The Trump administration has proposed cuts to federal work-study, a program that subsidizes campus and community jobs for nearly 700,000 students and has long enjoyed bipartisan support. Higher-education advocates warn that scaled-back work-study funding would force colleges to reduce student employment opportunities that help offset costs and keep many students enrolled. Campus financial-aid offices and career centers are preparing contingency plans while lawmakers and sector groups mobilize to defend the program. Any congressional move to shrink work-study could intensify affordability pressures and widen inequalities for low-income and first-generation students who rely on on-campus earnings.