Part-time Jobs and Careers 2026/27
Finding flexible work that fits around your timetable. Building experience that employers actually value. Understanding your tax and pay. Writing CVs and cover letters that get read. Navigating internships, placement years, and graduate schemes. And the career myths that hold most students back.
How many hours should I work during term?
Most universities and student visa conditions recommend a maximum of 15 to 20 hours per week during term time. Above this, academic performance typically suffers. The sweet spot for most students is 10 to 15 hours: enough to supplement your loan without derailing your degree.
When should I start applying for grad schemes?
Most major graduate schemes open in September to October of your final year and close well before Christmas. Some close as early as November. You need to start preparing in the summer before final year, not when the portals open.
Do I need experience to get my first job?
Not as much as you think. What matters more is evidence of skills through part-time work, societies, volunteering, projects and university activities, rather than a specific job title. The key is framing what you have done in terms employers recognise.
What is the difference between an internship and a placement year?
An internship is typically 6 to 12 weeks, usually over summer, and is paid. A placement year is a full 12-month period embedded in your degree, usually between second and final year. Placements give much deeper experience and significantly improve graduate job prospects, especially in competitive sectors.
- Work and study: the basics
- Best part-time jobs for students
- Tax, National Insurance and your payslip
- Building your experience year by year
- Internships and placement years
- Writing a student CV
- Cover letters that work
- Graduate schemes explained
- Interviews and assessment centres
- Career myths: busted
- FAQs
Work and study: the basics
The majority of UK students work during their degree. Some do it out of financial necessity; others to build experience; many for both reasons. Done well, working alongside your studies does not just plug a gap in your maintenance loan: it builds skills, contacts and a CV track record that makes you significantly more employable when you graduate.
There is strong evidence that working up to around 15 hours per week has no negative effect on academic performance and may even improve it through better structure and time management. Beyond 20 hours per week, the evidence tilts the other way. The goal is to work smarter, not longer.
Best part-time jobs for students
Not all part-time work is created equal. Some jobs offer better pay, more flexibility around your timetable, or more transferable experience than others.
| Job type | Typical pay | Flexibility | CV value | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campus jobs (library, IT, SU, admin) | £12 to £15/hr | Very high | Medium | Everyone, especially first years. Employers understand your schedule and will not book you during exam periods. |
| Bar and hospitality | £11.44 to £13/hr + tips | High | Low to Medium | Those needing flexible weekend and evening shifts. Builds genuine customer service and communication skills. |
| Retail | £11.44 to £12.50/hr | Medium | Low to Medium | Consistent shifts and structured rotas. Good for those who prefer predictability over late-night flexibility. |
| Tutoring (private or platform) | £20 to £50/hr | Very high | High | Strong students in maths, sciences or languages. Excellent pay and demonstrable expertise. Use Tutorful, MyTutor or direct referrals. |
| Freelance and digital work | £15 to £40/hr (varies) | Very high | Very high | Creative, marketing or tech students. Work is often portfolio-building and directly relevant to career goals. |
| Care and support work | £12 to £14/hr | High | High | Healthcare, social work or psychology students. Paid, directly relevant experience that is hard to get otherwise. |
| Food delivery and gig work | £10 to £13/hr effective (after costs) | Very high | Low | Those needing maximum schedule freedom. Be aware of self-employed tax implications and costs eroding earnings. |
| Brand ambassador and promo | £12 to £20/hr | Medium | Low to Medium | Outgoing students. Often irregular: do not rely on it as primary income. Useful for event or marketing career interest. |
How to find part-time work
University jobs board first
Your careers service and SU list roles specifically designed for students. These employers understand exam pressure, term dates and flexible needs. They will not expect you to work Christmas shifts if you have gone home.
Walk in before applying online
For local bars, cafes and shops near campus, going in person with a printed CV during a quiet period (mid-afternoon, mid-week) is often more effective than applying online. Managers hire people they have met.
Use the right platforms
Indeed, Totaljobs and StudentJob.co.uk for general roles. Tutorful and MyTutor for tutoring. PeoplePerHour or Fiverr for freelance. Bark.com for local services. Set job alerts so you are notified when relevant roles appear.
