7 University Side-Hustles You Can Start Today

Financial freedom at university is rare. For some, a student loan is no saviour. Nights out, clothes, Pret coffees, Tesco meal deals, food shops, course material (maybe…), it all adds up – and your first term windfall will only stretch so far.

You want to have the best possible time during your university years, that means making the most memories; memories that cost money.

But not everyone needs to bootstrap their degree. You’ll learn how to survive in many ways at university, but there gets a point when you may want to push yourself a bit more and earn some extra-curricular entrepreneurial experience… as well as cash!

Here are seven tried-and-tested university side-hustles that you can start today.

YouTube is the most popular viewing platform for young people – take OFCOM’s word for it – and it’s only getting bigger. Google-owned YouTube already pays serious £££ for creators who attract a large following – but this means more competition.

YouTube is by far one of the most lucrative side-hustles you can begin at university, if successful. Many won’t make a pound, but still, learning creative aspects of video editing, presenting and marketing is a worthwhile investment in your near future.

Transcribing is a less glamourous, but much easier way to earn some extra cash for your time. If you’re doing a journalism based degree, you’ll be no stranger to this. Sitting down, listening and copying voice into words isn’t for everyone – but it is a an essential part of how some businesses operate.

 

You can start with cheap-service platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, before eventually building a client-base of your own, once you’ve gained some experience, contacts and trust. Examples include TV subtitles, interviews, virtual meetings and marketing videos; you’d be surprised at just how many people rely on transcriptions.

It’s not exactly you’re own start-up, but food delivery is big business in any university city. It’s also one of the most flexible jobs out there, but with that comes competition. Sure you can pick your own times, but so can everyone else. You might be stuck hanging around before even gaining one penny for your time.

 

But when things are busy, it can be a worthwhile earner, both for the wallet and your health. This is a good one for the fitness-conscious with access to a decent bike. Just make sure you invest in some good quality waterproofs!

Ticket repping’ is without a doubt one of the easiest and most flexible ways to make money at university. As a student, you have access to thousands of potential customers through social media. By just spending a few minutes a day on your phone, you could be earning ££££ in commission, as long as you’re promoting the most popular events.

For more information about becoming a ticket rep click here.

University halls are fun, sociable and exciting places to live. They can also be some of the messiest. Your stomach may curdle at the thought of cleaning someone else’s flat, but there is nowhere with a more concentrated potential customer base than in halls.

Start off with a cheap service for friends, then as you build your client base, your ability to scale will become much easier. Once you have enough regular customers, you can outsource your service and take a cut of the price, without doing the dirty work; perfect for once you get into final year with less time at your disposal.

University is full of creative and original people who love to help out independent business. So, why not start an independent business of your own?

There are all kinds of hand-crafted things to get into in your spare time. Wax melts, embroidery, artwork, fashion, crafts; use your imagination and turn a fun hobby into an extra income stream. Even if you don’t earn mega cash, it can be a good way to meet like-minded people, all whilst developing a creative passion.

You’re in halls with hundreds, maybe thousands of others. You’re not too bad at baking. You set-up an Instagram, maybe a Facebook page or TikTok. You advertise delicious treats in your university chats. You sell these to the hungry, hungover heads in your block. Before you know it they’re queuing up at the door for brownies, blondies and all kinds of delicious bites. Fool proof.

Or if cooking is more your thing, you can help out those who might be struggling to get their full nutrition in, with no real cooking experience. Students CAN get sick of take-aways, trust that. Healthy meal preps on the cheap might be a good way to earn some extra cash, especially if you buy bulk ingredients and cook a big batch at once.