If you work past your work study amount, do you earn that money for yourself?

Question

My financial aid says that I have $1,700 in work study aid for the fall semester. If I work more and lets say I earn past $1,700, do I keep my job and get the money for myself?

Answer 1

You can only earn over your awarded amount if you receive permission from the financial aid office and generally that is at the request of your supervisor for your work study position.  If they do not give permission, then you will have to quit after you earn the $1700.  Do you have any awarded for spring?  If so, then you will start working again once the spring semester starts.

Answer 2

You can earn up to the amount you have in Work Study, but not over.  

You get to keep ALL of it.  Work Study is just like a regular job.  You will be responsible for finding an on campus Work Study job.  You get a regular paycheck for working the hours you work... the money goes to you.  Students use it to pay for personal things, living expenses, whatever.  

Schools don't normally credit it to your account to pay for tuition and fees and things because they never know if :

1. You will find a Work Study job and

2. Will work all the hours required to earn the money

So to answer your question, no... you can't work past 1,700 and get any money for yourself.