How to make money as a student? 45 ways to make money as a student

The ways we have selected to make money can all be done between your school hours and on the weekends. These ways won’t make you a millionaire, but they will help you to increase your income. Some of them are very interesting and can be done even after you graduate. It’s important to keep in mind that the more abilities you have, the more are the chances of you making money. It’s how the world of work works, it’s all about trading skills for money. Check below 45 ways to make money as a student! 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to Covid-19, some of these ways might be affected. Make sure you are always following the government guidelines on working safely during coronavirus.

1. Work as a babysitter

One of the best ways to make money as a student is to babysit. There are two ways of getting a job as a babysitter. Either you know someone that needs babysitting and you offer your services. Or, you need to join an agency and get a formal babysitting position. In both cases, you will need good recommendations. Babysitting is not only for female students and you can work between school hours. Start by offering your services for family members to get experience, if you are good they will probably recommend you to their friends and with time, you will have more chances to get an agency contract. If you are in London, you can use the website Babysit to create your profile and hopefully get bookings. 

2. Work as a pet sitter

The second best way to make money as a student is to pet sit. This works pretty similar to babysitting, but instead of taking care of kids, you will take care of pets. You will also need recommendations to be successful in this type of work. It’s always better to take care of pets you are used to. The best website to find more information about this is Petsit. This can involve more than just walking dogs, as sometimes you will be required to spend the night to take care of them when the owners are away for example, or in some cases, take them to your home for the period. 

3. Work as a dog walker 

Sometimes pet sitting will require dog walking, but if you want less “commitment” and responsibility, just walking dogs can be a good way to make extra money. The best website to find opportunities as a dog walker is Rover. 

4. Work as a house sitter 

Initially, the need for house sitting started because of pets. When the pet owners went travelling someone needed to be in the house to take care of the pets. Nowadays, sometimes, even when the house owner doesn't have a pet, they like to have someone taking care of their house and doing tasks like watering the plants, receiving the mail, keeping the rooms and the front and back yards clean and tidy, and protecting the house. The best website to find opportunities as a house sitter is House Sitters UK.

5. Tutoring 

If you are a good student, you can make a good income from tutoring. Tutoring is a big business and has lots of benefits. First of all and most importantly, the more you teach, the more you learn. Nowadays, most tutoring happens online, so you can do it from the comfort of your home and not worry about commuting. The relationship between tutor and students is totally monitored by the online platforms, so everyone can feel secure. You can choose what grade you want to tutor. The best online tutoring service is My Tutor.

6. Sell your knowledge

Again, if you are a good student, you can sell your knowledge. You can sell your summaries, college notes, assignments, textbook summaries, papers, essays, manuals course notes, judgments and class notes. If you want to do it online and maximise your sales, use Stuvia. 

7. Be a Movie Extra 

There are casting agencies specialising in extras. You will be part of different types of productions appearing in the background. The payments are good but the times and dates are a bit random, so you might be called to come in unexpectedly. You can create a profile at Extra People for free today.  The other two big agencies are Star Now and Universal Extras. 

8. Sell your old Video Games, CDs and DVDs 

If you have lots of old video games, CDs and DVDs, you can sell them to make money. You can also start a small business by going thrift shopping and finding good CDS and DVDs and then selling them online. Some people do collect them, and what is garbage for some, it’s a treasure for others. Never underestimate a product!

9. Rent your car 

If you own a car, you can make money by renting it. Turo is one of the best services to list your car for free and let people use it when you are busy doing something else. If you are worried about insurance if something happens to your car, Turo has insurance coverage to keep your peace of mind. This is a great option for university students as you won’t be using your car much while studying as university locations always have good public transport links.

10. Become a Professional Friend

If you are someone that is friendly and outgoing, becoming a professional friend can be a good way to make money. The biggest website to find opportunities as a professional friend is Rent a friend. You can create your profile and start being paid to hang out with people.

11. Become a Professional Cuddler

If you are someone that enjoys cuddling, maybe you can become a professional cuddler. The profession can sound random and weird, but there is a demand for professional cuddlers. This can be even more interesting if you are someone that is studying to be a therapist. In the UK, one of the biggest websites to find professional cuddlers is Cuddle Comfort. You can read more about the daily life of a professional cuddler here. 

12. Design and sell merchandise

People are much more into merchandise than we can imagine. If you have the ability to design, you can design and sell merchandise. The more creative you are, the better. The best way to promote your products is via Instagram. Learn here how to create merch that you can design and sell online. The more different your products are, the more chances to sell them you will have. 

13. Do catering on weekends

If you want to make some extra money during your weekends, you can do catering. Many events need extra staff. You can find many different opportunities and one of the best websites to find catering jobs is Caterer. 

