Working Part-Time While Studying Abroad

Are you thinking about studying abroad but want to know how to manage your living costs? Working part-time while studying abroad is a popular solution among students! Look for the best opportunity to earn as you learn and gain valuable experience that can give you a career advantage. Gradstar Global presents eight of the best part-time jobs for you that provide financial assistance, skill development, and cultural immersion. Now, let’s explore the world of working and studying abroad with confidence!

Why Should You Think About Working Part-Time While Studying Abroad?

Studying abroad opens doors to new experiences, but the cost of living can make future international students hesitate. Working part-time not only helps you financially but also provides valuable hard and soft skills you can transfer into your career after graduation. Plus, it’s a chance to immerse yourself in the local culture. Here are some of the major perks of working part-time while studying abroad:

Financial Independence: Offset your living costs and expenses and reduce your dependence on external financial sources. You have greater financial freedom not only to cover necessities but also to set up some savings and spoil yourself a little!

Skill Development: Gain practical skills beyond academics. This will help you enhance your employability with hands-on experience in diverse work environments.

Cultural Immersion: Get a deeper understanding of customs and ways of life by engaging with locals and growing familiar with the culture.

Networking Opportunities: Establish connections in your host country. This will create valuable networks that may open doors to future job opportunities for you.

Reduced Debt: Working part-time allows you to manage expenses without accumulating any debt. It can contribute to a more financially stable future for you.

Sense of Independence: Alongside financial independence, you will experience personal independence too. You will develop a strong sense of self-reliance and resilience, which will help you enter the working world after graduation with confidence.

Language Proficiency: Improve your language skills by engaging in daily conversations at work. This will enhance both academic and practical language proficiency for you.

8 Best Part-Time Work Options for International Students

Here are the 8 best part-time work suggestions for you while studying abroad. The primary reason for working part-time while studying abroad is to earn while you learn. Nonetheless, these options can also allow you to explore your interests while developing valuable life skills:

1. Retail Jobs

Retail jobs involve working in stores or malls. It is a very common part-time work option for international students. You can work in shops like clothing stores, electronic shops, grocery stores, bookshops, and cosmetics stores. Pay for retail positions is usually at hourly rates. In Canada, it’s about $13-$16 per hour for part-timers in retail.

If you have a basic understanding of sales, customer interaction skills, and can handle cash, you can easily go for this kind of retail job. You will also receive on-the-job training about how to approach customers, which products or services to promote, what language to use, and how to conduct yourself.

2. Hospitality and Food Service

With a booming tourism sector worldwide, jobs in restaurants, cafes, and bars are common. You’ll need excellent communication skills, time management, an ability to keep calm under pressure, and a knack for customer service for this job. Many international students find part-time work in restaurants, cafes, or bars as waitstaff, baristas, or kitchen help.

If you study in Australia, you can earn $600 to $1,000 per week by working in hospitality and food service. With roles like waitstaff or barista, you gain insights into local culture and interact with people from various backgrounds.

You also pick up both job-specific skills (great if you eventually want to work in hospitality in the future) as well as transferrable soft skills. Even if you don’t work in hospitality in the future, you learn to maintain a smooth workflow, manage multiple customers, make split-second decisions to keep service moving without interference, and more. These are all skills you can apply to other professions.

The flexible hours can accommodate your study schedule, and the income helps cover living and personal costs. If you are attentive to detail and can juggle multiple responsibilities to maintain efficiency, hospitality may be a great fit for you when working part-time while studying abroad.

3. Tutoring

If you excel in a particular subject, you could offer tutoring services to fellow students or juniors. You can look for opportunities to teach a particular subject area to school-goers too.

To tutor in a foreign country, focus on essential skills. Firstly, master the subject you’re tutoring. Clear communication is key—explain complex concepts in a way that’s easy to understand. You need to be very patient in this job. Especially when students have questions or different learning speeds.

Be adaptable, adjusting your teaching style to suit each student. Stay organized, planning sessions and managing time effectively for a smooth tutoring experience in a foreign academic environment.

This is a perfect opportunity for students in Education to get that hands-on work experience. It’s also a great option for students with a knack for a subject and the ability to teach it to others.

4. Administrative Assistant

While working part-time as an Administrative Assistant, you’ll complete tasks that help the office run smoothly. You need good organization and communication skills, attention to detail, and know-how in using office software. You can earn $30-$35 per hour by working as an administrative assistant while studying in Australia.

Your job will involve doing office work, entering data, managing paperwork and inventory, and communicating with your team. It’s a chance to learn practical office skills, get better at managing time, and understand how a professional workplace works.

