1. Become a student ambassador
One way to make money as a student is to work as a student ambassador for the University. You'll take on a range of responsibilities, with the ability to pick and choose which shifts you want.
A lot of student ambassadors work at Open Days or graduation. This could include showing students around the campus or helping the events teams.
You can pick up more regular shifts with teams across the university. For example, you might help the course enquiries team answer phone calls and reply to emails.
You could also pick up a range of other one-off shifts. This includes taking part in photography, video shoots and writing student blogs.
2. Find a part-time job
There are lots of part-time student jobs in shops, restaurants, pubs, customer service and more. A part-time job can help you earn money and gain skills for your CV.
You could try to find a role that fits in with your career goals. For example, you could work as a receptionist at a vet surgery if you want to become a vet.
Our careers team can help you find a part-time job in Preston. There's a job fair during Welcome Week, which local employers attend. We also have the job listing platforms CareereEDGE and Handshake where you can find roles.
3. Placements or internships
You could complete a placement or internship. This will help you make money and gain real-world experience. This can give you a head start in the job market when you graduate.
A lot of our courses include an optional placement year. This is a year-long paid placement in your chosen industry. You'll see what it's like to work day-to-day in your role. You're responsible for finding an employer, but our careers team offer lots of help. Our students have completed placements with BAE, McClaren, Boohoo and more.
You could also look for a summer internship. This is a shorter period of work, but can be just as valuable. Plus, it's a great way to earn extra money over the summer holidays. Our careers service can help you find and apply to summer internships.
4. Sell your old textbooks
An easy way to make money as a student is to sell your old textbooks at the end of the year. List your textbooks on eBay, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace. You might even be able to post them in your course Facebook or WhatsApp group.
You could also sell them to a book-buying company, like Amazon, musicMagpie or WeBuyBooks. These companies buy old books to resell at a profit. You may earn less money, but it can be easier than trying to sell it yourself.
5. Sell your unwanted items
There are lots of second-hand selling platforms where students can make money. Sell your old clothes, books, homeware and more online. Popular platforms include Vinted, Depop, eBay and more.
You could also sell your items at a car boot sale. Your items may sell for less, but it could be a good way to sell lots of items at once.
6. Social media
You don't have to have millions of followers to make money on social media. Micro-influencers are becoming an increasingly popular way for brands to reach customers. They're seen as more authentic and can influence purchase decisions.
There are several ways to monetise your social media:
7. Start a business
You could start a business alongside your studies. This could be selling a product or a service. Make sure you have a clear business plan and goals. It may be some time before you start to make money from your business.
Our student entrepreneurs can get support from the Student Enterprise Hub. You'll receive one-to-one mentoring and straight-forward advice. You can attend workshops on how to make a business plan, start trading, raise finance and apply for loans or grants.
8. Freelance
Freelance work can be a great way to make money as a student. Try to align your work with the skills you have gained from your course. Include individual modules which have prepared you for this role. This will help you stand out to clients.
You could get freelance work as a:
- Copywriter
- Content creator
- Designer
- Developer
- Personal assistant
- Translator
There are lots of freelance websites, including industry specific ones. Make sure to do your research before choosing a freelancing platform. You can also advertise your services on social media.
9. Tutor students
Lots of students make money from tutoring. You could work with children from primary school age right up to college. You'll help students understand course content and improve their skills. This might be in preparation for an exam, like GCSEs or A Levels.
There are lots of online tutoring services that you can sign up to. Find out more in our how to become a tutor guide.
10. Complete questionnaires
This might be the easiest way to make money as a student. You can sign up to questionnaire services like SwagBucks or Google Opinion Rewards. These services will pay you for your opinion. This might take the form of vouchers or money.
Most questionnaires are short and only pay a small amount. But the more questionnaires you do, the more you'll get. Plus, you can fill them out while you're doing other things like watching your favourite show.
You might also get the opportunity to take part in longer questionnaires which pay more.
11. Sign up to paid research
There's lots of research at university. Sign up to paid research opportunities. You might be able to find opportunities posted around campus or online.
Paid research tends to be more intense than a questionnaire. You might be taking part in product testing, focus groups or observations. Make sure you check what's involved before you sign up.
12. Transcribing
You're used to writing notes during lectures, so why not make money from it? Transcribing is slightly different to note-taking, as you have to write down everything that is said. This can take a lot of time, so lots of creators and businesses are willing to pay transcribers to do it. You could be transcribing captions for videos or write up customer service phone conversations.
13. YouTube videos
You can earn money from paid advertising slots in YouTube videos. You need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours in the last year. YouTube will review your channel too.
YouTube can be a good way to make passive income. That's because once your video is posted, it can keep getting views for years. Try to produce evergreen content like recipe videos, calming scenes or countdowns.
14. Create digital assets
Digital assets can be another great way to generate a passive income as a student. Just upload your digital asset to an online store. Then, people can pay to download your asset.
A digital asset could be anything. You could set up your own website where you sell recipes, meal plans and workout guides. Or you could sell digital art prints on Etsy, which people pay to download and print.
15. Dog walking
Lots of people bought dogs during the pandemic. Now all their owners are back at work, but the dogs still need walking.
You can sign up to dog walking apps like Rover. Uni students have lots of free time during the day, so you could walk dogs between lectures. Set up a profile and build a relationship with dog owners.
You can even look after pets while their owners are on holiday, either at your or the owner's home. Just make sure you check your accommodation rules first.
16. Switch provider
You can make money just by switching your bank account, energy provider or phone contract. This can be a quick way to get a bit of extra cash. Some providers will offer up to £200.
Just do the maths to make sure you're not losing money in long run. Workout if an increase in your monthly payments will add up to more than the cash you'll get back.
17. Earn interest
Your money could be earning interest in a savings account. Interest rates are relatively low, but you can earn money for doing nothing.
For example, if you put £1,000 into a savings account with a yearly interest rate of 5%, you will have £1,050 by the end of the year.
Shop around for the best interest rates and don't be afraid to switch bank accounts. Make sure you check whether the interest is paid monthly or yearly, and choose the best option for you.
