Community Service Work Study (CSWS) Academic Year 2023-24

What is CSWS?

The Community Service Work-Study (CSWS) Program provides academic year and summer employment opportunities for currently enrolled students who receive financial aid at Stanford. It allows them to combine the financial need to work with the personal goal of helping the community.

Eligible students have the freedom to design a service experience in collaboration with a partnering organization. Placements during the academic year are on campus or in the local community.

CSWS is a federally-supported program, co-administered for Stanford by the Haas Center and the Financial Aid Office. 

Program Dates

The CSWS Academic Year Program runs through Fall Quarter-Spring Quarter unless a different schedule is approved by the CSWS Program (please email cswsprogram@stanford.edu for more details).

Application Deadlines

Application is currently open. The Academic Year Application deadlines are:

Fall Quarter, Friday, 11/1023, Winter Quarter, Friday 2/16/24, Spring Quarter, Friday 4/26/23.

How to Apply

Find a nonprofit organization that you would like to work with, reach out to them, and identify an on-site supervisor. Once you and your supervisor come to an agreement about your job offer, complete the Student Application on your SOLO account. After completing your Student Application, you will send a "Recommendation Form" to your on-site supervisor, and they will complete their Recommendation/Community Partner Organization Application. On SOLO, you will be able to see when your supervisor submits a completed Recommendation/Community Partner Organization Application. Only completed applications are considered.

For additional help, contact one of our CSWS Peer Advisors:

Here is a link to reach one of our Peer Advisors that can help you with the application process, finding a nonprofit organization, and everything CSWS-related.

Eligibility and Requirements: 

How does it work? 

All work-study students are employed through Stanford University. The federal government , Haas Center and Stanford University cover 100% of the student's wages . There is no longer a Community Partner contribution. The Financial Aid Office determines eligibility and the maximum earnings each student is permitted per quarter during the academic year.

Currently enrolled undergraduate students who have a financial aid package may qualify for CSWS, with the following exceptions:

• International students are not eligible.

REQUIRED: All applicants must obtain a Community Service Federal Work-Study Authorization from the Financial Aid Office to complete their application. Please send an email to May Thin at federalworkstudy@lists.stanford.edu to check your eligibility and receive your authorization email. Complete this request form to verify your work-study eligibility from the Financial Aid Office.