Jobs · 7 min read

How Much Money Can I Make In The UK As A Student?

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As a student in the UK, you can make over £1,000 per month if you want to!

But like with all employment, how much you make depends on how many hours you work and the type of job you do. The minimum wage is £11.44 per hour (for 21 and over) or £8.60 per hour (aged 18-20), but with certain roles, students have the option to make much more.

Now, more than ever before, it’s easier for students to make money - with remote roles available and jobs offering more flexible scheduling options.

Students have the option to earn money alongside their studies and manage their own hours. Even on minimum wages, students in the UK can be earning around £500-£1000 - a great way of supporting their living costs.

If you’re a student in the UK looking for work, why not try to make money online?

Online student jobs are totally flexible and can be done from home - saving you the hassle of travelling to and from work. Platforms like Prograd make it easy by partnering with hundreds of UK to offer a wide range of jobs that are fully online and can make you real money alongside your studies.

How Much Can I Earn as a Student in the UK?

Students in the UK can earn a minimum of around £12.21 to £13.85 per hour working around 20 hours per week - however, this will depend on their age and the type of job they are doing.

The minimum wage in the UK is £7.55 for those under 18, £10 for those aged 18-20 and £12.21 for over 18s.

British citizens and permanent residents studying in the UK have no restrictions on how many hours they’re able to work while studying. However, part-time or flexible roles are preferable as they allow students to balance their work and their studies.

Traditional part-time roles, such as retail assistant or baristas, typically follow national minimum guidelines - earning an average of around £200-£400 weekly for 20 hours of work per week.

More specialised roles, such as translation, content creation or online tutoring, can see students earning anywhere up to £50 per hour depending on the role and their specific skill-set and experience.

What Factors Affect How Much UK Students Can Earn?

The following factors are key in determining how much money students can make in the UK.

Age

The National Minimum Wage differs depending on age. Those aged 21 and over have better earning opportunities as they have a slightly higher minimum wage (£12.21) whereas those aged 18-20 have a minimum of £10 per hour.

However, this is just the minimum. Depending on the type of job, students could earn much more than this per hour - regardless of whether they are over 21 or not.

Location

Bigger cities such as London have higher living costs but also potentially higher-paid jobs. However, thanks to part-time online jobs, location doesn’t have to be a factor as students can earn real money from the comfort of their home.

Type of Job

Certain jobs earn more money than others. For example, part-time roles in customer service, hospitality and retail are good options for students and could earn them more than the minimum wage.

Opportunities like online tutoring, freelance content creation and other online side-hustles can potentially yield higher hourly rates.

Number of Hours

The more hours you are able to work, the more you’re able to earn. However, students still want to strive to get a good balance between studying, working and enjoying student life. International students also have a limit of 20 hours per week for how much they are able to work during term-time.

Residency

British citizens and permanent residents have no limits when it comes to how many hours they are able to work as a student whereas international students cannot work more than 20 hours a week during term time.

Workload

As a student, you still want to have enough time for your studies. Consider your workload and your study commitments before deciding how many hours you have spare per week to get a job.

Flexible, online jobs could be a good way to earn some extra cash around your studies without impacting your progression.

What are the Best-Paid Jobs for Students in the UK?

Some of the best-paid jobs for students in the UK are available online including:

Online Tutoring - current students and recent grads can tutor not only their degree subjects but any subjects they studied up to a high level and feel confident in. With platforms like Tutorful, MyTutor and Superprof there is always a high demand for online tutors and students have the potential to earn £12 - £50 per hour! This is a well paid online job that fits easily around studying commitments.

Freelance Writing - if you have a flair for writing and strong grammar, freelance writing could be a great way to earn some extra cash. From blog writing to website content, social media captions and product descriptions, companies are frequently outsourcing writing jobs. You don’t need to have a specific degree - just the ability to write in a way that’s clear and engaging. Get paid per article or do packs of articles for a fixed rate. You can soon be earning over £20 per hour!

Customer Service - many UK companies now outsource their customer service roles. If you’re a good communicator and like speaking to people, customer service could be a good way to make money online. Respond to customers via phone, live chat or email to help them with any queries, concerns or issues with their orders and you could be making up to £15 per hour.

Translation - are you bilingual or a multi-linguist? You could put that skill to good use. Translating content from one language to another can be a lucrative opportunity and is always in demand. You could be earning anywhere from £20 to £50 per hour!

Virtual Assistant - if you’re an organised, detail-oriented person, a virtual assistant role could be a good option for you. This is a dynamic role that involves a range of responsibilities including scheduling appointments, internet research and email management. And, the best part, it could earn up to around £30 per hour.

Make Money as a Student in the UK with Prograd

Prograd is a platform offering hundreds of student jobs - whatever your skill set or timetable. From quick tasks to part-time student jobs with serious salaries, Prograd partners with hundreds of UK companies to offer the best paid opportunities for students and recent grads.

Click below to get started today.

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