Ask your network
Fellow students, flatmates and course peers are a surprisingly effective source of job leads. Many part-time roles fill through word of mouth. Make it known you are looking.
Tax, National Insurance and your payslip
Most students are confused about tax, and many end up either overpaying or unknowingly underpaying. Here is what you actually need to know.
Income tax
The Personal Allowance is £12,570 per tax year (April to April). This means you pay no income tax on the first £12,570 you earn in a year. Most students working part-time earn well below this, so most students pay no income tax at all.
The problem arises with tax codes. If your employer is given the wrong code (for example if you have multiple jobs, or HMRC defaults to an emergency code), you may be taxed incorrectly from the start. Check your payslip: if it shows deductions that seem too large, you may be on an emergency tax code (usually shown as W1/M1 or 0T). Contact HMRC to fix it and claim back any overpaid tax.
| Annual earnings | Income tax paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £12,570 | £0 | Below Personal Allowance: no tax owed |
| £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% of amount above £12,570 | Basic rate. Very few students reach this working part-time. |
| £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% of amount above £50,270 | Higher rate. Not relevant for most students. |
National Insurance
National Insurance (NI) is separate from income tax. You pay NI on earnings above the Primary Threshold: currently £12,570 per year (£242 per week). The NI rate for employees is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270. Again, most part-time students will not reach this threshold.
Understanding your payslip
Your earnings before deductions
Hourly rate multiplied by hours worked, before any tax or NI is taken off. Always check this against your own calculation: payroll errors happen more often than employers admit.
What hits your bank account
Gross pay minus income tax, NI and any pension contributions. If you are below the Personal Allowance, your net pay should equal your gross pay minus any voluntary pension contribution.
Tells HMRC how much to tax you
The standard code is 1257L (reflecting the £12,570 allowance). Emergency codes like W1, M1 or 0T suggest you may be overtaxed. Contact HMRC via their online portal or helpline.
You may be auto-enrolled
If you are over 22 and earn above £10,000 per year from one employer, you will be automatically enrolled in their pension scheme. You can opt out, but for any work lasting more than a few months, the employer contribution makes staying in worthwhile even as a student.
Building your experience year by year
The students who find it hardest to get jobs after graduation are usually the ones who left career planning until final year. The ones who walk into good opportunities tend to have been quietly building their profile since year one: not through grand gestures, but through consistent, deliberate choices about how they spend their time.
Build the foundations
- Join 2 to 3 societies relevant to your interests or career
- Take on a small committee role if possible
- Find part-time work: any work counts
- Attend at least one careers fair, even just to look around
- Set up a LinkedIn profile and connect with coursemates
- Explore what different careers in your field actually look like
Go deeper and apply for internships
- Apply for summer internships: applications open in autumn
- Take on leadership roles in societies
- Attend employer events on campus
- Start building a portfolio or project evidence if relevant
- Consider a placement year: apply in autumn or spring
- Do a practice CV review at the careers service
Apply for graduate roles
- Grad scheme applications open September: apply early
- Prepare for interviews and assessment centres
- Leverage internship contacts and referrals
- Apply to SMEs and startups too, not just big schemes
- Use your careers service for mock interviews
- Do not neglect your degree: you need a good result
Internships and placement years
A summer internship or placement year is the single most effective thing most students can do to improve their graduate job prospects. Students who complete a relevant internship are significantly more likely to receive a graduate offer, often from the employer they interned with.
Summer internships
Most paid summer internships last 6 to 10 weeks, running from late June to August. They are competitive, particularly in investment banking, law, consulting and tech, and often feed directly into graduate scheme offers. Applications typically open in September and October of the preceding academic year, with many closing before Christmas.
| Sector | Typical internship pay | Application window | Conversion to grad offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment banking and finance | £800 to £1,600+/week | Sept to Nov (year before) | ~80 to 90% |
| Management consulting | £500 to £900/week | Sept to Dec | ~70 to 80% |
| Technology (big tech / software) | £400 to £900/week | Sept to Jan | ~60 to 75% |
| Law (vacation schemes) | £500 to £650/week | Oct to Jan | ~60 to 70% |
| Marketing, media and PR | £300 to £500/week (or NMW) | Jan to April | ~30 to 50% |
| Charity and public sector | NMW or voluntary | Rolling / spring | Variable |
| SMEs and startups | NMW to £500/week | Rolling throughout year | Variable, often high |
All paid internships must pay at least the National Minimum Wage for your age. Unpaid internships (outside very specific circumstances) are illegal. Report unpaid internship offers to HMRC.
