Undergrad Students
All undergraduate students receiving need-based financial aid have work study included in their initial financial aid award. Click on the bulleted links to find out more about work study:
Academic Year Work Study
Work study is automatically awarded to all those who apply for financial aid.
- If you are an aid recipient who wants work study but has had your work study replaced by outside awards, you should email us to see if you are eligible for additional work study funding.
- If you are not an aid-recipient but would like to apply for work study, you should complete a FAFSA. Your FAFSA will automatically be received by the Financial Aid Office, and we will automatically award you work study. This process generally takes up to three weeks, so be sure to complete your FAFSA as early as possible.
- Federal Work Study is awarded to undergraduates as part of their financial aid package. Students who have received a federal work study allocation may choose to work on campus, off campus with America Reads or America Counts, or with a participating non-profit agency.
- Duke Work Study is awarded to those students who are not eligible for federal aid, but do qualify for some institutional aid programs. Students who have received Duke Work Study may work on campus with a Duke department or off campus with a participating non-profit agency.
A comprehensive listing of all on- and off-campus jobs -- including both work study and non-work study positions -- is available through Duke List. Students with federal work study eligibility may also apply for employment through the Duke Center for Civic Engagement for placement with America Reads, America Counts, and other non-profit organizations. If you work multiple jobs, the student and employers are responsible for monitoring the student's total earnings.
Just like any other job, you get a regular paycheck that goes directly to you for 100% of the wages you’ve earned.
Enrolled students can work up to 19.9 hours per week. The amount that you earn is dependent upon the number of hours worked and your hourly wage. Your total earnings should not exceed your annual work study award amount. If you find that you are reaching your annual award limit, email us to find out if you have additional work study eligibility, and contact your employer to find out if you can continue working without work study funding.
Annual work study awards are listed below:| Domestic Students | $2,000 |
| Aid-eligible International Students |
$900 |
Please note: these allocations reflect total wage earnings.
Current hourly rates for student employees:| Position Type | Min Wage | Max Wage |
| Student Assistant - General | $8.50/hr | $14.00/hr |
| Student Assistant - Specialized |
$9.50/hr | $17.00/hr |
Summer Work Study for Enrolled Students
If you are enrolled in classes on Duke's campus during a summer term, your initial need-based financial aid package will include a work study award. Work study for summer works the same way as it does for the academic year, except the award amount is smaller because the summer term earning period is shorter.
Please Note: Due to federal budgetary shifts, work study will not be available for non-enrolled students during the summer terms.