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Earning While Studying in the UK: Opportunities and Guidelines
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How to Earn Money While Studying in the UK?

How to Earn Money While Studying in the UK?

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Discover ways to earn while studying in the UK. Learn about part-time job opportunities, visa work restrictions, tax guidelines, and tips for balancing studies and work effectively.

GyanDhan
Dipali Negi
Updated on:  17 Feb 2025  | Reviewed By:  Aman  | 7.15K | 8  min read

There is no denying that international education is expensive, especially when studying in a country like the UK. With high tuition fees and living expenses, students seek ways to earn money while studying. We have outlined all the resources that you can use to grab potential work opportunities. Effective management tips and insights all also shared. They will assist you in maintaining a balanced and comfortable student life abroad.

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Remote Work Options for Students in the UK

Digitalization and connectivity have increased the usage of digital platforms. Many organizations shifted to the affiliate market. Thus, increasing remote work opportunities and helping students earn money while studying. Some of the best remote work options include:

Freelancing:

Some students have side hustle skills like painting, programming, designing, or writing. You can use these skills to get a remote project from platforms like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, or Freelancer.com. These jobs are mostly flexible and also help you build a strong network. 

Online Tutoring:

Many online platforms like Superprof, Tutorful, and MyTutor help students find a gig. You can choose a particular subject and offer tutoring services to the students online. This will even help you reinforce your knowledge.

Business Development Executive (BDE):

Businesses are operating in different countries and expanding their network by employing the people living in that country. BDE handles administrative tasks such as emails, data entry, and customer support. 

Social Media Management:

Every brand is trying different strategies to amplify their impact on the target audience. Social media management is in high demand. If you love creating content, strategizing, and engaging, this could be a great source of income. 

Online Surveys:

Numerous brands pay individuals for their reviews and feedback. These surveys are for the services or products these brands are going to launch and therefore choose a few individuals based on certain criteria to give their opinions. This is one of the most common and less time-consuming ways of earning money while studying in the UK. Several websites like SurveyMonkey, Swagbucks, and Branded Surveys host plenty of surveys and the best part is that there is something for everyone.

Affiliate Marketing:

If you're someone who uses social media a lot or has a good online presence through blogs or videos then this method is best for you. This method will help you earn some money through a commission by referring goods or services to your followers or readers. Several companies such as Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, and Hubspot, to name a few offer their affiliate programs. And the best thing about this method is that you can be a part of as many programs as you like and there is no limit to the income as well. But you have to wait for some time(6 months at least) to consider it as a constant source of income.

 

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Offline Work Options for Students in the UK

Some students consider online options as unstable, because of the inconsistency of the jobs and competition. It is preferable that you look for in-person jobs and they even help you gather experience which you can use while looking for a full-time job. 

Part-Time Jobs:

Getting a part-time job is not that difficult in the UK. These part-time jobs help students manage their studies and expenses together. The majority of the student population is employed in the hospitality sector as there are plenty of restaurants, hotels, and cafes. The allowed working hours of 20 hours/week while studying. For such jobs, you have to directly contact local places.

On-Campus Jobs:

Many universities offer on-campus employment opportunities such as library assistants, research assistants, or administrative roles. These jobs are comfortable and students can prioritize their commitments while earning.

Delivery & Courier Services:

People are fond of fast deliveries and services, hence, students can work as delivery agents or drivers (if they meet licensing requirements). This helps students work for flexible hours and they also earn tips along with the wages. 

Event Staffing:

Networking is a priority of foreign countries and events like concerts, exhibitions, and sports. Agencies managing the event hire students for event management for different roles. 

Sell your Notes:

If you are good at making notes and don’t mind sharing them with other students then it’s an excellent way to generate a little extra cash. Multiple sites allow you to upload your notes, along with your price, and then when another student downloads them you get paid. This might not fetch a lot of money like some other ways mentioned above but this can be done quite easily as you have to make notes only once. Sites like Nexus Notes and Stuvia offer a free platform to list your notes but take a cut from your profit as a commission. Both handwritten and typed notes can be submitted but it is better to upload typed PDFs because you’re likely to make more money if they’re typed up.

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Impact of Working While Studying on Academic Performance

Work-life balance is a challenging task to do and many students' academic performance is affected. Some common issues students struggle with include:

 

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    Time Management Struggles: Switching from work shifts to academics is tiring. This interchange often leads to delays in academic deadlines.
 
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    Increased Stress Levels: Remembering everything about work and studies is stressful. Excessive workloads also lead to burnout.
 
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    Lack of Sleep: Going for the late-night shifts and attending morning lectures disrupts the sleep pattern. This pattern in the long run can cause insomnia.
 
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    Limited Social Life: When a student is busy with tasks, they have few hours to relax. This limits social interactions and extracurricular activities.
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Tips to Manage Work and Studies

To overcome these challenges, students can adopt the following strategies:

 

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    Plan your schedule according to your work shifts and class schedules. 
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    Keep a reminder of your assignments to avoid any delays.
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    Talk to your employer about work shifts that align with your study schedule. 
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    Get adequate rest, and maintain a diet to improve productivity. 
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    Take at least one day off to reduce stress.
 

So, these are some ways you can earn money while studying in the UK. We hope you found this article useful and use one of these ways to earn some income for yourself. Those looking for accommodation in the UK can visit the University Living website to choose from a wide range of student housing options. They offer Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) in more than 265 cities around the world.

 

Read Also:

 

Scholarships

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do international students make money in the UK?
 

Opportunities can be found by looking for part-time jobs in the local areas. Majority of the international students make money using part-time jobs that they explore on online portals like Student Portal.

Can I work 40 hours per week in the UK?
 

Only if you have permission otherwise, you can not extend the working hours beyond 10 to 20 hours per week. 

Do international students pay tax in the UK?
 

The taxation agreement says that students don’t have to pay tax on your income if you are a student. 

Which city is the cheapest in the UK?
 

Cardiff is the cheapest city in the UK where you can expect the monthly expenses around USD 86,000.

How much can students earn while studying in the UK?
 

On average, a student can earn up to USD 200 to USD 400 per week at USD 11.9 per hour. This can help you cover a big portion of your living expenses. 

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