Part-Time Job Options in the UK for International Students

The trend of international students seeking part-time jobs in the UK while completing their studies is quite common. Reasons, why an international student opts for a part-time job, are the utilisation of spare time to earn extra money, paying off education loans and also acquiring certain skills and work experience along with studies.

In the UK, full-time international students have the flexibility to apply for part-time jobs whilst studying at UK universities. They can choose to work for 20 hours per week in their spare time. Also, during the academic year breaks, they can work for up to 40 hours per week during their study breaks.

Read this article to find out everything you should know about taking up part-time jobs in the UK as an international student and the regulations surrounding it.

UK Part-Time Job Rules for International Students

While a part-time job is a good option for international students to earn extra money in their free time and keep themselves engaged, the UK government has specified rules for international students working part-time during their studies in UK. Listed below are the rules and regulations for international students working part-time in UK, along with other important points.

Understand the Policy and Regulations

The UK government has defined clear guidelines for international students wishing to take up part-time jobs while completing their higher studies. It is important to abide by these rules and regulations for international students working part-time in the UK:

• Students who are enrolled in full-time studies at the universities are allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours a week.

• The student's visa must be valid and issued for full-time degree-level studies.

• Students who are enrolled in programmes other than the degree programmes are also allowed to work, however, only for 10 hours per week.

• Students enrolled in part-time courses are not allowed to work in the UK.

• Any student who is working on a part-time basis in the UK cannot be self-employed, establish a business, be employed as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, take up a permanent full-time job or get employed as a doctor or dentist.

Apart from the official policy and regulation, it is advisable for students to also follow the points mentioned below:

Maintain Study and Work Balance

An international student spends quite a good amount of money to pursue higher education at UK universities with the primary aim to acquire quality education and a world-renowned degree. However, taking up part-time jobs to help earn extra pocket money, should not come in between your studies and your end goal of graduating from the selected course. So, students opting for a part-time job must ensure they are able to maintain a balance between their studies and work.

Find a Job in Vicinity

It is a good idea to find a job as close as possible to your university campus or place of accommodation. This will help you save a lot of time and money that would otherwise be used on travelling to and from the university or your place of accommodation. It should be noted that finding a job close to the campus will not be that difficult. Students can take help from locals, college staff and seniors to figure out the best place for a part-time job. Additionally, the information bulletins of your university will often have information regarding part-time jobs they can apply for.

Talk to our team of study abroad experts who can help you find the best UK universities and courses you can apply to, based on your requirements and qualifications.

How are Part-time Jobs in UK Beneficial?

University schedules can be quite busy and barely leaves enough time to devote to part-time jobs in UK. That being said, international students often have financial baggage that requires them to find a part-time job while studying at UK universities. The job opportunities come with their own set of benefits. Here we will discuss why should international students find a part-time job for themselves in the UK. 

• To Bear Expenses: With the steep increase in tuition fees and living costs in UK, a temporary job can help international students pay some of their bills. It also helps them to earn money with which they can have extra fun during their university days. 

• To Gain Skills and Experience: After completing a degree, students wish to start a profitable career. In such cases, professional experience apart from grades also plays an important role. A part-time job helps to gain different technical and interpersonal skills along with experience. This also makes them seem reliable, multi-tasking and hard-worker in front of employers.

• To Network and Gain References: While at part-time work, students can network with influential people or others who can later help in landing a job. It is important to be polite, pleasant and humble while networking.

• To Develop Time Management Skills: University life involves juggling between class assignments, exams, daily chores, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs and entertainment. Having a part-time job helps to sort priorities and develop time management skills so that one can do several tasks within the deadline.

How to Find Part-Time Jobs in the UK?

International students have opportunities to work part-time in the UK based on the type of visa that they hold as well as the type, of course, they are enrolled in. International students can choose to take up either on-campus job roles or off-campus job roles. While getting an off-campus part-time job is not that difficult for an international student in the UK who has some basic skills and good communication, however, they still need to find out the most suitable part-time job for themselves and apply accordingly.

International students will be required to create a CV/resume mentioning educational qualifications, skills and experience which will help them find a job easily. Even if it is a part-time job, a well-structured CV/resume will add value to their professional profile. Therefore, it is advisable to have an updated CV before applying for a part-time job in the UK.

