Two thirds of students work to cover basic living costs

For many students, working alongside studying is a necessity rather than a choice, according to a new report by Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the University of Lancashire. The Student Working Lives report finds that two-thirds of UK students now work to cover basic living costs, a 12% increase from 2024, with many juggling 50-hour weeks across jobs and study.

Students working under 20 hours per week are found to be 20% more likely to achieve “good” honours (a 2:1 or first for undergraduates, merit for postgraduates) than those working over 20 hours.

Long hours, low pay, and insecure contracts are also harming wellbeing: 43% of students reported stress, anxiety, or depression due to or made worse by their work, the report found.

This has the biggest impact on those from under-resourced backgrounds, who are more likely to need to work during term time to cover living costs or support their families. Young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds already face significant disadvantage when accessing university – they shouldn’t be facing even further financial barriers once they’re studying.

Alumni experiences

Heritage, an alum from The Access Project, is from the West Midlands, and she describes her experiences while studying at the University of York.

“The summer before my undergraduate degree I worked 30-40 hours a week at a minimum wage job to save up so I could afford rent on minimum student finance. By the end of the summer, I had saved £3,000.  

I also worked full-time hours during holiday breaks from university, although this was the time I should have dedicated towards studying for exams. Despite this, I still had to borrow money from my parents and apply for scholarships within the university to get by. Paid work was a necessity for me to survive my undergraduate degree, and I know many other students who were in the same situation as me, often having to catch up on lectures and work last-minute due to work hours.” 

Recommendations

At The Access Project, we welcome the report recommendations to recalibrate student financial support to reflect actual living costs, including means-testing maintenance grants and raising loans in line with inflation. 

Anna Searle, CEO of The Access Project, says, “This report from HEPI and the University of Lancashire confirms what we see every day at The Access Project: many of our students are forced into term-time work just to make ends meet, and when that work is low paid or insecure, it undermines their academic performance and wellbeing. It is not enough to support widening participation and access; we must ensure that students who have overcome so many barriers on the way to university get the financial support, advice for employment, and institutional backing they need to succeed. 

The recommendations in the report are clear, and we welcome the call for a collaborative approach in setting up support systems for students from under-resourced backgrounds across all higher education providers. Whilst we hope the reintroduction of maintenance grants will alleviate some of the financial challenges for these young people, we know that more is needed to give these students the best chance to fulfil their potential.”   

The Access Project helps young people from under-resourced backgrounds achieve their academic potential and place at top universities. By donating to our programme or volunteering with us, you’re helping the country’s most under-resourced young people find their way to a brighter future.