Side hustles for students

If you're looking for a way to generate extra funds while at university or you'd just like to test out your entrepreneurial ability, a side hustle might be for you. Learn more about these money-making schemes and discover the best side hustles for students

What are side hustles?

A side hustle is something you do alongside your study or work activities to earn extra cash, typically on a self-employed or freelance basis. As such, side hustles are flexible and usually take the form of a secondary job or small business.

'More formal employment might entail set hours with a weekly wage or monthly salary, but with a side hustle you need to find or create opportunities and undertake work under your own steam,' says Helena Joyce, entrepreneurship consultant at the University of Sussex.

Side hustling is increasingly popular and the statistics seem to back this up. According to Save the Student's latest National Student Money Survey (2024), 30% of students are working a side hustle alongside their academic commitments.

While a whitepaper produced by Henley Business School, The Side Hustle Economy, has found that a quarter (25%) of all UK adults are side hustlers, with Millennials and Gen Z leading the charge.

Why should I consider side hustling?

• Produces extra income - The majority of students operate on a tight budget and if wages from your part-time job don't cover your expenses, you're sick of relying on your parents for a cash boost or you don't want to dip into your student loan for spending money a side hustle is the perfect way to gain a bit of financial freedom. Get some tips on saving money as a student.
• Flexible nature - The beauty of this type of work is that it fits around you. You can choose a hustle you're passionate about and work in free periods, whether that's the evenings, weekends or during breaks in your day.
• Career exploration - 'Side hustles can provide insight into different fields and industries, helping students make informed career choices,' explains Ben Dalton, entrepreneurship and start-up project officer at the University of Liverpool.
• Provides work experience and skills development - Side hustling helps you gain practical work experience (especially useful if your hustle is related to your degree or career goals). It also gives you a platform to hone both hard (knowledge of specific software if a graphic design student freelances for local businesses, for example) and soft (organisation, interpersonal, decision making and problem solving) skills.
• Affords networking opportunities - 'Engaging in side gigs often opens doors to  professional networks and connections,' adds Ben. Connect with the contacts you make on LinkedIn and keep in touch - you never know when they'll come in useful.
• Looks impressive on job applications - Running a side hustle while at university shows employers your self-motivation, creativity and tenacity. It also gives you real examples to use in interviews to illustrate transferable skills such as organisation, time management, leadership and communication. 'You can demonstrate your entrepreneurial side and pro-activity to future employers,' says Helena, and this is increasingly important. 'We have seen a rise in job adverts expressly seeking candidates with an entrepreneurial mindset.' Discover more about the skills employers want.

How much can I earn by side hustling?

It's no surprise that this varies depending on what you do and how much time and effort you can dedicate to your venture.

The Henley Business School research highlights that the income generated by side hustles in the UK stands at £72billion, and while some side hustles can be lucrative (think recognisable social media influencers), in reality earnings are more modest, especially in the early days. Getting a side hustle off the ground can take time and it might be a while before you turn a profit.

The National Student Money Survey found that the majority (81%) of of those surveyed with a side hustle side they earned below £500 in the past year. 9% earned between £501 and £1,000, 7% between £1,001 and £3,000 and 2% between £3,001 and £10,000. Only 1% earned more than £10,000 from their side hustle.

You also need to consider that the money you make from a side hustle is potentially taxable. The trading allowance means if you earn less than £1,000 from self-employment you don't need to declare it, but if you earn over this amount you'll need to declare it in a self-assessment tax return.

While you need to declare earnings over £1,000, this doesn't mean you have to pay tax. Tax is only paid when you earn over £12,570 in a tax year (April-April).

How do I choose a side hustle?

When it comes to picking a side hustle your options are vast, but more often than not they're based around your hobbies and interests so use this as a starting point.

'Kickstarting your entrepreneurial journey with a side hustle that aligns with your hobbies, interests or skills will not only make it more enjoyable but will also increase your chances of success,' explains Ben. 'Your passion for your side hustle will motivate you to keep going, and you'll be more resilient when facing challenges. Plus, working on something you love can provide valuable experience and growth, making it rewarding, both financially and personally.'

Also ask yourself:

• What am I good at? Do you have any skills or talents that you could monetise? Perhaps your excellent organisational skills could be put to use a virtual assistant or if you play a musical instrument you could start giving private lessons.
• What do I want to get from my side hustle? Are you solely focused on earning more money? Are you more bothered about gaining experience and skills in a certain field? Do you just want to pursue a passion? Do you want to test the water with a business idea you'd like to follow up in the future?
• How much time do I have? Be honest and realistic as this might help to rule out the more taxing ventures.
• What resources are available to me? Do you have everything you need to make your side hustle work? Consider the materials and equipment you'll need. Will you be able to deliver the product or service you're offing?

'A key piece of advice is to share your goals with your friends, family and peers as people are often keen to make suggestions and introductions but can't help if they don't know what you're aiming for,' says Helena. 'Once you start getting work make sure you get feedback and testimonials to help you improve and enhance your profile over time.'

What are some of the best side hustles for students?

If you're in need of some inspiration here are some ideas that will get you out and about and away from your desk.