Placement years
A placement year is a 12-month period spent working in industry, typically between second and final year. The evidence for their impact is significant: placement students typically graduate with higher grades, better soft skills, clearer career direction and a substantial professional network before they have even finished their degree.
£18,000 to £30,000+ for the year
Placement salaries vary widely by sector. Engineering, finance and technology placements typically pay well. Even a lower placement salary usually exceeds what you would earn from part-time work across the same period.
Loan continues at a reduced rate
You remain registered as a student during your placement year, so you are still entitled to student finance but at a reduced rate (typically 50% of the standard maintenance loan). Your placement salary will more than compensate for this in most cases.
Careers service and RateMyPlacement
Your university careers service will have a placement coordinator for your department. Also use RateMyPlacement.co.uk, Prospects and LinkedIn. Apply in your second year autumn term: many placement applications close before Christmas.
Significantly stronger job prospects
Placement students are much more likely to walk into a graduate job quickly. Many receive a return offer from their placement employer. Even when they do not, the experience and network are hard to replicate in the same time period any other way.
Writing a student CV
A good student CV does one thing: it makes it easy for a recruiter to quickly understand who you are, what you have done, and why you are worth interviewing. Most student CVs fail because they are either too sparse (leaving too much out) or too padded (filling space with verbose descriptions of irrelevant content).
1. Contact details and headline Top of page 1
Full name (large, prominent), phone number, professional email address, LinkedIn URL and optionally GitHub or portfolio link if relevant. No photo, no home address (city is fine), no date of birth. A one-line professional headline ("Second-year Economics student at the University of Edinburgh | Seeking summer finance internship") can help, but only if it is specific.
2. Education For students, this comes first
List your current degree first: university, degree title, expected grade (if 2:1 or above), graduation year and 2 to 3 bullet points on relevant modules, dissertation or academic projects. Then your A-levels: school name, subjects, grades. No need to list GCSEs individually: "10 GCSEs A* to B including Maths and English" is sufficient unless specifically requested.
3. Work experience Reverse chronological order
Include everything: part-time jobs, internships, voluntary work. For each role: job title, employer name, dates (month and year) and 3 to 4 bullet points starting with action verbs. Focus on what you did, quantify outcomes where possible, and link skills to the role you are applying for. Do not write a job description: write what you specifically achieved.
4. Skills and activities Societies, sport, projects
Society memberships, especially with committee roles. Sports teams, especially with captaincy or coaching. Volunteering. Student journalism or media. Hackathons or competitions. Language skills (indicate level: conversational / professional / fluent). Technical skills: be specific. "Proficient in Excel" is vague. "Financial modelling in Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, scenario analysis)" is useful.
5. Interests Optional: keep it brief
One to three sentences maximum. Only include if they are genuinely interesting, unusual or relevant. "I enjoy reading, cooking and socialising with friends" adds nothing. "I have run two half-marathons and I am training for my first full marathon" says something about discipline. An interviewer might ask about anything you include here.
Cover letters that work
Most cover letters are poor: generic, padded and employer-centred rather than candidate-specific. A good cover letter answers three questions: why this role, why this company, and why you specifically. It should be no more than one A4 page and should feel like it was written for one employer, not copy-pasted from a template.
Opening paragraph: what you are applying for and why
State the role and give a specific, genuine reason you want it. Not "I am excited by this opportunity" (everyone says this) but a concrete reason tied to the company, its work or the role itself. One sentence on who you are.
