When uni breaks for summer, you suddenly have lots of time on your hands with no lectures or looming assignments. But you’re also probably broke. So lots of students often want an easy way of earning a bit of money over summer, without the commitment. It might just be a bit of cash to fund a holiday with your mates, or build up some savings, or you know – just get by because life is just so expensive right now. Either way, knowing the best temporary summer jobs for students in the UK can help you out. They’re jobs you can dip in and out of over summer, so you can earn money without worrying about having to carry on working when studying picks up again in September/October.
10 top temporary summer jobs for students in the UK
There’s really lots of different jobs you could do short-term, but here’s our pick of the best temporary jobs for students during summer in the UK.
1. Festival work
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Summer and festivals pretty much go hand-in-hand. They’re all about being outdoors with mates having fun. The UK festival calendar is usually jam-packed too, meaning there’s quite a lot of work needing to be done across the summer months. The roles are typically steward roles, which can include anything from manning entry barriers, doing security checks, looking after festival-goers and the site, etc.
Perhaps the biggest perk of festival work is getting to see and hear the artists without paying, while getting paid. It’s a top temp job for students because the atmosphere, young crowds and lineup are all ideal. Totally different to an office job (although if that’s your thing scroll down further).
2. Summer camps
If you enjoy working with kids, being outdoors, or… just desperate for the money…summer camps could be a good option for your temp job. There’s often counsellor roles, specialists in various activities like sports, arts, or education, admin roles and much more. Some camps you’ll need to live on-site for summer, which can actually be kind of fun, but it all depends on the location and job specification. Summer camp jobs are really designed for students, so they can be some of the easiest temporary jobs to land in the UK if you’re studying and looking to work only in summer. Often, you can reapply for the same role next summer too, which is ideal if you’re studying for several years.
3. Extra work
Extra work isn’t just for drama students. In fact anyone can do it, and it’s a great temporary summer job for students in the UK looking to earn a bit of side money. You are often just asked to be part of a crowd, or in the background, so you don’t need to be talented. It often involves a lot of sitting and waiting around, but it’s usually not bad pay. Plus, you’ll get to see stars of soaps, TV shows or even movies shoot in real life.
If you do manage to get any kind of speaking role through extra work, you can expect to earn quite a bit more too! And it’s always fun to say you’ve been in whatever it is that’s being filmed.
4. Internships
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Summer is probably the best time to do an internship while you’re still studying at uni, as you’ll be on a break (unless in your final year polishing off your dissertation). Some are paid some are not, so this is something to bare in mind. But internships are typically a really good use of free time in building your future career. They allow you to network, gain actual experience in a role you might do in the future, and often work for a well-known company.
5. Work abroad teaching English
Finding a summer job abroad is like a working holiday. Ok not as fun as a non-working holiday, but it usually means you can stay somewhere longer, gain experience, and earn money. You could pretty much go to most countries as English is in demand in a lot of places. It could be Spain, Italy, Germany or France, or further afield in places like South America, China, Japan, Dubai and so on…A TEFL (or equivalent) qualification is sometimes required, but there are loads of jobs where you don’t need one at all. You just need to be a native English speaker.
6. Admin work or office jobs
Administrative work is a common summer job for students, involving tasks like data entry, managing emails, and assisting with daily office operations. It’s a great CV-padder, because it comes with loads of transferable skills for future jobs. It might be computer literacy, time management, communication and organisational skills and so on. Office jobs are also quite social, depending how on big the office is, as you’ll get to be part of a team (another transferable skill = working in a team). These roles are available in various sectors, including corporate offices, educational institutions, and non-profits. Admin work can also provide insights into a particular industry, which is beneficial for students considering their future career paths.
7. Agency work
Agency work refers to temporary jobs provided through recruitment agencies, which can be a great option for UK students over summer. These roles can range from hospitality to retail, and from event management to office work. This can often be really useful if you don’t have much work experience under your belt, or hate the long application processes.
The only downside is that agency work can vary a lot in duration, so you might be able to find something for all summer – or you might only be in a role for two weeks. Either way, it’s worth signing up to an agency if you don’t have anything lined up.
8. Call centres
Working in call centres is a popular summer job, involving customer service, sales, or technical support. It’s a good temp job for many reasons – call centres typically have projects running (as opposed to ongoing) so they’re not always looking for someone to stay long-term, they tend to pay relatively well, they’re the type of job you can just go home and not have to think about in the evenings, and more.
You might just have to check shift patterns are compatible with your summer lifestyle. If you’re hired for a project that’s calling people abroad, you might have to work different shifts in accordance with their time zone for example.
9. Fundraising
Let’s be honest, not many people want to do fundraising where you stand out in the cold all day. BUT when it’s summer, it’s actually a whole different picture. You’re getting money to be outside socialising, helping a charity get money. People are generally a bit friendlier during summer too so you’ll probably be able to get more for your charity organisation. One of the best things about these temp jobs are that they’re relatively easy for students to get, and you’ll most likely meet other students too.
10. Pet sitting
During summer, lots of people go away, which means lots of pets need taking care of while they do! If you like animals then this is easily one of the best temporary summer jobs for students in the UK. You’re essentially getting money from just topping up some food and giving animals cuddles and love. I mean it’s a genius way to make money really.
11. Tutoring
Tutoring is a great way for students to earn money while helping others in their area of expertise. You can try online websites like Preply, Superprof or MyTutor (there are actually loads of tutoring websites that offer different rates, benefits and fees). Or you could also look for any in-person tutoring jobs. If you’re only thinking of doing tutoring temporarily over summer, then have a look at summer camps that might need a tutor (see above) or something like summer courses. If you decide to carry on tutoring then it could be a good option to work around studies and it looks great on a CV.
12. Bar work
It’s a classic student job – and one that you can do any time of the year to be fair – but there are lots of barista and bartender roles that are just for the summer when lots of people are going out all the time. It’s a fun (albeit busy) job where you’ll get to meet lots of people and hopefully make lots of tips too. You will need to have some knowledge of how to make drinks and pour a decent pint though. Get practising beforehand with your mates if not.
13. Theme park work
The busiest time of year for theme parks is summer, so they’re usually on the hunt for extra staff during this time. They’re ideal seasonal work for students because it’s a nice break from all the seriousness of studying and feel like a kid again. Plus you’ll probably get to use the rides for free at some point! It’s most likely to be a busy temp job for students, but that tends to make the day go faster.
14. Warehouse jobs
Warehouse jobs are ideal for students looking for straightforward, physical work. Think of the Fitbit zone minutes you’d rack up! Responsibilities might include organising stock, packing orders, and managing inventory. Although these are ideal temporary summer jobs for students in the UK, these roles often offer flexible shift patterns, making it easier to fit work around studies if you decide to carry on too. Warehouse work can be physically demanding, but it is a good way to stay active and earn money during the summer break.