14. Do computer repair

If you understand computers and know how to fix them, you can sell your services, first to family members and friends and later promote them online. If you want to go even further, you can learn how to replace broken cell phones and tablets screens, which is a job always in demand among college students. 

15. Do handyman work

If you know handyman work, you can make some money. Nowadays, people are very unaware of how to fix stuff around their houses, so handymen are on-demand. Also, in 2021, a handyman doesn’t need to be a man, as some women prefer other women to come to their houses to fix stuff. Even if you don’t want to be a handyman, knowing how to fix stuff around your house will save you money as you won’t need anyone to come to do some small repairs. To learn more about what type of jobs, you will need to do as a handyman and how much you can get paid, check out this website. 

16. Work as a bartender

Working as a bartender can be a good option if you like the environment of a pub/bar/restaurant. You can choose to do that only during your holidays when you have more free time to avoid the need for working during the night time and rushing to morning classes the next day. Read this if you want to learn how to become a bartender. 

17. Work as a barista

Coffee shops are probably one of the favourite places for students to get work done. As you probably will spend lots of time in cafes, why not work for one between classes? The job is not as easy as it may sound, but the perks are good. You also might be able to fit some studies during calmer hours and get caffeinated for free. Check out this website to find open barista positions around the UK.

18. Start a Youtube Channel 

If you are looking to make money in the long term, starting a YouTube channel can be an option. You just need to know what you are going to talk about in your videos. Nowadays, no matter what type of profession you are looking to get into, you will need a social media presence and following, so starting a YouTube channel can be a way to market yourself and create that even before you graduate. To start making money on Youtube, you need at least 1,000 subscribers. 

19. Create a website 

The same applies here! If you want to market your future skills, creating a website is essential. You can also create websites in different categories and make money with ads and affiliate links. It’s not easy money, but with time you can build a small business. 

20. Work in retail

Retail is one of the biggest industries that employ students because it offers part-time jobs. You can easily combine your studies with your retail work. Even during crisis times, retail can be a good option, as it includes working for supermarkets, for example. Working in retail will teach you many different skills as you will learn how to provide excellent customer service and information about products and services as well as how to handle and resolve complaints. Retail Choice is one of the biggest websites to find jobs in this area. 

21. Write and publish a Kindle eBook

Another great option if you are looking to make money in the long-term. You are probably already writing loads anyways for your classes, so why not write books to sell on Amazon? Amazon has one of the best self-publishing programs in the world. If you know a specific subject you can write around 30,000 words for a small non-fiction ebook, which will result in an ebook with around 120 pages. Learn here how to publish on Kindle and how to write a nonfiction book.

22. Sell clothes online 

There are so many apps to help you sell clothes online that there is no excuse. You can sell your old clothes or hunt for cheap clothes in thrift stores and sell them online for a profit. One of the newest apps is Vinted, which at the moment doesn't charge you anything to sell your clothes using their platform. 

23. Start cooking for other people (become a professional meal prepper)

If you like to cook, you can start cooking for other people. You can start a meal prepping business, where you either go to other people’s houses to cook for them, or you cook at your place and take the food to your customers’ homes. This also works if you like baking, for example. Here you can check out how the day of a professional meal prepper is.  Here you can check out how to start a meal prepping business from home. 

24. Become a medical test volunteer

Being a medical test volunteer is a legal activity that can be paid or not. NHS has an article explaining what a clinical trial is and how to take part in one as a medical test volunteer. You will need to fit in a list of requirements. The payment is good but this is not a type of work you can sustain for a long period of time, as you need to take breaks from test to test. 

25. Become a note-taker 

A note-taker is someone who is going to support other students that for some reason can’t take their own notes. This is considered a support role and most universities and colleges offer these opportunities. You can also work as a library support assistant, a practical support assistant and a study assistant, in all these jobs your mission is to help other students with certain difficulties. You can usually find these positions at your university/college learning support centre. 

26. Recycle cans and bottles

If you are into sustainability and like to live a more sustainable life, you can make money by recycling. Knowing how to deal with waste is an excellent skill to have, as waste management is on demand. Learn here how to cash your trash. 

27. Sell Your Hair

If you have beautiful hair, why not sell it? Using Hair Sell On, you can find out how much people are willing to pay for your hair. This is also not a sustainable way to make money, but an alternative if you really need the cash.

28. Sell your art on Etsy

If you are an artist, you can see your art on Etsy. Etsy is one of the best marketplaces for artists and you can make a good profit by selling your art worldwide. You can even sell digital products. Learn here how to start selling your art on Etsy. And join our Facebook Group, Arts and Crafts on a Budget UK.

