Sammie Ellard-King
I’m Sammie, a money expert and business owner passionate about helping you take control of your wallet. My mission with Up the Gains is to create a safe space to help improve your finances, cut your costs and make you feel good while doing it.
Quickfire Roundup:
To thrive financially at university, diversify your income streams: engage in part-time work, sell study notes, freelance online, create online businesses, assist peers academically as a tutor, or delve into the gig economy.
The key is to find adaptapable opportunities that align with your busy studying schedule but still boost your budget.
For me, it’s also the time to test out any new business ideas that you and your friends might have.
It’s the lowest risk time of your life and you’re surrounded by tools, research and a network so go fo it.
My first day at university was amazing. It was like a new world.
Student halls, tonnes of new friends and of course the parties were incredible.
But, this soon wore off for me and I immediately started looking for ways to make money with my student loan instead of blowing it all up the wall.
I figured if I could make money at uni, I could do more, be out more and have cooler things, so that’s what I did.
I started my own event compnay, invested £200, convinced a venue to give me a Monday night for free, got my mates to play as supports (I studied music so this was easy) and made over £1,000 from ticket sales.
Then it was about rinse and repeat.
If it’s one thing students are renowned for it’s being skint, and I was not about that life. Sure the loans are helpful, but most of us don’t know how to manage our money and end up waxing the majority of it in the first few weeks.
Your choice then is make some more money or take on debt. Don’t do the latter unless you really have to!
Table of Contents
How To Make Money At University
To make money at university you just need to know where to look. The beauty is you will 100% have some spare time.
I think my lectures were 3 days a week and so I had 2 days to put myself to work.
Starting side hustles, part-time jobs and making money online are all possible, you just need to ask yourself what you’re happy doing.
There are honestly hundreds of ways to make money as a student but below we’re going to include our tops ones!
Let’s get into it shall we?
Start a business
Starting a business during your university years isn’t just a way to make extra cash; it’s a launching pad for what could become a lifelong entrepreneurial journey.
The dynamic and resource-rich environment of a university offers a fertile ground for nurturing innovative ideas and testing them in a relatively low-risk setting.
Take Ben Francis, for instance. While juggling studies and a part-time job, he founded Gymshark, a fitness apparel and accessories brand, in his university days.
What began as a garage-based screen printing operation has ballooned into a globally recognised brand, symbolising the potential that university-born businesses have.
Similarly, the seeds of what would become Google were sown in the hallowed halls of Stanford University when Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed their search algorithm as part of a project.
They took advantage of the academic resources at their disposal and the creative intellectual atmosphere to create what is arguably the most influential company of the modern age.
And, of course, there’s the ubiquitous Facebook, birthed in a Harvard dorm room by Mark Zuckerberg. It’s a prime example of how a college side hustle can explode into a social phenomenon, altering the way we connect and interact on a global scale.
These entrepreneurs leveraged the unique ecosystem that university provides — access to knowledge, a diverse peer network, and a space where innovation is nurtured.
Starting a business at university isn’t just about making money; it’s about dreaming big and having the audacity to bring those dreams to fruition, even within the confines of your dorm room.
Whether it’s a passion project or a side hustle, your university experience could be the incubator for the next big thing.
Resources:
Get A Part Time Job
Getting a part-time job isn’t as glamorous as starting a business but is if you don’t have a business idea it’s the best way to make money at university.
In fact, 90% of my mates has a part-time job at uni. I did a few shifts on bars to get a bit of extra cash in. You’ve got to what you’ve got to do.
Unless you’re attending one of the country’s more remote universities, most universities are based in towns and cities with no shortage of retail and hospitality businesses looking for employees.
It’s a dead cert that some of these businesses will be hiring when you are in university, and if you’ve got some experience, it’s highly likely that you will find something to suit you.
Just make sure that you can balance your work with your studies- there’s no point working a job to fund your studies only to drop out because you couldn’t keep on top of the work.
Agency Work/Odd Jobs
If you’d like to earn some extra money here and there but don’t want the commitment of a proper part-time job, you could take on some odd jobs or some agency work.
This way you can work and pick up some extra cash whenever it suits you.
Many universities and Student Unions have sites where you can register your interest in agency work, and it’s usually pretty easy to pick up shifts, especially if your University is in a large city.
Become A Delivery Rider/Driver
If you own a method of transportation and a smartphone, you can start making money in minutes with delivery companies like Deliveroo and UberEats.
These companies are always on the hunt for new delivery partners, and you can make £15 an hour or more just for delivering food to a customer’s door.
The best thing about these jobs is that they are totally flexible. You can work as much or as little as you want, and you can work whenever you want.
The barrier for entry is pretty low, too, as almost everyone can cycle and can get their hands on a bike.
Paid Online Surveys
It might sound too good to be true, but it’s a relatively simple formula.
You participate in online surveys, you receive points for paid surveys, and, eventually, you earn enough points to trade in for rewards like cash and gift vouchers.
Students tend to have a fair bit of free time in between classes and studying, and filling out these surveys is both an interesting and rewarding way of passing that time.
It might not be the most lucrative thing in the world, but you can make yourself £30 here and there.
Check out brands like Oh My Dosh too that allow you to make money signing up for offers.
