Key Takeaways
Where students find part-time work in the UK, how many hours to take on, 2026 minimum wage rates, Student visa limits and how to apply so managers say yes.
A part-time job can pay your rent, give your CV its first real entries and teach you more about working life than any careers talk. Finding one that fits around lectures, deadlines and exams is the hard part, especially in a town where every other student is applying for the same café shifts.
This guide covers where students actually find part-time work in the UK, how to decide how many hours to take on, what you should be paid in 2026, the extra rules if you study on a Student visa, and how to apply so that a busy manager says yes. It is written for every university student, whether you are from the UK or from overseas.
Quick answer
Decide your weekly hour limit first, then look in four places: your university's job shop and students' union, local retail and hospitality, campus roles such as student ambassador work, and seasonal temp jobs from October onwards. Apply with a one-page CV that states your availability clearly, follow up within a week, and check you are paid at least the minimum wage for your age. If you are on a Student visa, your visa conditions set strict limits during term time, and some students cannot work at all.
Where students find part-time jobs in the UK
Most student jobs are never advertised on the big national job boards. Spread your search across these sources:
- Your university's job shop or careers service. Many universities run a jobs board or "job shop" listing roles with student-friendly employers, plus paid work on campus.
- The students' union. Union bars, shops, events and venues hire students and understand exam periods better than most employers.
- Campus roles. Student ambassador work at open days, library assistant posts, departmental admin and event staffing are often flexible and look good on a CV.
- Local retail and hospitality. Cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and shops near campus rely on student staff. Bigger chains usually ask you to apply online, while some independent businesses still welcome a CV handed in at a quiet time of day.
- Seasonal temp work. Retailers, warehouses and delivery services recruit extra staff for the Christmas period, usually from October. Some keep good temps on into the new year.
- Specialist job boards. Boards that focus on part-time and student roles let you filter by hours and location, which saves time.
Looking now? Browse UK part-time jobs for students and filter by the hours you can work.
Which part-time job suits you?
Pay is only one factor. Think about how predictable the hours are and which skills you will be able to talk about in graduate applications later.
Common student jobs compared.
| Job type | Flexibility | Skills you build | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality (cafés, bars, restaurants) | Evening and weekend shifts; rotas can change weekly | Working under pressure, customer service, teamwork | Late finishes before morning lectures |
| Retail | Weekend and seasonal shifts are common | Sales, handling cash, problem solving | Very busy periods around Christmas and exams |
| Campus and students' union roles | Usually built around the academic calendar | Communication, events, admin | Popular roles fill quickly at the start of term |
| Student ambassador and outreach | Occasional, often booked in advance | Presenting, mentoring, representing an organisation | Hours can be irregular |
| Warehouse and seasonal temp work | Blocks of shifts, often in holidays | Reliability, accuracy, physical stamina | Early starts and travel to out-of-town sites |
| Office or admin support | Fixed weekday hours | Software, organisation, professional communication | Fewer roles, and they may clash with timetables |
How many hours should you work?
Decide your limit before you apply, not after a manager offers you extra shifts. Start from your timetable: count contact hours, the independent study your course expects, travel time and any caring or family commitments. Then pick a weekly number you could sustain during deadline weeks, not just quiet ones. Many universities publish their own guidance on balancing paid work with full-time study, so check what yours recommends.
Look for employers who let you set availability in advance and give rotas at least a week ahead. In the interview, ask how shifts are allocated and whether there is a minimum number of hours.
If you are on a Student visa
Your visa conditions decide whether you can work and how much, and the limit is strict. For students on a full-time course at degree level or above at a university, the limit during term time is 20 hours a week. It is 10 hours a week for full-time courses below degree level at a higher education provider. Students on part-time courses, and some others, cannot work at all. Under the Immigration Rules a week runs from Monday to Sunday, and hours cannot be averaged, so 25 hours one week and 15 the next breaks the rule.
The rules also say you cannot be self-employed, work as an entertainer, work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach, or fill a permanent full-time vacancy. That rules out things like independent tutoring, freelance design or app-based delivery work where you are not an employee. Full-time work is allowed outside term time, but term dates depend on your course, and dissertation periods on many master's courses count as term time. Check the conditions shown on your eVisa or visa document and your university's immigration guidance before accepting extra shifts.
Important
This section is general information, not immigration advice. Breaking your work conditions can affect your current visa and future applications. If you are unsure, ask your university's international student advice team before you accept a job or extra hours.
