Federal Work Study

Eligible graduate students at Princeton participate in the Federal Work Study (FWS) program during the summer.

There is a better chance of you obtaining a summer FWS position if you are able to identify a specific faculty member with whom you wish to work.

Students must meet the following federal guidelines in order to qualify for FWS funding and, therefore, to hold a research assistant position:

  • Students must be either U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • Students must demonstrate financial need and federal eligibility.
  • Students must complete, sign, and file a 2018 federal income tax return. (Tax returns submitted by mail may not be processed by the IRS by the work study deadline.)
  • Students must complete the 2020-21 FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
  • Students must be in good academic standing.
  • Students must complete reenrollment for the fall 2020 term.