VA Work-Study
Paid work while you study. You may qualify even if you are not a Veteran.
VA work-study pays eligible students for approved work supporting VA and Veterans. This pay is in addition to your VA education benefit. It is not payment for completing your own coursework.
Graduate students can participate—not just undergraduates. Students in eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs may qualify when they meet the enrollment and VA education-benefit requirements below. Being in graduate school does not, by itself, make you ineligible.
Could I qualify?
You must meet all three conditions:
Attend a college degree, vocational, or professional training program at least three-quarter time.
Use a qualifying VA education benefit.
Finish your work-study contract while you remain eligible for education benefits.
Three-quarter time refers to your course load—not your disability rating or GI Bill payment percentage. Ask your school’s certifying official, the person who reports enrollment to VA, whether your enrollment meets the requirement. Do not assume a particular number of classes qualifies.
Graduate programs may define full-time and three-quarter-time enrollment differently from undergraduate programs. Have your certifying official check the standard for your specific program and term.
VA currently lists these education benefit programs:
Post-9/11 GI Bill for Veterans;
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits transferred to eligible family members;
Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty;
Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve;
Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses 2.0 (VET TEC 2.0);
Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship;
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35); and
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Chapter 31).
Chapter 35 participants must attend a school in one of the 50 states. Eligible spouses and children using transferred benefits or Chapter 35 may qualify without having served in the military themselves.
Read VA’s eligibility requirements.
What would I do, and how much would I earn?
Depending on the position’s VA-approved duties, students may help create outreach materials and resource guides about Veteran benefits and services, gather and organize information for Veteran-focused webpages, assist with related email communications and general inquiries, and maintain Veteran-related records.
These roles can offer practical experience in writing, research, design, and organization while helping Veterans find information and support. Your supervisor will explain your assignments; all work must stay within the position’s VA-approved duties.
VA pays the higher of the federal minimum wage or the minimum wage in the state where you work. Your approved agreement specifies your work dates and total hours.
How does this connect to UChicago’s military-affiliated community?
The Office for Military-Affiliated Communities (OMAC) connects students with a campus-wide network. Its community includes the Chicago Booth Armed Forces Group, Military-Affiliated Students of Harris, Law School veterans, Army and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), and the Veterans and Family Readiness Program.
OMAC also leads the Veterans Restorative Justice Project (VRJP), which brings together work across the Law School, Harris School of Public Policy, Social Sciences Division, Chicago Booth, and Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice to support justice-involved Veterans. The project includes research, benefits assistance, and workforce-readiness efforts.
These connections describe OMAC’s broader work—not a list of available VA work-study jobs. Internships, scholar roles, and VA work-study positions have different requirements. Ask OMAC which role fits your interests and eligibility; your supervisor must confirm which assignments are covered by your VA-approved position.
How do I get started at UChicago?
Ask about your eligibility and a position. Email the Office for Military-Affiliated Communities (OMAC) at veterans@uchicago.edu. You can also complete an inquiry form for VA work-study by clicking here.
Confirm your school has reported your enrollment to VA. Ask your school’s certifying official to check the term for which you want work-study. If you do not know your benefit or enrollment status, say so in your first email—you can ask for help before completing an application.
Apply for the identified position through VA. Complete VA Form 22-8691, Application for Work-Study Allowance, including the worksite preference. Once a site wants to hire you, you or its supervisor can submit the application through Ask VA, using the Work Study topic. Coordinate with the supervisor so you do not submit duplicate applications.
Wait for approval before working. After VA approves the contract, your supervisor will arrange your agreement signature and confirm your start date, duties, and approved hours. Do not begin work before approval; VA does not pay for hours worked before the approval date.
Qualifying for the benefit does not guarantee an open position. Contacting OMAC is an inquiry, not an application or approval.