This part-time job is great for international students to gain experience and set a good base for future careers. These sorts of clerical opportunities are available both on- and off-campus, too! After all, universities are huge organizations with multiple moving parts that need the manpower to keep the cogs turning. If studying in the USA, where outside of program-specific training students can only work part-time on campus, administrative roles are a great option for international students.

5. Freelancing

Freelancing as a part-time job offers flexibility and diverse opportunities. If you have skills in graphic design, writing, coding, or social media management, freelancing can be a lucrative venture. You can provide your services online to clients who need them, earning a fee on the basis of your expertise, qualifications, and market rates. Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour are excellent for finding freelance gigs.

You can earn $10-$100 per hour if you work as a freelancer. You have the flexibility of choosing your own projects, hours, and rates. Job opportunities are available from any country in the world as long as you find the right client and project!

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting, you can set your hours, work independently, and potentially earn a competitive income. It’s a great way to leverage your skills while studying abroad and gain practical experience in your field of expertise.

6. Research Assistant

If you’re looking for a part-time job in your destination country, being a Research Assistant is a solid option. You’ll help with research projects, collect and analyze data, and support academic staff in their research work.

The benefits of working part-time while studying abroad as a research assistant are quite compelling. As a research assistant, your compensation may go towards covering your tuition fees and/or living expenses. Meanwhile, as a prospective research student, you’ll learn a lot about academia. Some research projects may lead you to co-author a study. Having your name and contributions in published journals will be helpful if you want to build a career in academia.

For this job, you need strong research skills and attention to detail. You should also have familiarity with relevant research tools and methodologies in your field of study. You can check university job boards or ask your professors about opportunities. It’s a great way to support yourself financially and boost your academic and professional profile.

And how much does it pay? It depends totally on the university or the professor you’ll be working with. On average, research assistants earn anywhere from $15 to $25 per hour. You can also get an opportunity to co-author in a publication as an honorarium.

7. Delivery Driver

Being a delivery driver is another great option for working part-time while studying abroad. You need a driver’s license, good driving skills, and knowledge of traffic rules in your destination country. The more you drive, the more you earn—simple as that. In this job, you’ll need to use maps or GPS for accurate deliveries, deliver packages within specified timeframes, and know the basics of a vehicle.

On average, you can make around £10 to £12 per hour in the UK. Many companies train their delivery drivers and provide their own vehicles for these riders to make the rounds. Some companies may require you to have your own vehicle. As an international student, this is a little more complicated, but not unheard of.

8. Event Staff

Working part-time as an event staff while studying abroad is very exciting. You get to engage with diverse events and gain valuable experiences. Teamwork is one of the most important aspects of working in event management. You should have organizational abilities as you collaborate with fellow staff members to ensure the smooth execution of events. Communication skills are very important here as you will be interacting with vendors, contractors, team members, as well as event attendees.

On average, event staff members in Canada can earn anywhere from $15 to $20 per hour. The pay and benefits vary from country to country. However, the experience provides networking opportunities and lots of hands-on experience. You can explore event agencies or university event departments for potential openings.

Countries Where You Can Work While Studying Abroad

Australia: You can work part-time up to 48 hours per fortnight during the semester while studying in Australia. On average, you might earn around $20 per hour, helping you cover living costs. It will help you gain work experience and financial support.

Canada: The part-time work limit in Canada is 20 hours per week during the semester. You could earn around $15 to $20 per hour. Working part-time in Canada not only supports you financially but also opens doors to new experiences.

United Kingdom: In the UK, you can work up to 20 hours per week during the term. The pay varies, but it helps cover expenses. Again, part-time work is a valuable opportunity to cover your expenses and make the most of your time in the UK.

Tips for Getting a Part-Time Job While Studying Abroad

Network with locals and fellow students. You can create a profile on LinkedIn to get better exposure and networking.

• Customize your resume for the local job market.

• Use university career services for guidance.

• Actively contact businesses or apply online.

• Enhance interview skills and show enthusiasm.

• Explore work-study programs at your university.

• Stay updated on local job fairs and events.

• Be persistent and positive in your job search.

Rounding Up

To sum up, working part-time while studying abroad enriches your international student experience. It offers financial support and skill development to build long-term careers. It’s a gateway to independence, connecting you with the local culture and people. From tutoring to event staff roles, these opportunities enhance your international education. Take a chance on part-time work as a valuable companion to your studies and shape a well-rounded and fulfilling study abroad journey.