month. Students receiving Chapter 30 and 1606 benefits are required to “verify” their enrollment status on or after the last day of the month. Students may verify by calling the toll-free number (1-877-823-2378) or by accessing the VA website (

www.gibill.va.gov/wave

Upon verification, the VA will process the payment and send it to the student either by mail or direct deposit. It is highly recommended that students elect the direct deposit option to eliminate lost or stolen checks. In addition, students using direct deposit receive benefits in four or five working days as opposed to seven to ten days by mail.

Chapter 35 does not yet have the direct deposit option.

How do I know if I qualify for VA educational benefits?

If you believe that you may be eligible for any of the above VA education benefits, you can visit the VA website (www.va.gov) and click on any of the topics about which you are interested. If you need to submit a form to the Office of Veterans Affair or the VA, click on the “forms” button. Some forms are also available on this website and in Office of Veterans Affairs.