Have your say: More than one in five university students work two jobs while studying

Here's where you can post a comment about our More than one in five university students work two jobs while studying article.

Read the full More than one in five university students work two jobs while studying article and join in the discussion by posting a message below.

Reply 1

I'm God

Makes me wonder if I should stop wasting my free time... :colonhash:

Reply 2

SarcAndSpark

I'd be more interested to know the number of hours worked. Nominally, you could say there were points during university when I had 2 jobs, but one of them was temping during the holidays, and one of them was freelance proofreading so I could control my workload during term time. This was great for the extra cash, but I wasn't exactly overburdened with work. Equally, I knew some people who only had one job, but worked nearly full time hours- which is much more of a problem!

"When asked if financial stress had ever caused them to consider dropping out of university, a quarter of respondents said it had." This quote is much more worrying than the headline to me!

Reply 3

SarcAndSpark

I agree that students aren't known for being great at managing money, but I don't think it's fair to dump all the blame for this in the lap of students.

I also think there is a place to have a conversation about the affordability of university owned accommodation, for example.

There's also a discussion to be had about whether it's fair to means test student loans based on household income, on the assumption that parents can and will support their adult children. This isn't always the case, and it can put some students in a very vulnerable position.

I agree that there are options, and taking a gap year and saving up can work very well for some people, but this does rely on a few things e.g. availability of jobs in the area where the student lives (not a given), ability of the student's family to support them at home, allowing them to save a good proportion of their wage, applying to a course that allows gap years (some maths courses aren't keen on this) and so on.

I disagree totally that this is avoidable for all/most students, and affordability often puts students from low income backgrounds off certain unis (e.g. in London)- I don't think that's ok.

Also, planning to support yourself via a part time job or working in the holidays can be a totally viable option- it doesn't always have to interfere with your studies and can equally look good on a CV.

Reply 4

Notoriety

If a student is paid to be tour guide round uni once a year, and works approx. 8 hours a week in the SU bar, does that student really have 2 jobs?

Reply 5

CoolCavy

Volunteer Team

Original post by SarcAndSpark

There's also a discussion to be had about whether it's fair to means test student loans based on household income, on the assumption that parents can and will support their adult children. This isn't always the case, and it can put some students in a very vulnerable position.

Exactly. It's not fair at all. Am in this situation and am squeeking by, can't even get a summer job because despite applying for must be going on hundreds now over the years I've yet to be successful in applying. It's who you know, people only get jobs in menial mimunum wage stuff because their uncle Bob's sister Sally's daughter works there

Reply 6

SarcAndSpark

Comments in bold as I can't do the fancy multiple quote thing. FWIW, I don't disagree with you that this might be avoidable for some students and that most students cope pretty well at uni in terms of finances- however, I think putting all the blame on students isn't fair, and I definitely don't think it's ok that someone should have less uni choices than others based on their family circumstances.

Original post by Notoriety

If a student is paid to be tour guide round uni once a year, and works approx. 8 hours a week in the SU bar, does that student really have 2 jobs?

This as well though- based on the £350 figure, it doesn't sound like most of these students are working lots of hours- I think hours worked in term time would be a much more useful statistic- but that probably doesn't make such a good headline.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Whsts meant by hidden fees at university ? What kind ? ( going uni in Sept and from poor background)

Reply 8

Anonymous #2

really shows that people care more about money than the welfare of others I mean correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't university once free

Reply 9

candokoala

They may not apply to you and your course, but include things like transport to and from placements, course materials, uniforms/laundry (medics/nurses) and mandatory field trips.

Read our article on them here: Working class students turn to loan sharks due to hidden fees says NUS

Original post by Anonymous

Whsts meant by hidden fees at university ? What kind ? ( going uni in Sept and from poor background)

Reply 10

sophia5892

I'd be interested to know hours/details too. There were times at uni where on paper technically I had 4 paid jobs and 3+ volunteer roles at the same time... but I wasn't putting in the hours someone with 1 job might have been doing and so don't really count it. And I didn't really need to work - I could have got by on my student finance/bursaries, but I wanted to work and save up etc. And had the time to do it.

Acsel - agree with the points you've made, and it's definitely worrying 39% said they worked 2 jobs to pay rent/bills. But it's a pretty small sample. There's probably lots of students who have multiple jobs but either aren't working many hours, or are doing so more for experience etc. rather than out of financial stress.

Original post by SarcAndSpark

Original post by Notoriety

If a student is paid to be tour guide round uni once a year, and works approx. 8 hours a week in the SU bar, does that student really have 2 jobs?

Reply 11

Elzzscottie

I work 2+ jobs just to make ends meet because despite the fact that my parents earn lots, I get minimum loan and they don't have any way to support me because they have 2 other kids, a mortgage, bills, debts and one is now redundant so saving in case of not getting a new job. I can't even pay rent on my loan in a cheap city! But I need to study, it's the only way to get the job and career I want and a gap year wasn't an option as I had no where to really stay back home and no job prospects where I come from, so uni it was and here I'll stay working 30+ hours a week on top of a degree whilst others get all the money they need and buy a new iphone every term (like my old housemate!)

Reply 12

3121

Wow meanwhile i'm struggling with juggling zero jobs

Reply 13

Sandtrooper

Volunteer Team

Had 3 jobs in my 2nd year (some freelance stuff, though), was in 4 societies and at the end of the year, I got 7/8 1st Class grades, with marks up to 85. It's totally possible with good time management skills, but be prepared for some late nights and stress. I had to give up 2 of the societies for the second half of the year, but I had a perfectly good social life as well.

Reply 14

drbluebox

The issue of working as a student is complex some parents refuse to pay for thier child and expect taxpayers to pay, which can go either way but means the child has to pay

Also I remember at university people wanted a certain lifestyle i.e a lot of partying, a good phone, nice accomodation and it was common for people to just get loads of loans and credit cards as they outright said they can worry in their 30's

With the stats given how many were due to parents refusing to support them? Students own lifestyle? etc.

On a seperate note over the years where I have lived has got rid of cheap HMO's and replaced them with much higher student rents i'm talking the SAME properties i.e what went for say £50 before would now be £70-£90 and student only and near zero properties for non students apart from flats and you need to work to get them on top of that!

Seen student lets for £120-£200 in certain towns when you can get a HMO for £70-£100