What you should be paid in 2026
Every employer must pay at least the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage for your age. The rates from April 2026 are:
Minimum hourly pay from 1 April 2026 (source: GOV.UK).
| Age or status | Minimum hourly rate |
|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 |
| Apprentice (under 19, or in the first year of an apprenticeship) | £8.00 |
You can check the latest figures on the GOV.UK minimum wage rates page. A few more basics are worth knowing:
- Holiday pay. Almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, worked out in proportion to the hours they do. That includes many part-time and irregular-hours workers.
- Income Tax. The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year. If you earn less than that across the year you usually pay no Income Tax, although you may be taxed on an emergency code at first. Overpaid tax can be claimed back from HMRC.
- National Insurance number. You need one for work, but you can start your job before it arrives if you can prove your right to work in the UK.
Search part-time roles that fit your hours
Cafy's UK part-time jobs board lists student-friendly roles that you can filter by hours, including roles near university campuses. You can browse listings free, and the full UK part-time board is available from £0.99 a week. Every role you like can be saved straight to your application tracker.
Find part-time jobs or see part-time plan details
How to apply so managers say yes
Managers hiring for shift work care about three things: can you do the job, will you turn up, and do your hours match their gaps. Make all three easy to see.
- Write a one-page CV. Lead with a two-line profile, then education, then any experience, including volunteering, societies, sports teams and school roles. Keep it to one page. If you are starting from scratch, a CV builder with a clean template saves time.
- State your availability clearly. Add a short line near the top, for example: "Available Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesday afternoons during term; full-time during the Christmas vacation." Be accurate, and stay within any visa limit.
- Match the role. For hospitality, mention anything showing you can stay calm when busy. For retail, mention customer service or handling money. For campus roles, mention presenting or helping new students.
- Apply early in the week and early in term. Rotas are often planned days ahead, and many student jobs are filled in the first weeks of term and in the run-up to Christmas.
- Follow up once. If you hear nothing after about a week, a short email or a quick visit at a quiet time shows interest without pressure.
- Keep track. When you apply to several places at once, a simple tracker stops you missing replies. Our guide to tracking job applications shows a setup that takes minutes.
In the interview or trial shift
Expect practical questions: "What would you do if a customer complained?", "Which days can you work?" and "Have you handled cash before?" Answer with a short example where you can. Ask your own questions too: how far ahead rotas are published, whether there is a minimum number of hours, and how holiday and exam periods are handled. Paid trial shifts are common in hospitality. Ask in advance whether a trial shift is paid and how long it lasts.
Staying safe while you search
Student job seekers are a common target for fake job offers, particularly "work from home" roles promoted through messaging apps or social media. Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue, offers high pay for simple online tasks, or asks you to pay a fee or receive money into your bank account. Recruitment agencies are not allowed to charge you a fee for finding you work, and genuine employers do not ask you to pay to start a job.
A good part-time job is one you can keep
The best student job is not necessarily the one with the highest hourly rate. It is the one that pays fairly, respects your timetable and gives you examples to talk about in future applications. Set your hour limit, search in more than one place, make your availability obvious and keep a simple record of where you have applied. You will usually find something that fits within a few weeks.
Find part-time work around your timetable
Filter student-friendly roles by hours, save the ones you like and keep every application organised in one place.
Find part-time jobs or see how the part-time board works
Browse free with no card needed. The full part-time board costs £0.99 a week and you can cancel at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are a UK or Irish citizen or have settled status, there is no legal limit linked to being a student, so decide based on your workload. If you are on a Student visa, the limit is 20 hours a week in term time for full-time degree-level study at a university, and 10 hours for full-time courses below degree level at a higher education provider. Part-time students on a Student visa cannot work.
There is no separate student rate. You are paid according to your age: from April 2026 the minimum is £12.71 an hour if you are 21 or over, £10.85 if you are 18 to 20 and £8.00 if you are under 18.
Jobs with predictable shifts that respect exam periods tend to work best, such as students' union roles, campus jobs and weekend retail. Hospitality pays similarly and builds strong customer skills, but rotas can be less predictable.
You need one, but you can start working before it arrives as long as you can prove your right to work in the UK. Apply as soon as you have a job offer or start looking for work.
No. Student visa holders cannot be self-employed. You could take a tutoring job where you are employed by a school, college or company, provided it stays within your weekly hour limit.
You can browse part-time listings and use the application tracker on the free plan. The full UK part-time jobs board is available on the Part-time Jobs Weekly plan at £0.99 a week, and it is also included in Jobs Premium and Premium.
More guides on Writing your CV
- CV Personal Statement Examples (UK) and How to Write One
- How to Write a CV With No Experience: UK Guide and Example
- Transferable Skills: Examples and How to Prove Them on a CV
- How to Write a Career Change CV: UK Structure and Examples
Tools for this step: AI CV builder and Career Path.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Rules change frequently - always check the current gov.uk guidance or speak to a qualified immigration adviser before making any decisions.