Listed below are some of the ways to find a part-time job in the UK as an international student:

• Look for Job Openings in Local Newspapers: The part-time job listings will commonly be published in local newspapers. Students can look for part-time job openings in the UK in daily newspapers and apply accordingly.

• Browse Through the Job Portals: The Internet is one of the best options to search for desired part-time jobs in the UK for international students. Presently, international students can use several different types of job portals to find relevant part-time jobs in the UK for students. The best part is that students can directly apply for jobs through the online portal and get short-listed, thus, saving a lot of time and effort.

• Take Help from the Career Team of the University: International students can also take help from the career team established by their university. This team will assist students in finding the most suitable part-time job role in and around the local area and also suggests various options that can be most suitable for them.

If a student is interested in applying for on-campus job roles in their college or university, they can look for internal job openings in their department or university. They can directly get in touch with the career team of the university to discuss various on-campus part-time jobs or check up on the information bulletin board of the university for the same.

Part-Time Job Profiles in the UK For International Students

Generally, there are two types of part-time jobs for international students in the UK, i.e. on-campus jobs and off-campus jobs. Find out the various types of on-campus and off-campus jobs here in the UK:

On-Campus Part-Time Jobs

On-Campus part-time jobs are the most ideal job type for international students in the UK as they can work within the college campus during their spare time and earn extra money. In the UK, students are allowed to apply for on-campus part-time jobs across various departments, clubs and societies in their respective universities and sections.

The on-campus jobs are commonly offered in libraries, bookstores, laboratories, computer labs, gyms, receptions, and cafeterias, or take up the role of a campus guide, etc. Students can apply for these jobs while they are in their first years of studies and work for 20 hours a week. During vacations and holidays, they can work for up to 40 hours a week. However, on-campus jobs especially in libraries and laboratories are offered to students who have good communication skills and relevant skills and knowledge to handle a job role. As the on-campus part-time jobs are limited, the competition for the role will extremely high.

Off-Campus Part-Time Jobs

Most students are able to find a part-time job off-campus as such job roles are easier to find. Some of the common off-campus part-time job roles that can be opted for by international students in the UK are delivery boy, cashier, bookstore helper, grocery store helper, data entry operator, waiters/waitresses in restaurants, call- centres executive, swimming pool maintenance etc.

To be eligible for off-campus part-time jobs in the UK, international students must ensure to get permission from the respective college authorities. Once part-time off-campus employment has been approved, all international students can apply for part-time jobs in the UK as per their preference. Students are allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week besides their usual lectures and study hours. However, during the holidays and vacations, they can work extra hours and can also opt for full-time work as well.

Online Jobs

With technology driving work, online work-from-home opportunities are increasing for international students. These part-time job opportunities in UK provide students with a good salary in hand and saves travel time. Students can apply for jobs and work from the comfort of their on-campus or off-campus accommodations. A steady internet connection and a laptop/computer are the essential requirements of this kind of job. They can work as an online tutor, an online counsellor, a marketing executive, a content writer, a digital media strategist, etc.

Pay-Scale And Taxes for International Students in the UK

International students applying for part-time jobs in the UK must do so in accordance with the rules and regulations of their respective universities or colleges. It should be noted that different part-time job roles require people to work during various shifts of the day. Based on their availability, students can choose the appropriate job role. Certain jobs can also be taken over the weekend. Payment for a part-time job is mostly calculated on the basis of hours of work taken up per week.

Whether or not the amount earned is taxable or not depends on the income and whether they are eligible for the personal allowance. International students will need to pay income tax on taxable income that is above the tax allowances in the UK.

Part-time Jobs for International Students in the UK

Check out the table below for the list of part-time job roles in the UK for international students:

While these are some of the more popular part-time job roles in the UK taken up by international students, you will be able to find other, more relevant part-time job roles, that provide you with relevant job experience and professional exposure that you can use in finding a job after graduation. It is also advisable to first look for job roles that are relevant to your field of study before applying for any random part-time job roles in the UK for international students.

If you wish to know more about studying and working in the UK as an international student, register and connect now with our experienced team of study abroad counsellors, who can help on your journey to study abroad. Write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com.