29. Sell Home-Grown Produce

Do you have a big garden where you grow your own food? Why not sell your products to people that are looking to buy organically produced vegetables, for example? We all know how sometimes organic options can be more expensive, so people are always looking for alternative ways to make their grocery shopping more affordable without missing quality. You can even start selling your own tea and seasoning blends, for example. 

30. Work for your Professor

If you really get along with one of your professors, you can ask them for a job! You will be responsible for helping them out with everything they need for their classes. You will be in touch with them often, so make sure you are passionate about what they teach and have a good relationship with them. 

31. Start a laundry service

Some people hate doing their laundry, others don’t mind. If doing the laundry doesn't scare you and you even enjoy it, you can start a small laundry service, where you can wash and iron your friend’s clothes. If you are good at ironing, your services will be on-demand for sure! 

32. Help people to move

Moving is not easy, and some people are willing to pay for help. If you have a car, you can help people to move. Even if you don’t have one, you can help them to pack everything they need to be ready for the moving day. You can start this by asking your family members and friends if they know anyone that is moving and need help. You can also join a moving agency, there are many in the UK. 

33. Become a DJ

Although you will be partying a lot being a DJ, there are some responsibilities. You will need to carry all your equipment in and out of the parties and get there earlier and leave later. Learn here how to become a DJ. This can be a great way to be paid to attend parties. 

34. Become a personal trainer

Starting to workout is not an easy task and most people are clueless about how to get their workout done at the gym. If hitting the gym frequently is something you are doing anyway, why not become a personal trainer? You will need to get a certification to be able to get a job at gyms, but it can be done online. You will also be able to help family members and friends get fitter with certain sections, for example. 

35. Become a city tour guide 

If you love the city you live in, you can become a city tour guide. If the city you live in is known for its universities and colleges, you have even more chances to get a job as a tour guide. And if you are dreaming bigger, you can even become a tour guide for international destinations. 

36. Start cleaning houses 

Cleaning houses can be a good opportunity to make money. You can start working for agencies and then getting your own clients when you have built a reputation for your cleaning services. If you are good at organisation, you can even offer extra service to organise houses as well. 

37. Get a paid internship

That would be a dream and it’s possible! Unfortunately, most internships are unpaid, but there are some paid opportunities. Depending on the area of your studies the competition will be higher, so make sure you read our guide on how to get a job as a student. You will probably need to dedicate most of your time and be really busy for a couple of weeks, but it will be worth it. 

38. Become a model 

Nowadays it’s so much easier to be a model because agencies are looking for unique people from different backgrounds. You don’t need to fit anymore to a certain standard to get modelling jobs. So take this opportunity and start applying today to be a model. Look for agencies that are looking to be inclusive, such as Anti-Agency, for example. 

39. Become a virtual assistant

If you are organised and like to control things, being a virtual assistant can be the perfect job for you! You can make good money helping important people organise their lives from a distance. Learn here how to become a virtual assistant with 10 tips. 

40. Become a virtual call centre attendant 

If you like giving support to customers via telephone calls, becoming a virtual call centre can also be a good opportunity for you. Some companies require English speakers to provide excellent support from different locations. One of the best websites to find these opportunities is The Virtual Call Centre Network.

41. Do nails, makeup and hair

If you know how to do nails and makeup, you can offer your services and make money. People are always looking for cheaper alternatives and you can make some extra cash. The same applies if you know how to do hairstyles, for example, braiding. These things can be done at your client’s homes and you just need to offer safe materials. 

42. Become a voice-over artist

Do you have a nice voice that people always compliment you about? Now is the time to take advantage of it. You can become a voice-over artist. There are some opportunities for beginners, learn here how you can start doing voice-overs. 

43. Become a translator

If you know another language, you can become a translator, the work is demanding but can be done from the comfort of your home. If you enjoy the activity, you can even get more certifications and become a professional translator, which can translate live events, for example. 

44. Launch an online course

Make money by selling your knowledge. Creating an online course is easier than you think and many platforms can help you develop and sell online courses. You just need to find the right one for it and start producing your content. If you got accepted into a prestigious university, for example, you can create a course about how to get accepted into top A universities. 

45. Do transcription work

If you type fast and have good attention to detail, doing transcriptions can be an alternative way to make money. Basically, you will listen to audio recordings and convert them into typed documents. You can find lots of transcription jobs online that can be done from home. 

EXTRA: Join TaskRabbit 

If you are someone full of different abilities and time on your hands, you can join TaskRabbit to start making money from them. There you will find lots of different activities you can do, such as handyman services, moving, cleaning and others. You can even get hired to go grocery shopping for someone or to take someone to a doctor’s appointment, for example.