Are you part of the 68% (and growing) of students in the UK that are in paid employment?

We’re doing our best to understand the current cost-of-living pressures that students are facing at university. From our research so far, we’ve compiled a list of flexible, university-friendly roles that you can fit in around your course commitments. 

Check out our emoji ratings /5 for: 

Pay from low💰 to high 💰💰💰💰💰 

Ease of entry from harder ✍️ to easier ✍️✍️✍️✍️✍️ 

Flexibility around uni  from less flexible ⭐️ to highly flexible ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

 

1. Student ambassador
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Working for your university itself, they understand exactly the flexibility that students need around their course commitments.

Student ambassador tasks can vary at different institutions but commonly include: 

  • Supporting open days and tours around campus. Show prospective students and visitors around your campus, speaking from your own experience as a user of the university facilities. 
  • Visiting events and manning stalls to chat to prospective students about university life and encourage applications. 
  • Mentoring other students by providing support to those who have recently joined or are in the lower years of the same course. 

Being a student ambassador is a great way to earn some extra money in a role that prioritises your academic commitments. Grow your communication skills and get more involved in university initiatives like onboarding and marketing. However, it may not be the choice for you if you’re looking for a fixed, reliable income.

Campus ambassador role not for you? We also work with a number of UK universities to provide our own ambassador role for students, here at Kortext!  

Work with our lovely marketing team to boost engagement with the Kortext platform on your campus by attending events, writing blog posts and creating other social media content to be shared on our Instagram and TikTok channels.
 

2. Academic tutor
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Know GCSE and A-level knowledge like the back of your hand? Other students would love your help! Advertise your tutoring services online using tutoring marketplaces or check with your university to explore tutoring partnership programmes so you can advertise your services through your own institution.

Tutoring includes: 

  • Setting your own working hours so you can work as much or as little as you want. 
  • Choose subject areas to specialise in. 
  • Practice and create resources for your tutees. 
  • Have control over your income by choosing your own rates. 

Tutoring is a great way to support other students and reinforce pre-existing knowledge whilst taking control over your working hours and wage. Tutoring demonstrates leadership and organisation skills that look great on your CV and are highly transferrable as a graduate.

Male student using tablet
 

  1. Hospitality and retail
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    A widely available option for most students where universities tend to be in busier towns with a variety of shops and amenities requiring staff.
     

Hospitality and retail roles could include: 

  • Serving customers – develop your communication skills with the public. 
  • Teamwork – get experience working with others and learn how to operate in a team. 
  • Problem solving – tackle unexpected issues that can arise throughout the day. 
  • Managing and being managed – progress to a management position or learn how to be managed – sometimes not as easy as it sounds!
     

Where the range of retail and hospitality jobs is vast and readily available for students, they can vary in their flexibility around study time, with some jobs requiring long shifts or later working hours that may disrupt your ability to get enough sleep and fit study into your day. 

 

  1. Dog walker/sitter
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    Perfect for animal-loving students, choose your own working hours, availability and advertise your services using verified apps or local agencies.
     

Dog walkers/sitters can: 

  • Manage your own working hours and how much you charge for your services. 
  • Work with members of the public to build a rapport and develop regular customers. 
  • Get out into the great outdoors. A huge benefit for both mental and physical health, also resulting in improved concentration when studying. 
  • Benefit from ‘puppy therapy’! Dogs have demonstrated their ability to reduce stress levels in university students – see for yourself in this study.
     

If you love dogs and have a good knowledge base and experience on how to care for them, why not make some pocket money while you do so! With over a third of UK households being home to a canine companion, the demand is there for walkers, sitters and doggy drop-ins so you can top up your income around your studies! 

 

Stay tuned for our second blog post that will explore more flexible job suggestions where we’ll explore more ways to help you boost your bank balance, whilst staying on top of your studies.