In this current day and age, most students will require some sort of part-time job to support themselves during their studies. However, it can be difficult to know how many hours you should work in order to support yourself adequately, whilst still leaving yourself with enough time to study, socialise and enjoy your university experience. This blog breaks down roughly how many hours you should work as a student and the things you should consider when looking for a job to ensure it fits into your uni routine.
How many hours should I work?
Whilst there is no limit to the amount of hours you can work alongside your studies, most universities suggest no more than 15-20 hours a week. Importantly, the limit for international students is 20 hours per week during term-time, so you will not be allowed to work any more than this. Although this does not apply to UK students, working more than this means it might become difficult to manage your studies and attend all your classes. It is important to remember that you can also still work full-time during the holidays. Many university cities have Christmas markets, summer festivals or tourist events that hire students each year and fall nicely with term-time. Working during the holidays will allow you to save up a bit for the term or year ahead and will hopefully mean that there is less pressure on you to work more hours whilst you are studying.
If you do still want to work more hours during term-time, you might want to consider a freelance job or an online job. These tend to be more flexible and mean you can work more when you have less going on at university, and less during busy periods, such as exam season. You could also consider working for your university itself. Such jobs are often overlooked, but generally pay well and are a good chance to network and make friends with fellow students. In addition, since you are working for your university, they will automatically understand that you require greater flexibility.
If you find that you are still struggling financially even with a part-time job, you might want to reach out to your university or funding provider for assistance. Many offer scholarships, bursaries or grants to low-income households to make sure you are provided for during your studies, alleviating stress and giving you more time to put towards your degree.
Consider what times or days you want to work:
Before you start looking for jobs, you should consider what hours you would like to work, as this will have a big impact on your daily life and university experience. For example, if you work in a café or in retail, you will probably have a lot of early starts and may not be able to go out as much. On the other hand, if you choose to work in a bar or restaurant, you are more likely to be working late at night and may need to change your sleep schedule accordingly. It is generally a good idea to work at a time when you are less productive. If you love spending a morning at the library getting your work done, but tend to flop in the afternoon, this time may be better spent working. Managing your time in this way should mean you work efficiently and have more free time.
On this note, you should also consider what time you want to have off and socialise. If you are a big party animal on weekends then working late nights might leave you feeling as though you are missing out on the full uni experience. Similarly, if you plan to visit home every so often, you might want to choose a job which has more flexibility and varying shift-patterns. Most employers in uni cities are aware that a lot of their employees are students and require more flexibility, so don’t hesitate to ask!
Don’t feel rushed into getting a job too soon:
Although you’re probably very conscious of the need to get a part-time job, do not feel pressured to get one too early. It’s perfectly acceptable to take a month or two to settle into your new city and become acclimatised to university life.
In addition to this, it may also take a few weeks for your timetable to be finalised, so waiting for a bit will help to avoid any uncertainty or awkward conversations at interviews. Instead, you should use this time to get into a routine, update your CV, and consider what sort of job might fit in well alongside your studies. Although it feels contradictory, waiting a while rather than rushing to get a job can mean you get one which suits your lifestyle, and which you could possibly continue for your whole time at uni, making it worthwhile in the long run!
One last reminder:
Getting a part-time job which fits around your studies can feel like a daunting task to begin with. However, by taking time to settle into university life and establish a daily routine, you will be able to determine how many hours you can reasonably work whilst staying on top of your studies. Considering what times or days you want to work also means you can work more efficiently and still have time to relax and socialise. Ultimately, any part-time job you choose should support rather than detract from your studies and choosing wisely can really enhance your overall university experience!