• Crafting - are you a skilled crafter? You could make products such as jewellery, candles, homeware, calligraphy or textiles to sell at local markets or craft fairs. If you're the arty type you can do the same with portraits and illustrations.
• Baking - create bread, pastries and cakes and cater local events. Are there any eateries in your community that will stock and sell your goods?
• Tutoring - play to your academic strengths and offer one-on-one private tutoring sessions to other university or college students or secondary school children. This can also be done online.
• Delivery driver - if you have a clean driving licence you could sign up to deliver food with Uber Eats or Deliveroo (sometimes a bike is all you need) , or parcels with Amazon.
• Upcycle goods - rescue unwanted furniture or source it cheap from car boot sales, give it a new lease of life by upcycling and then sell it on for a profit.
• Festival and event work - it can be long hours and hard work but staffing festivals and events is a nice littler earner, with the added advantage of free admittance. Find out how to get a festival job.
• Mystery shopping - sign up to companies like IShopFor Ipsos, Tern and ESA Retail and get paid as a mystery shopper. You'll pose as a genuine customer and visit shops and restaurants to complete tasks such as buying products, testing services, asking questions and monitoring the customer experience. You'll then provide your feedback in the form of a report before getting paid.  
• Pet sitting/dog walking - if you've got a love of animals you could offer your own pet sitting or dog walking services. You'll earn less for simple tasks such as feeding a cat while the owner is away and more for time consuming tasks like puppy sitting.
• Gig/teach music - take advantage of your musical talent and earn money by gigging around your local area - try pubs, bars and live music venues. If you have the confidence busking in your town or city centre is also an option. If you play a musical instrument like the guitar, piano or violin you could give lessons.
• Photography/videography - turn your passion for photography, videography or graphic design into paid work by offering your freelance services to local businesses.

It's also a good idea to check if your university has any part-time jobs on offer, as a potential side hustle opportunity might be staring you in the face. Learn more about student jobs at university.

Can I side hustle online?

• Become an influencer - using your passion for a particular subject (fashion, beauty, gaming, traveling or reading) create content by vlogging on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok and via blogging on hosting sites such as WordPress. Building a following requires patience and dedication but once your accounts gain traction you can make money from advertising revenue and sponsorship.
• Start a podcast - create a podcast series and talk about an area of interest, hosting on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can do this alone or with friends. Like blogging and vlogging it might be a while before it's profitable, but if successful you'll earn money from advertising and sponsorship. Find out how to start podcasting and listen to Prospects Future You.
• Set up an online shop - whether you sell your crafts on Etsy, trade collectables on eBay or sell unwanted clothes on Vinted there's money to be made.
• Sign up for online surveys - contribute to market research and get paid for your opinions by completing online surveys. Sign up to sites such as Branded Surveys, Swagbucks, OnePoll and Toluna.
• Get into freelance writing - if you want to flex your writing skills try copywriting or ghostwriting to earn a steady monthly income. If you can write clearly and concisely there are loads of opportunities and even more doors open if you can speak a second language. Look at sites like Fiverr for listings.
• Transcribing - if you're an excellent note taker you could turn your hand to transcribing where you'll listen to audio files and turn them into written text.
• Become a virtual assistant - put your administrative and organisational skills to use and become a freelance virtual assistant. This involves providing remote services such as calendar, email and file management, answering phone calls, booking travel and accommodation, data entry etc. Check out sites like Upwork for vacancies.
• Manage social media accounts - if you're a whizz on socials you could help local business manage and improve their social media presence.
• Sign up for user testing - website designers and app and game developers are always on the lookout for testers to review the usability of their products. It's an easy and relatively quick way of making extra cash. Sign up on site like UserTesting and Enroll.

Are there any drawbacks to side hustling?

'While side hustling offers many benefits, it's not always easy,' says Ben.

• Consistency of income. 'Developing a side hustle can be a less predictable and regular form of income when compared with more traditional part-time work,' warns Helena.
• Establishing your hustle. Some can be hard to get off the ground so don't panic if your venture doesn't take off straight away. Be patient and persistent.
• Having to juggle work and study. 'Balancing a side hustle with academic responsibilities can be challenging and may impact study time or academic performance, if not managed properly,' cautions Ben. Read up on 7 time management tips for students and how to balance work and study.
• Burnout. Your free time is already limited as a student so be prepared for your side hustle to impact this even more. Filling up your study-free hours working to earn extra cash can lead to burnout. Try to set aside time for your side hustle and stick to a regular schedule where possible. Factor in periods of time where you can relax, socialise and unwind.
• Distraction. 'Side hustles may become a distraction if they consume too much time or if students struggle to maintain focus on their studies,' adds Ben.
• Visa restrictions. If you're an international student on a Tier-4 student visa you're not allowed to run a business or be self-employed while studying in the UK. Carefully check your visa restrictions before embarking on any form of paid work.

Find out more

• Discover 7 ways to improve graduate employability.
• Read about 5 ways to manage student stress.
• Learn how to overcome imposter syndrome.
• Take a look at how to improve your LinkedIn profile.