Second paragraph: your most relevant experience
Pick your strongest, most relevant experience and explain what you did, what the outcome was and how it relates to this role. Be specific. Name numbers, outcomes, responsibilities. Do not list everything: go deep on one or two things.
Third paragraph: why this company specifically
Show you have done your homework. Reference something specific: a recent project, a piece of research they have published, a client they work with, their culture or values. Recruiters can tell immediately when this is generic versus genuinely researched.
Closing paragraph: confident, brief and action-oriented
Reiterate your interest, confirm availability for interview and sign off professionally. Do not undersell yourself with excessive hedging. You are making a case for yourself, not apologising for applying.
Never start with "I am writing to apply for..."
Every recruiter has read this opening ten thousand times. Start with something specific and compelling: what drew you to this role, a relevant achievement, a genuine reason you are interested. The first sentence determines whether the rest gets read.
Research beyond the 'About Us' page
Read recent news coverage, the company's annual report or blog, sector publications and LinkedIn profiles of employees in the team you would be joining. Referencing something specific and recent signals genuine interest rather than a rushed application.
Keep it to three or four tight paragraphs
Aim for 300 to 400 words. Recruiters do not read long cover letters more carefully: they read them less carefully. Every sentence should earn its place. If you are struggling to cut it down, you are probably repeating your CV rather than adding to it.
AI can help but do not outsource it entirely
Using AI tools to draft or refine your cover letter is fine and increasingly common. But AI-generated cover letters that are not personalised are instantly recognisable: generic, florid and devoid of specific detail. Use AI to improve your draft, not to write it with no input from you.
Graduate schemes explained
A graduate scheme is a structured training programme offered by larger employers to recent graduates. They typically last 2 to 3 years, rotate you across different parts of the business and combine real responsibility with structured learning, sometimes including sponsored professional qualifications (ACA, CFA, LPC, etc.).
They are competitive and well-paid but they are not the only route into a good career. Many graduates build equally successful careers through direct hires at SMEs, startups or the public sector: sometimes with better responsibility earlier and faster progression.
| Sector | Starting salary | Scheme length | Key employers | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investment banking | £55,000 to £80,000+ | 2 to 3 year analyst programme | Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Barclays, HSBC | CFA (optional) |
| Management consulting | £40,000 to £55,000 | 2 to 3 years | McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture | MBA (later) |
| Law (training contract) | £50,000 to £120,000+ | 2-year training contract | Magic Circle, Silver Circle, US firms | SQE / LPC |
| Chartered accountancy | £26,000 to £38,000 | 3 years | Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) | ACA / ACCA |
| Engineering | £28,000 to £40,000 | 2 to 3 years | Rolls-Royce, BAE, Atkins, Arup | IEng / CEng (route) |
| Civil Service Fast Stream | £30,000 to £36,000 | 4 years | HMRC, FCO, DWP, Cabinet Office | None |
| Technology | £35,000 to £55,000 | 2 years | Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, GCHQ | Cloud certs (AWS etc.) |
| Marketing and media | £24,000 to £32,000 | 1 to 2 years | Unilever, P&G, Channel 4, ITV, agencies | CIM (optional) |
The graduate scheme application process
Stage 1: Online application form
Typically includes CV upload, covering questions and academic history. Many employers use automated screening for minimum degree class requirements (usually 2:1, sometimes 2:2). Check this before applying: it wastes everyone's time if you do not meet the minimum.
Stage 2: Online tests
Most large employers use numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and/or situational judgement tests. These are timed and completed online. Practice matters significantly: free practice tests are available from SHL, Talent Q and Korn Ferry. Aim to practise 10 or more tests before your first real application.
Stage 3: Video interview or HireVue
Pre-recorded video interviews (answering questions to a camera with no interviewer) are now standard at many firms. You typically get 30 to 60 seconds to prepare an answer and 2 to 3 minutes to record it. Practice answering competency questions aloud: the gap between thinking of an answer and articulating it confidently on camera is larger than most people expect.
Stage 4: Assessment centre
The final stage: typically a half or full day at the employer's office. Usually includes a group exercise, individual presentation or case study, written exercise and a competency-based interview. Assessment centres assess how you work with others, not just how you perform alone. Be collaborative, not just impressive.
