Many international students dream of studying in the UK because of its world-class universities, diverse courses, and vibrant culture. However, living in the UK can be expensive, as students must manage tuition fees, rent, transportation costs, and everyday expenses. This is why they seek part-time work to ease the financial pressure.
The UK allows international students to work while completing their degrees, but the students must follow specific rules and regulations, including job choices and working hour restrictions. When managed accordingly, working while studying can be a great experience that adds great financial and professional value.
Here, we will discuss the pros and cons of working while studying as well as the eligibility criteria for working, permitted work hours, ways to search for work, and types of available jobs so that students looking to work while studying in the UK can understand the complete picture before starting to look for jobs.
Table of Contents
Eligibility Criteria for Working While Studying in the UK
There are a few eligibility criteria for students to work while studying in the UK. These are:
- Students must be above the age of 16.
- Students must have a valid UK student visa.
- Their visa should be sponsored by a licensed institution.
Make sure that you meet these eligibility criteria before applying to work while studying in the UK. Working without meeting all these criteria can result in visa cancellation, so make sure to abide by the rules.
How Many Hours Can You Work?
Students can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term time for degree level or above and 10 hours per week during term time for below degree level. During vacation periods, you can work up to 48 hours. Students can also work full-time for up to 4 months after graduating or until their visa expires. Working more hours than allowed can result in a breach of visa conditions and can even lead to visa cancellation.
What Types of Jobs Can You Get?
There are three types of jobs that students can get in the UK while completing their studies. These are: part-time jobs, on-campus jobs, and paid internships.
Part-time Jobs
This is the most common type of job available to students. Part-time jobs can be blue-collar or white-collar jobs, or a combination of both. Popular part-time jobs include working at fast-food restaurants, retail work, serving, tutoring, dog walking, cooking, and so on. These jobs usually pay minimum wage.
On-Campus Jobs
Students can also look for on-campus jobs, such as roles in the IT department, cafeteria work, library work, university daycare, etc. There are also positions like Teacher’s Assistant and Research Assistant that allow students to apply. The benefit of these jobs is that you can work near the campus.
Paid Internships
Students are encouraged to take internships in their field of study to gather experience and insight, and develop skills. Paid internships are mostly available during vacation, although you can get part-time internships as well. Internships are the best job options as they not only pay better but also provide real-life work experience.
What Types of Jobs Are Not Allowed?
Some types of jobs are not allowed for international students studying in the UK. These include:
- Starting your own business or being self-employed.
- Getting into a full-time working contract.
- Jobs in the entertainment or sports industry.
- Working in companies where you own more than 10% of shares.
- Undertaking statutory roles.
How to Find Work Opportunities
There are several different methods of finding a job while studying in the UK. These include scouting physically, getting help from the university, and searching for jobs online. These methods are discussed below.
Scouting for Jobs
You can look for jobs in the city where your university is located because these major student cities are accustomed to hiring students. You can walk around the city and search for businesses or companies seeking part-time employees. You can also ask around campus to find out if anyone knows about any companies hiring part-time employees.
Getting Help From the University
Students can also get help from their universities, as they have placement support and student support offices to help students in their search for jobs. Write a professional CV with clear statements about your purposes for looking for a job. The placement support office can help you research available jobs and shortlist the best ones that match your preferences.
Searching Online
You can also search for jobs online at various sites. Create a profile, search, and apply for jobs through sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Totaljobs, Monster, Reed, Simply Hired, Devitjobs, Craigslist, Guardian Jobs, Adzuna, etc. Companies and businesses post hiring ads on these websites, and you can apply according to your preferences.
Pros and Cons of Working While Studying in the UK
There are numerous advantages and disadvantages of working while studying in the UK. All of these are discussed in the passages below.
Pros of Working While Studying in the UK
The biggest benefit of working while studying in the UK is finance. Living and studying in the UK can be quite expensive, and the extra money helps a lot. Other benefits include networking, skill development, and money management.
- Earning Extra Money
Studying in the UK can often be a financially difficult task, especially for international students who are on a budget. The extra money they earn in their free time by working different jobs provides them with some financial freedom to spend the money on tuition fees, groceries, or simply entertainment.
- Networking
Another benefit of working while studying is that you get to meet new people working in various professional fields and can create a strong network of your own. This network will help you get better jobs in the UK in the future, as you will be informed about the opportunities. One of the best ways to understand the line of your profession is to network with other professionals in that field.
- Gaining Skills
Work experience also comes with skill development, which highly benefits students. Students get to have real-life experience about different professions by working. This is a great opportunity to gain some useful skills such as organizing, customer service, management, money handling, leadership, time management, and teamwork. Although finding part-time jobs that are linked to your degree is hard to come by, other jobs can still teach valuable work skills.
- Managing Time and Money Better
Part-time jobs or internships come with some extra money that you have to spend well. This teaches students about financial management like spending, budgeting, and accounting. The job also takes time from your daily schedule, which will force you to plan your time better.
Cons of Working While Studying in the UK
Working while studying also comes with some drawbacks. These include lack of free time, getting tired, suffering from stress, and lagging in studies. All of these are discussed in the passages below.
- Having Less Free Time
One of the significant downsides of working while studying is that you will hardly get any time to enjoy your life. Working a part-time job and completing your studies at the same time means you will be extremely busy almost all the time. Even working 20 hours a week can take away most of your leisure. Try to achieve a balance between your work life and personal life to get the best of both worlds.
- Work Can Be Tiring
The part-time jobs that are available for students are usually physical labor and can be quite tiresome. This is worsened by the fact that you have to attend class as well. The jobs can leave you quite tired at the end of the day and rob you of the little free time you had because you will need to rest.
- Getting Stressed
Working while studying can also be physically and mentally stressful for students. Students already have to attend classes and complete assignments to complete their studies, and part-time jobs add extra stress to them. Even part-time jobs that are not pure physical labor can cause mental stress that students must deal with.
- Hampering Studies
Another big disadvantage is that working part-time can seriously hamper your studies. Working a job, even for 20 hours a week, will cause stress, tiredness, and time management issues, which in turn can hamper your studies. Students must remember that they are there to study first and should prioritize accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Work More Than 40 Hours a Week in the UK as an International Student?
No, international students can work only up to 20 hours a week during their stay in the UK to complete their studies. You may get the chance to work more than 20 hours during the vacation periods, but overall, 20 hours a week is the limit for work for international students.
Is the UK Good for Studying and Working?
Yes, the UK provides ample work opportunities to students so that they can lighten their financial burden. However, students are limited to working 20 hours a week to ensure that they do not hamper their studies with work. This also ensures that you maintain a healthy balance between working and studying.
What Happens if a Student Works Over 20 Hours in the UK?
Working more than 20 hours a week is a direct breach of the conditions of their visa. This can result in visa cancellation, deportation, and future visa restrictions. You can also be expelled from your university for breaching your visa.
Can I Work 80 Hours a Week in the UK?
No, you can work up to 48 hours a week in the UK according to your visa conditions. International students are usually confined to working only up to 20 hours a week during their studies and up to 40 hours during vacation. Working more hours can result in visa cancellation and even deportation.
What Is the Minimum Wage for International Students in the UK?
The minimum wage for international students in the UK is £10.41 to £11.44 per hour. Keep in mind that the minimum wage can change with time and the economy.
Conclusion
Working while studying in the UK is a fantastic way to support yourself financially, gain valuable experience, build professional networks, and develop skills. However, it also comes with some drawbacks such as time management issues, tiredness, and stress. Make sure to follow your visa conditions before applying for jobs and always prioritize your education. Try to achieve a perfect balance between work, study, and leisure.