Earn while you learn
Many postgraduates work around their studies to earn some extra money. At York there are opportunities available both on and off campus.
Part-time work can also be a great way to enhance your postgraduate experience by helping you develop new skills to strengthen your CV and meet new people to expand your network of connections.
General advice
Before deciding what work you want to do there are some important things to think about:
Don't overdo it
Be realistic with yourself about how much work you can take on.
Studying for a degree - especially at postgraduate level - can be intense. Be careful not to take on so much work that it's detrimental to your studies.
During semesters you shouldn't work more than 20 hours a week.
Working on campus
There are a number of opportunities for paid temporary work at the University, which are open to all students:
Join the Student Ambassador scheme
As a Student Ambassador you will help prospective students by giving a fair and accurate representation of the University from a student perspective.
The role is a flexible, paid, ad-hoc position, which you can fit around your study. You'll be offered opportunities throughout the year to work at a variety of events on campus, online and at external fairs.
Be a YuCall Student Fundraiser
Each year we look for students to join the YuCall team as Student Fundraisers. They call University alumni to see what they’ve been up to since graduating, tell them about changes at the University and ask if they'd like to donate to any of the University's charitable funds.
Become a College Life Advisor
Receive a pro-rata salary and enjoy an accommodation subsidy in this year-long position, where you'll play an integral role within our college community.
Get creative as a Student Content Creator
Work with our Marketing team to produce content for various platforms. Throughout the year there will be opportunities to write blogs, film and edit videos, feature in photoshoots, create social media content and more.
Discover departmental opportunities
Additionally, some departments offer paid part-time opportunities to some of their students. If you're passionate about what you're studying and want to get more involved, ask your department if you can do some paid work for them.
What do you want from work?
Part-time work is a great way of earning some extra money.
But if you're looking to learn or improve certain skills you should take a look at the support we can provide to enhance your career prospects.
It might be that a voluntary role or internship is more appropriate if you have a specific goal in mind.
Working in York
The city of York is home to a range of businesses, each offering the potential for employment.
As a popular tourist destination, jobs in the hospitality and retail sectors are a common option for students at York. It also means there can be seasonal opportunities.
There's more to York than what's within the city walls though; Clifton Moor, Monks Cross, Vangarde and the Designer Outlet host a range of retail, hospitality and entertainment businesses, just a short distance from the city centre.
When it comes to searching for a job, being open-minded is key. Excluding whole categories of work from your search is likely to make it harder to get a job.
Remember that jobs that aren't in the industry that you plan on working in once you graduate can still provide the chance to develop transferable skills in things like customer service, time management and communication, while gaining a general sense of commercial awareness.
Working for yourself
Another option is to go self-employed. Some people decide they prefer the freedom of working for themselves and choose to tutor or launch their own business.
It's more complex in terms of tax, National Insurance, contractual obligations and time management. But these are all important skills you'll develop and take with you into your future.
And at the University of York, working for yourself doesn't mean you're by yourself. We offer support and funding to students and graduates looking to develop their business ideas and build the skills and confidence needed for starting a business through Enterprise at York.
If you're studying on a visa, it's important to review its terms, as self-employed and freelance work is often not permitted.