Online Tutoring
If you are at university and studying for a degree, you are, one would hope, a fairly knowledgeable person. Why not make your knowledge by sharing it with others?
There is no shortage of online tutoring platforms on the lookout for students and graduates to tutor others over the internet.
If you feel you have no knowledge to share in a specific area, or you’re simply not confident enough, you can teach English to foreign students.
Sell Your Unwanted Goods
Of course, it’s not just your services that you can sell online.
Using websites like eBay and Gumtree, or even just the Facebook marketplace, you can advertise and sell all of the stuff you’ve got lying about the place that you just don’t use anymore.
There’ll be some fees involved, but you’ll still make a lot more money selling it than letting it gather dust!
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you could move on from simply selling your unwanted stuff to selling other people’s, by raiding car boots and charity shops for bargains you can sell on.
Matched Betting
Are you looking for a way to make hundreds of pounds from your room in a matter of weeks? Then look no further than matched betting.
By taking advantage of a loophole and the scores of free bets and promotions offered by the bookies you can make a completely risk-free profit.
It sounds too good to be true, but trust us, it isn’t. We’ve tried it ourselves, and legitimately nearly £200 in just a few days.
Whilst you need to sign up for betting accounts to use this technique, it isn’t gambling, since you’ll be betting on all the possible accounts. What’s more, you’ll be doing it with the money they’ve given you.
Save the Student matched betting calculator is excellent and so is the Student Room matched betting posts too. Super helpful.
Links here:
Start Your Own Website
Why don’t you have your own website? Seriously, you can set one up in less than 20 minutes, and they’re a fantastic source of passive income. They can literally make you money whilst you sleep.
You could start a blog about the topic you’re studying or something you’re particularly interested in.
There’s also selling products both digitally and physical. If you combine a blog and your own products you could have a passive income generating machine.
Honestly, there’s a million ways to make money online!
A quick plug to your mates and family will drive your initial traffic and you’re away. Sustaining some organic traffic is essential and you do this by writing article focusing on certain keywords or phrases that show up on Google.
Once you have traffic, there is money to be made and there are literally 100s of ways to monetise your website. Do some research into SEO, blogging and niche websites.
Once you’re ready, all you need to do is get thinking about what your website could be about, and then get out there and make it.
Making money from blogging is a realistic opportunity even in 2024!
Sell Handmade Goods
You probably will have noticed in recent years that more and more people are selling handmade trinkets as a side hustle.
If you have even the faintest bit of artistic skill and creative endeavour, you can almost certainly make a little extra money this way.
We’ve seen bracelets made of sea shells, embroidered cushions and even personalised key rings sell this way.
There are sites like Etsy that you can use to broaden your market, or you can stick to advertising on your social media and sell to family, friends, and neighbours.
How to make the most of university?
Maximising your university experience goes beyond academics; it’s about enriching your life with skills, connections, and insights that can pave the way for a prosperous future.
Here’s how you can make the most of your time at university:
1. Embrace Learning Beyond the Classroom: Engage with your course material, but also seize opportunities for learning that happen outside the lecture hall. Workshops, seminars, and guest lectures can provide invaluable knowledge and inspiration.
2. Build a Diverse Network: Connect with peers, professors, and professionals. University is a melting pot of connections from various disciplines and cultures. These relationships can become essential for your future career or business endeavours.
3. Develop Soft Skills: Participate in university clubs and societies to hone leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. These soft skills are highly prized in the professional world and can set you apart from the competition.
4. Pursue Internships and Work Experience: Practical work experience is priceless. Internships, part-time jobs, or shadowing professionals can give you a taste of different industries and roles, helping you make informed career choices.
5. Volunteer: Give back to the community through volunteering. It’s a way to build your CV, learn new skills, and make a positive impact. Often, volunteering opens doors to new opportunities and friendships.
6. Get Entrepreneurial: As we’ve seen with successful startups like Facebook and Gymshark, university is an excellent time to start a business. Whether it’s freelancing or launching a start-up, the entrepreneurial skills you’ll gain are extraordinary.
7. Take Care of Your Well-being: Strike a balance between work and play. Physical health, mental well-being, and a good social life are crucial to maintaining the stamina needed for success in university and beyond.
8. Make Use of University Resources: Utilise the vast resources your university has to offer. Libraries, study spaces, academic counselling, and career services are there to support your journey.
9. Stay Curious and Explore: University is a time for exploration. Take elective courses to discover new interests, travel through study abroad programs, and keep an open mind to where your university journey might lead you.
10. Reflect and Set Goals: Regularly reflect on your experiences and set short-term and long-term goals. This practice will keep you focused and intentional about your personal and professional growth.
By taking full advantage of these aspects of university life, you position yourself not just for academic success, but for a well-rounded and fulfilling university experience that can lead to a prosperous personal and professional life.
Final Thoughts
These are just some suggestions for ways to make money whilst you are at university. There are so much more unfortunately way too many for us to list here but this gives you a taste and hopefully has those brain cogs turning.
It’s true that if you nail some of these hustles then you’re very likely to not only help fund a nice lifestyle at university but even in some cases pay off your university entirely!
If none of these suit you, go and do some more research, or read this article we wrote about passive income ideas or how to make £1000 in a week?
We’re sure you will find a money-making opportunity to your tastes.
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Disclaimer: Content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making a financially related decision.
