Off-Campus Partners

The University of San Francisco partners with many off-campus agencies to provide meaningful work experiences to USF students through the Federal Work-Study program. The Office of Student Employment coordinates off-campus work-study employment with qualified employers. If you are interested in participating in the University's Work-Study program and would like to advertise a job, please read the information below and return all agency requirements listed. (Note: if your agency is renewing an existing agreement with the University, contact the Student Employment Office directly.) 

Federal Work-Study Program

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program assists students in meeting educational expenses while gaining meaningful work experience. FWS is offered to students with high financial need as an award component of a financial aid award package. As a form of financial aid, FWS provides an allocation of government subsidized funds (earning potential) that in turn grants a student priority consideration for on-campus employment and assists students with an interest in acquiring off campus employment with an approved agency. The benefit provided to the employer of a FWS student is a 75% wage subsidy. That is, 75% of the wage earned by a FWS student is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Education grant that is administered by the University.


Off-campus, FWS students may work for government, private non-profit or public interest agencies. The approved, partnering agency is required to pay the non-subsidized share of the program cost (the student’s compensation), which includes 25% of the student’s FWS earnings and the cost of Worker’s Compensation and employer taxes (e.g Medicare and F.I.C.A). While students are considered employees of the partnering agency, the University will collect work authorization documents, distribute pay checks, and provide W-2 tax forms to the student at the end of the calendar year. Agencies are billed on a monthly basis for the allocation of earnings due. 

Institutions participating in the FWS and FSEOG programs are normally required to provide a non-Federal share under each program (the 25% mentioned above). Certain institutions, however, are eligible for a waiver of those requirements. The Office of Student Employment is happy to announce that USF has been granted a Title III Waiver, waiving the non-Federal share of earned compensation paid to students under the FWS Program and of FSEOG funds awarded to students for the 2020-2021 Award Year. The Student Employment Office will be utilizing this waiver for qualifying organizations: organizations employing students in jobs that meet the federal definition of community service will be responsible for 0% of the student wage up to their award limit. To qualify as community service, a student's job must be open and accessible to the community, 

In order to participate in the FWS program, an agency must complete a FWS application, review and sign the USF FWS agreement, and submit additional employment-related forms. Once all forms are reviewed and approved, the selection of candidates for an open position begins with posting a job requisition through USFWorks. Before a qualified student may begin work, all required agency and student-specific documents must be on file; the student must be cleared to work off-campus by the University and must provide evidence of that clearance to the agency via the Off Campus FWS Authorization form.

The work-study program operates each academic year from late August to late May. Students may be employed under the FWS program through the end of an academic year or until the student has earned the full amount of the designated FWS award, whichever comes first. Afterward, an agency may choose to employ the student directly for a period of time until a new award year begins.

Agency Requirements

Off-campus agencies must meet the following criteria to be considered for USF FWS partnership:

  • The agency must be incorporated as nonprofit under federal or state law.
  • The function of the organization and the work to be performed by the work-study student must be in the public interest. Work in the public interest is defined as work performed for the welfare of the nation or community rather than work performed for a particular interest or group.
  • The employment offered cannot displace employed workers or impair existing contracts for services.
  • Off-campus employers who are not able to meet the above criteria may contact the USF Career Services Center to post a job.

Apply to Participate

To become a partnering agency and further your agency’s mission with the support of a qualified, USF FWS student employee, please complete and submit the following forms to:

stuemp@usfca.edu or

Student Employment Office
Attn: Student Employment Manager
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street, LM 204
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080

Compensation and Supervision

  • Hiring: Off-campus agencies will select their own candidates for a position from a pool of work-study applicants
  • Time sheets: In order to be paid, students must submit a time sheet through USFWorks. Paper time sheets will no longer be used starting in 2019. 
  • Supervision: At least one representative from each agency (typically the FWS students' direct supervisor) will be required to obtain and maintain a USFWorks account in order to manage student assignments and time sheets. An HR Special Affiliate Form will be required from each individual requesting a USFWorks account. After completing Step 1, return the form via email to StuEmp@usfca.edu or fax to (415) 422-2203.
  • Scheduling:
    • Students are not permitted to work during regularly scheduled class times. The direct supervisor will collect each student's course schedule to ensure they are not working during these times. 
    • Student employees may work no more than 25 hours per week during the semester (35 hours/wk. during the winter intersession and spring break), no more than 7.5 hours per day, and no more than 6 days consecutively.
    • In the State of California, employers are required to give each employee at least ten (10) minutes paid break for each four (4) hours worked. While 10 minutes is the state required minimum, USF grants a standard 15-minute break for each four (4) hours worked. If an employee works 3 ½ hours or less, it is not required that a break be given.
    • If a student employee works for a period of more than five (5) hours, the employer must provide an unpaid, off-duty meal period of at least thirty (30) minutes. When a work period of not more than six (6) hours will complete the day's work, the meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the student employee. At USF, if an employee will work a full 7.5 hour work day, the meal break must be taken before the start of the 6th hour of the shift, and a 2nd 15-minute break must be given.

Post a Job

The posting and management of a student employment job is coordinated through the job requisition process in USFWorks.

Contact Us

For additional assistance, please contact the Student Employment Office at stuemp@usfca.edu or 415-422-6770.