Stage 5: Offer or feedback
If successful, you will receive an offer: often conditional on your final degree result (typically 2:1). Do not neglect your degree in final year assuming the offer is secure. Conditional offers can be withdrawn. If unsuccessful, ask for feedback: employers at this stage are often willing to provide it and it is genuinely useful for your next application.
Interviews and assessment centres
Interview performance is a skill, and like all skills it improves with practice. The single most effective preparation tool is mock interviewing: doing it out loud, in real time, with another person. Reading about interview technique helps; practising it is what actually makes a difference.
The STAR method
Competency-based interviews (the most common format for graduate roles) ask you to demonstrate skills by describing past experiences. The STAR framework structures your answers clearly.
Set the scene briefly
Where were you, what was the context, what was your role? Keep this concise: one or two sentences. Do not spend more than 15 to 20% of your answer on this.
What was your specific challenge?
What were you responsible for doing? Be specific about what was expected of you, not just the general team objective. This clarifies that you are about to describe your contribution, not a group achievement.
What did you specifically do?
This is the bulk of your answer (50 to 60% of the time). Describe what you personally did, why you made those choices and what skills you applied. Use "I" not "we". Be specific about the steps you took.
What happened? Quantify if possible.
What was the outcome? Quantify where possible (increased membership by 30%, raised £2,000, delivered the project two weeks early). If the result was not perfect, include what you learned: this shows self-awareness, which interviewers value.
Common competency questions and what they are really assessing
| Question | Competency assessed | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| "Tell me about a time you worked in a team under pressure" | Teamwork, resilience, communication | Saying "we" throughout without identifying your specific role or contribution |
| "Describe a time you had to persuade someone to change their mind" | Influence, communication, stakeholder management | Choosing a trivial example; failing to explain your reasoning process |
| "Give an example of when you failed or made a mistake" | Self-awareness, learning agility, honesty | Choosing a "humble brag" failure; not demonstrating genuine reflection |
| "Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities" | Organisation, time management, decision-making | Describing stress without explaining how you actually managed the situation |
| "Why do you want to work here?" | Motivation, research, cultural fit | Generic answers based on the company's own marketing copy; nothing specific |
| "Where do you see yourself in five years?" | Ambition, self-awareness, commitment | Either extreme: claiming total certainty about a path 5 years out, or having no answer at all |
Career myths: busted
You need a 2:1 or above to get any graduate job worth having.
Many employers, including some major graduate schemes, have removed degree classification requirements entirely. SMEs, startups and most employers outside finance and law rarely filter on degree class. A strong internship or placement year routinely outweighs a grade.
Your degree subject determines your career path.
The majority of UK graduates work in jobs unrelated to their degree subject. Most graduate employers are interested in transferable skills: analytical thinking, communication, collaboration, not subject-specific content. Medicine, law and architecture are the clearest exceptions.
Networking is only for confident, extroverted people.
Networking is asking people questions about their experience: something that can be done by email, LinkedIn or a ten-minute conversation at a careers fair. The most effective networking is genuinely curious, not transactional. A single good LinkedIn message to an alumni contact can open more doors than a dozen cold applications.
Graduate schemes are the best way into a good career for everyone.
Joining an early-stage company, a niche agency or a fast-growing SME can offer faster skill development, greater responsibility and better long-term prospects depending on what you value. The "prestige" hierarchy of graduate employment reflects convention more than quality of experience.
You should have your whole career figured out by the time you graduate.
Most people change career direction multiple times. The average person in the UK changes jobs every 4 to 5 years. The goal at graduation is not to have everything mapped out: it is to take a good first step in a direction that interests you and gives you skills and options. Uncertainty at graduation is normal, not a failure of planning.
Jobs and careers at university: FAQs
Does working part-time affect my student finance or student loan?
Can international students work in the UK during their studies?
What is the National Minimum Wage for students?
What is a spring week or insight week?
Should I include A-level results on my CV after first year?
My degree is not from a Russell Group university. Does that put me at a disadvantage?
More university preparation guides
Useful external resources
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