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Working part-time while studying

by Andra Groza

Working and studyingWe all know that being a student means too many times running out of money and trying to find all kind of solutions for paying a months rent without having to starve yourself.

After all, you cant really say no to all those fun nights out, that unfortunately most of the times cost you a weeks worth of food (the drinks, getting back home with a taxi because hey, safety first!), all the new films youve been just dying to see that finally arrive at the cinema, that expensive coffee without which you just couldnt make it through the first lectures of the day, yes, weve all been there. I know this is how a students life should look like from a social point of view, but I also know that financial resources dont last forever. And, with all due respect, its time to stop living solely of your parents money. They now have a certain age and youre now old enough to realise that if you really want to, you can starting earning a living. Yes, its a part-time job that Im talking about.

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You can always find some time besides your studies

I dont know exactly how the system works in other countries, but in most cases, like if studying in Scotland, you only have a few classes throughout the whole week. Which means youre left with at least three days you dont have to spend at university. I know these days are meant to be spent studying and doing school related things, but lets be honest, how many of you actually use all of them for this purpose? Im not in any way suggesting you should leave studying apart, Im just saying that doing both (studying and working) is perfectly manageable.

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Bureaucracy

However, even if deciding to take this step, actually finding a job can be tricky. Even more tricky if youre Romanian or Bulgarian. If coming from one of these two countries, you should know that youre not allowed to work unless you have a special work permit, a so called yellow card. You can easily apply for one (you just need to prove youre a student here), but it usually takes some time for the permit to come back, mostly around a couple of months.

Where to find a job

Sign up for personal updatesYou might not know where to start from, as there are a few agencies and websites that promise to find you a job. However, the best advice I can give you is to print as many copies of your CV as possible and just go out there and knock on every door, asking if they have any job vacancies. It can be anything: supermarkets, clothes shops, coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, you name it! Most of them might have a website where they advertise their vacancies (and they might send you there to fill in applications or upload your CV), but it never hurts to go there personally and have a chat with the manager. You never know, you might be at the right place in the right moment!

Also, there are incredibly many students working part-time which means that managers are pretty flexible when it comes to working days or hours. They know your schedule is quite unstable and can sometimes change, therefore most of the times making it possible to arrange your shifts so that it is convenient both for you and them.

Being independent

Im not suggesting that working part-time is easy are not challenging at all, especially when trying to study hard and also have an active social life. Im saying its a manageable thing to do and once you get used to taking advantage of every single free moment that youve got, it gets easier to handle. And being independent is the best feeling in the whole world and worth working hard for. You know what they say, nothing worth having comes without having to fight for it.

More information

Do you want to learn more about studying in Europe? Have a look at "Why study in Europe?" or the numerous other articles on the STeXX website. Besides, the following websites can help you to find your study programme in Europe.

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The author

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Andra Groza

is originally from Romania, currently studying Media Studies at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen (Scotland) and did an Erasmus exchange in Rotterdam, The Netherlands