How to balance a job and study at university
Balancing a job and uni can be tough. But, for many, it's a necessity and something that will make you more employable when you graduate. Here's how to get the formula right.
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In our latest National Student Money Survey, 58% said they had a part-time job, while 8% said they were self-employed. However, 46% of those with a job/self-employment said the hours they worked affected their studies.
For many, a part-time job makes a huge difference financially, but it does come with the risk of impacting your degree.
To help you juggle a job with uni, we've gone through some tips on how to manage your time and keep up with your workload.
How many hours can a student work?
Some universities discourage students from working during term time. Others, however, recommend limiting work hours to 15–20 per week.
International students in the UK can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during breaks. It depends on the type of visa you have, though.
How to manage a part-time job at university
Here are some tips on how to balance a job and study:
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Decide if a part-time job is essential
It's worth asking yourself: do you absolutely need a job?
For many, the answer to this will be a resounding "yes". Maintenance Loans barely cover rent for some students, never mind the additional costs of living beyond that.
However, for some more fortunate students, getting a part-time job might be more hassle than it's worth. If you can afford to get by without one, you'd be able to spend more time on your studies.
The key is to first work out a monthly budget. Look at your incomings and outgoings, and establish how much you're short by each month (if at all).
You might find that you need less cash than you first thought. If this is the case, finding a simple way to make money online might make more sense, as it involves less commitment.
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Don't over-commit to shifts
How many hours you choose to work each week depends on how much you can take on.
Take some time to consider how much time you're able to put in before making any commitments. It's hard to go back once you've given your word, so don't rush this decision.
Ask yourself: are you willing to work weekends? Which days are you unavailable due to uni commitments? How long do shifts at your workplace tend to be?
Short shifts could have a bigger impact on your studies than you'd expect. If you need to travel to your job, doing four shifts of four hours a week will take up more time than two shifts of eight hours once you factor in the commute.
Think about what you can do, and discuss this with your boss as soon as you can. Never take on more than you think you can handle.
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Know when exams and deadlines are coming up
Being organised is the key to avoiding any nasty surprises (a.k.a. deadlines). This is essential when you're studying full-time and working part-time.
Make sure you know all the important dates coming up in your course (and social) calendar. Highlight assignment deadlines and exam dates so you can see your busy periods and plan ahead.
Finding a part-time university job with regular shifts can help. It's easier to manage your time when working the same days and times each week. But the downside is that, depending on your employer, having regular shifts can make it harder to take time off.
If you work out important deadline periods in advance, you can ask to take time off or swap shifts with others. It can make the situation a lot easier if you give everyone involved some fair warning.
Struggling to get everything done? Check out our guide to becoming more organised. -
Use your time productively
One of the best parts of having a part-time job at uni is it encourages you to work productively.
Often, you'll find that the less time you have, the more you get done.
If you only have a couple of hours before your shift to make some progress with an essay, you'll likely work more quickly.
When writing out a to-do list for the day/week, break up bigger tasks into multiple smaller ones to make it easier to plan your time.
For example, rather than adding "write an essay" to the list, you could instead write something like:
- "Plan the essay"
- "Read five articles for essay research"
- "Read 10 pages from a book for essay research"
- "Write the essay introduction"
And so on.
With a detailed to-do list, you can more effectively plan your uni work around your job. If, say, you have an hour to focus on uni work before leaving for a shift, you can work out which tasks can reasonably be completed within that time and work with a clear goal in mind.
It can sometimes help to get a productivity journal such as The Productivity Method to guide you through your daily planning.
Productivity isn't the easiest art to master. But it will make a big difference to your work/uni/life balance when you manage your time efficiently.
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Try not to miss lectures and tutorials
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This one is easier said than done if you need to work as much as possible to make some extra cash.
However, going to your classes will massively help you keep up with your course.
If you only catch up on lecture slides online, this could alienate you from your course and classmates. Going to your classes and taking good lecture notes is crucial to your success at uni.
Also, going to your classes regularly can boost your chances of getting a good review from your tutor for job applications.
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Get a part-time job over the summer or work seasonally
Getting a summer job is a great idea. It will help you build up some savings for term time. For inspiration, see our guide to the best summer jobs for students.
The same goes for winter. Getting a part-time job over the Christmas and Easter breaks will help to boost your funds.
You could also use your holidays to get some career experience by doing an internship. But it's worth knowing that paid positions can be difficult to find.
At this point, it's worth asking yourself what is most crucial. Do you need cash in your pocket to help you through the term or relevant experience to put on your CV?
Everyone's situation is different, so decide what makes the most sense for you.
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Find some time to relax
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While balancing a job and university studies, it can be easy to forget to take a bit of downtime. However, we can't stress how important it is to take some time out to look after your mental health.
Overworking will have a negative effect on your studies in the long run. Please give yourself the occasional break.
Spending time out with friends is super important. And try to make time for the hobbies that help you unwind.
We've got a full guide with self-care ideas for some more inspiration. You've earned it!
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Talk to your university and employer if you're struggling
The easiest way to upset that work/uni balance is by letting things get on top of you if you're struggling.
Balancing uni and work is no walk in the park. Your employers and tutors should try to respect that.
Remember to reach out for support if you're ever finding things difficult. The minute you notice any problems with your timetable or if you're falling behind with your workload, tell someone.
If you're struggling financially, you could also talk to your university about hardship funding.
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Get enough sleep
Lastly (and this one might seem like a no-brainer), when juggling coursework, 9am lectures, a part-time job and a social life, it's easy to let sleep run away with you.
Getting the recommended seven to nine hours a night of sleep is vital. If you don't, you'll soon notice everything starts to slip.
We know there'll be nights where this will go amiss, but try to avoid it happening more than a couple of times a week.
For nights when you're finding it difficult to sleep, try our tips in our guide to falling asleep fast.
Ready to find a part-time job? Here are some student jobs you probably haven't considered.
