CONTENTS

1. What is a side hustle?

2. Why start a side hustle?

3. Types of side hustle

4. Picking a side hustle

5. Does your uni offer any jobs?

6. Advice for working as a freelancer

7. Final tips

Having a side hustle will teach you valuable life lessons, and give you experiences that you can use after university. With the cost of living rising, it will make you some extra money which never goes a miss at university. But, with studies to manage, it's important to choose a hustle that complements your schedule and workload.

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is a secondary job that you do on top of your main source of income or alongside studying while at university. It's a way to earn extra money, explore new skills and interests, or even potentially turn a passion into a business.

Why start a side hustle?

A side hustle can be flexible and fit around your studies and life at university. You can work on it in the evenings, weekends, or during breaks in your day.

There is a great variety of things that you can choose from to be your side hustle. From freelancing and online jobs to selling crafts or providing services in your community.

Side hustles don’t have to become full-time businesses. You can enjoy a bit of extra income and the opportunity pursue a passion and gain new experiences.

Types of side hustle

There is a great variety of side hustles for you to try. You can use your creativity, tech skills and if you’re a sociable person there are in person hustles you can explore.

Creative

• Handmade crafts: Sell your creations like jewellery, knitted goods, pottery, or personalised gifts on platforms like Etsy, at markets, or through social media.
• Customise accessories: Design and print t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more using online platforms like Printify.
• Upcycle goods: Give new life to old items by creating unique home decor, clothing, furniture, or accessories.
• Graphic design: Create logos, social media graphics, or website designs.
• Illustration: Sell your illustrations online, offer custom work, or create designs for products like greeting cards or prints.
• Photography: Sell your photos online, offer event photography services, or teach photography workshops.
• Digital art: Create and sell digital paintings, animations, or graphic design.
• Videographer/editor: Create and edit video content for businesses, social media, or events.
• Calligrapher: Offer your beautiful lettering skills for wedding invitations, personalised gifts, or artwork.

In-person

• Offer pet sitting or dog walking services: Combine your love for animals with earning extra income. You can use apps like Rover to find people in need of dog sitters.
• Tutoring: Are you an expert at something? Speaking a second language, playing an instrument, or a sport? Tutors and personal instructors are always in demand, opening all sorts of flexible side hustle opportunities. You can market in-person and virtual instruction services.
• Musician: Gig as a solo artist or with a band at local venues, weddings, or online events.

Digital

• Teach online courses: Share your knowledge and expertise on platforms like Skillshare.
• Start a blog or YouTube channel: Build an audience and earn income through advertising, affiliate marketing, or sponsorships.
• Social media management: Help businesses and individuals manage their social media presence.
• Freelance writing: Write for blogs, websites, or businesses. You can choose a specific niche or offer general writing services.
• Copywriting: Craft persuasive and engaging content for websites, or advertisements.
• Editing and proofreading: Offer your keen eye for detail to help others polish other people’s writing.
• Ghost-writing: Write content for others under their name, such as blog posts, eBooks, lyrics or poetry.
• Taking online surveys: Marketing research companies are happy to pay for your opinion on various products, systems, and topics. You won’t build your own business with this one, but it’s an easy way to make extra cash in your spare time. iSay and Swagbucks are popular sites for finding surveys.
• Testing apps: App and game developers and website designers are always looking for users of different technical skill levels to review their platforms and provide user feedback. Again, testing apps and platforms doesn’t help you build a business. However, with payouts of £10 to £150 or more for a few hours of your time, it can be quite a lucrative side hustle. Try UserTesting and Enroll to find paid user testing.

Picking a side hustle

Choosing which side hustle is right for you is all about aligning your skills, interests, goals, and resources. Here are some steps to help you find your perfect fit:

Skills and Interests

Start by making a list of your hobbies, talents, and transferable skills. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Is there an overlap of something that you enjoy doing, are good at and you can monetise?

Goals

What are you hoping to achieve with your side hustle? Is it just extra income, pursuing a passion, gaining new skills, or building a business that you’d like to pursue into the future after university? Identifying your goals will help guide your search.

Time and Resources

Be honest about how much time and money you can realistically dedicate to your side hustle. Some hustles require upfront investment, while others are more time intensive. Choose something that fits your current constraints. Don’t leave yourself without enough time to enjoy your full university experience. A side hustle should be a positive extra, not a stress.

Passion vs. Profit

While passion is important, don't discount the value of profitability. Find a balance that keeps you motivated. Even if you love the side hustle if you end up making very little profit you are unlikely to continue with it for too long.

Sustainability

Choose a side hustle that you can see yourself doing for the long term. Consider scalability and growth potential if that's important to you. If it’s something that you are just going to do alongside your studies to make extra money at university and then drop, that is also fine, but consider if you want it to be a short- or long-term thing.

Does your uni offer any jobs?

A side hustle could be right in front of you at your university. Your uni may offer jobs such as:

Admin assistant

As an admin assistant you would be photocopying, filing, completing data entry, paying invoices, and booking travel.

Working in the library

This would involve dealing with general queries from other students, reshelving returned items and keeping the shelves and the library tidy.

IT support

Involves working part time to provide technical support for halls of residence or departments.

Hospitality

The students' union will have shops, bars, and cafés that all need running. You’ll be able to work different shifts, making it easy to fit around your studies.

Student content creator

Some universities employ students to create content for university platforms such as websites and social channels. You could create blogs, articles, and videos.

Advice for working as a freelancer

Freelancing is a great way to make to earn extra money. It can give you freedom to pick when you work and create a rewarding career path, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. Here's some advice to help you succeed:

• Freelance platforms: Find work on online platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer, they will always have people looking for your work but come with competition and commission fees.
• Go direct: Network with potential clients through LinkedIn, email, or message through their websites.
• Content marketing: Create blog posts, social media content, or online courses to establish yourself as an expert and attract clients. Promote yourself online.
• Word-of-mouth: If someone is particularly happy with your work encourage them to refer you to others.
• Create a schedule: Set realistic working hours and deadlines and stick to them as much as possible. Don’t let your side hustle take over studying for your course.
• Use project management tools: Programs such as Trello, Asana, or Monday.com can help you organise your tasks, deadlines, and communication with clients.
• Communicate effectively: Maintain clear and regular communication with clients about project progress, deadlines, and any changes.
• Learn to say no: Don't overload yourself with work. It's okay to turn down projects that don't align with your skills, rates, or availability.

Final tips

Network

Use university career centres, alumni networks, and industry events to connect with potential clients, mentors, and collaborators. Your uni may offer entrepreneurial clubs where you can meet like-minded people and share advice and ideas.

Start small

Don't overwhelm yourself. Begin with a manageable side hustle and grow it as you gain experience and confidence.

Use uni resources

Many universities offer workshops on essential skills like marketing, finance, social media management, and website development. These are often free and provide valuable knowledge and practical tools. Don't forget that you can always ask professors for guidance. Make the most of office hours to discuss your side hustle concept and seek advice on relevant areas like market research or legal considerations. The university library will also provide access to valuable databases and research tools.