Federal Work-Study Program

Introduction to the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program

The Federal Work-Study Program provides jobs for students with financial need. Many students take advantage of this program to become a part of the Baylor College of Medicine community while earning money to help with educational expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the course of study. Work-study students work no more than 20 hours each week during the academic year.

The need for Federal Work-Study is demonstrated by subtracting all aid received (Scholarships and loans) from the cost of attendance COA. The Financial Aid Office then uses the COA to determine your financial aid eligibility. All federal and institutional resources cannot exceed the cost of attendance.

The following programs are eligible for Federal Work-Study (FWS): SOM, SHP, BSHQ, MSBS.

How to Apply for Work-Study 

First, apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form. You will be notified of your award via e-mail.

Second, complete the Federal Work-Study Interest form.

If you have previously held a work-study position, you must reapply through the FAFSA each year, submit the interest form, and complete the formal hiring process.

Federal Work Study Interest form

The federal work-study program is a government-subsidized student employment program designed to assist students in financing their education. FWS provides an opportunity for students to earn money, rather than borrow funds, to help pay for educational expenses.

Student Employment

The following forms need to be completed before your start date.

  • FAFSA
    • Select Federal Work-Study
  • FWS Student Information Form
    • FWS balance/ Time Remaining
    • Time submission instructions
  • New Hire Information Form
    • Student Personal information. This information will be submitted to HR to initiate the onboarding.
  • HR Onboarding
    • I9 Employment eligibility verification
    • SuccessFactors access
    • Payment information

There are options to pursue both on and off campus. Please see below the positions that are currently available.

MCAT Tutor, GSBS Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Biomedical Sciences and Health Equity Program

Contact: Suzette Roldan

Duties and Expectations:

These are part-time positions that provides tutoring services to post-baccalaureate premedical students from diverse backgrounds by assisting with content review and academic success strategies associated with retaking the MCAT exam. Tutors provide individual and/or group tutoring to review content covered on the sections of the MCAT. Tutors will meet with individual students to clarify and review content coverage, success strategies, study plans and post-test analysis of practice exams. Tutors will work with staff in the GSBS Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Biomedical Sciences and Health Equity Program and Academic Success Center, as needed, to support their own professional development. Tutors should have previous experience with tutoring, teaching and/or consulting. Experience with remediation strategies for standardized test preparation is also preferred.

Tutoring Duties:

  • Required to organize tutoring sessions for 1-2 hours perweek
  • Sessions can be in-person or virtual
  • Rate of pay is $15 per hour.

Tutors must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. 

Qualifications:

  • Official MCAT test score above 510
  • Prior experience with tutoring, teaching, and/or consulting students from diverse backgrounds
  • Interested in teaching quantitative topics and verbal topics covered on the MCAT
  • Solid computer skills (such as Word, PowerPoint and general MS Office familiarity) and ability to use video recording software (i.e., Camtasia) for development of online content modules
  • Strong organizational and interpersonal communications skills

Academic Success Center

Contact: Layna Jackson

Office of Education Affairs
One Baylor Plaza | BCMC-271A-AD
(713) 798-3120
academicsuccess@bcm.edu

Student Assistant

Duties and Expectations:

  • Maintain inventory and organization of the ASC Library on the second floor.
  • Monitor noise levels on both floors.
  • Promptly return equipment and materials to the proper location.
  • Avoid patron over-use of supplies/materials.
  • Replenish printer(s) with paper, ink, and toner as needed and report any Printer issues to management.
  • Keep ASC and Student Lounge clean and organized.
  • Work with the ASC Student Assistant team to dispose of recycling weekly.
  • Complete any other assigned ASC tasks and/or projects
  • By Invitation Only

Peer Tutor

Provides tutoring and academic mentoring services to PA and DNP students in need of support in the subject of Anatomy/Anatomical science and any other subject at the request of the program or the student supervisor.

Office of the Registrar 

Contact: Latoya Whitaker

Office Assistant

  • General office duties: Answer phone, filing, organizing, scanning.
  • Review the website and recommend updates to the office, as needed.
  • Review of affiliation agreements to inform website updates.
  • Review and provide feedback on announcements and presentations to students.
  • Assist with the set-up of electives.
  • Scanning student records (incoming students/visiting students)
  • Sort and run office mail.
  • Sort and alphabetize incoming student records.
  • Organize supplies and keep supply inventory. 

Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH)

Contact: Rachel Dempsey

Operation Support 

  • Responding to inbound email inquiries through TRISH’s Salesforce case management system, as well as crafting email templates for customer service needs.
  • Documenting meeting minutes for various internal meetings and facilitating the booking of meeting rooms on in-office days.
  • Organizing outreach materials and handling shipping logistics
  • Maintaining the organization of TRISH’s various SharePoints and OneDrive resources.
  • Contribute to the organization of physical storage in office space at TMCx
  • Supporting TRISH IT inventory efforts, among other diverse tasks

Office of Education Affairs

Contact: Tara Reed

Medical Student Administrative and Project Specialist

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented medical student to join our team as an Administrative and Project Specialist. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in administration and project management while contributing to the efficient operation of our office. Key responsibilities:

Administrative Support:

  • Assist with scheduling appointments, meetings and conferences.
  • Handle correspondence, including emails, phone calls, and mail.
  • Prepare and distribute reports, presentations, and other documents.
  • Maintain office supplies and equipment.

Project Management:

  • Assist in the development of project plans and timelines.
  • Coordinate with various departments to ensure project milestones are met.
  • Conduct research and gather data to support project objectives.

Communication:

  • Facilitate effective communication within the team and across departments.

Frequently Asked Questions

FWS students will be paid bi-weekly by direct deposit. The direct deposit information will be available to you through SuccessFactors. For any issues that occur, please contact HR at records@bcm.edu. 

All FWS positions are paid at a rate of $15.00 per hour. Please note that FWS does not provide paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, benefits, or Health insurance.

The maximum hours allowed weekly is no more than 20 hours. It is the student's responsibility to keep track of their hours. Any time worked beyond the awarded balance will be considered volunteer hours.

FWS must not affect students’ academic progress.

If you earned your total FWS award before the end of the academic year and would like to continue working, you can email the financial aid office. We will evaluate whether funds are available to increase the award amount and we will need to determine your eligibility.

You can continue working only after our office approves the additional FWS funds.

If you do not find a work-study position for the fall semester. Available positions will be posted for the Spring semester in January. If at any time you want to cancel the funds, you may do so. This will not jeopardize the awarding in the future.

When you accept a FWS position, you become a member of a department or agency that depends on you. It is important for you to report to work on time, notify your supervisor when you will be late or absent, and dress appropriately for the work location (dress code should be discussed before your first day). In addition, some FWS positions may require access to confidential information - abuse or misuse of such authorization is grounds for dismissal.

Acceptance of a position through FWS implies a commitment to the employer for at least one semester. If unable to fulfill the FWS commitment, notify your employer.

It is your responsibility to monitor your earnings to be sure they do not exceed the awarded amount. Any time worked over the awarded amount is considered volunteer time, and you will not get paid. If a problem develops with your employment, you should first discuss the issue with your supervisor. If the problem cannot be resolved, you should contact the Human Resources Office.

If you want to withdraw your FWS award money, contact the Financial Aid Office. There is no guarantee that you can secure another FWS position or that the FWS award can be replaced with other types of loans.