Top part-time jobs in the UK for international students

In the UK, there are numerous part-time job opportunities across various industries that offer good pay. These positions are ideal for international students looking to balance work with other commitments due to their attractive salaries and flexible hours. Let’s explore some of the top part-time jobs in the UK for 2024.

Top part-time jobs in the UK

Here is a list of the top paid part-time jobs available in the UK:

Library Assistant

Many libraries offer part-time roles with flexible schedules, making it easy to balance work and studies. The quiet environment in universities or local libraries can also be conducive to studying while working. This job is ideal for students interested in library services, customer service, and administration.

Library Assistant positions offer valuable experience in a professional setting, enhancing your resume and preparing you for future career opportunities. The job also provides a chance to interact with diverse patrons, improving your communication and interpersonal skills.

Overall, it’s a rewarding role that combines practical work with a supportive environment for academic success. Average hourly salary as a library assistant is £11.52 per hour.

Teaching Assistant

Working as a part-time teaching assistant (TA) can be a good platform for international students in the UK, especially for those in education-related fields. You working as a teaching assistant can assist teachers, lecturers & academics with lectures , provide feedback and gain professional experience. Your job will be to aid students with the curriculum, offering one-on-one assistance or working with small groups.

Many teaching assistant roles are part-time and can fit around your class schedule. To find TA jobs, check your university’s career services, local school job listings, or connect with educational organisations. The average salary of a part-time teaching assistant is £12.13 per hour in the UK.

Customer Service Representative

Part-time customer service jobs are ideal for international students seeking work in the UK. Companies such as Amazon, Argos, and Boots offer competitive pay and the chance to develop valuable customer service skills. These positions provide an excellent opportunity to gain experience, improve communication skills, and earn a good income while balancing studies.

Additionally, customer service roles often come with the potential for career progression within the company, making them an attractive option for students looking to build their professional network and future employment prospects. The average hourly wage in the UK ranges from £10 to £12.40 per hour.

Waiter or Waitress

Taking on a role as a waiter or waitress is a popular part-time job for international students in the UK. The main duty in this role is to deliver top-notch customer service in various dining venues, such as restaurants and cafés. This job offers a great chance to hone your customer service and communication skills.

In addition to the hourly wages, many establishments provide tips, which can significantly boost your earnings. This makes it a potentially lucrative option for students. Moreover, the experience gained in this role can be valuable for future job opportunities, demonstrating your ability to work in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.

Balancing work and studies can be challenging, but the flexible hours often offered in these positions can help manage both commitments effectively. Besides the financial benefits, working as a waiter or waitress also provides an opportunity to engage with diverse groups of people, enriching your cultural understanding and broadening your social network.

Overall, it’s an excellent way to gain practical experience, make some extra money, and develop skills that will be valuable in any career. The average hourly wage for a waiter in the UK ranges from £8 to £11.50 per hour.

Warehouse Operative

If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty, consider a part-time job as a warehouse operative. This role involves various responsibilities, such as

• picking and packing stock for delivery,
• loading products onto vehicles,
• keeping track of stock levels.

Warehouse operatives benefit from flexible working hours, making it easier to fit the job around other commitments. The physical demands of the job also mean you might skip the gym every now and then. Plus, it’s a great way to stay active while earning extra income.

If you’re looking for a job that’s both practical and rewarding, a warehouse operative position should definitely be on your radar. The average salary for a warehouse worker is £11.88 per hour in the United Kingdom.

Retail Worker/Assistant

Retail assistant roles are a top choice for international students seeking part-time work in the UK. In this position, you assist customers in locating items and offer product advice and guidance.

Your duties also include processing payments, stocking shelves, and keeping the store tidy. Famous UK companies like Argos, Asda, Morrison, Aldi, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Lidl, Greggs, etc. offer excellent retail work/assistant opportunities.

Working as a retail assistant not only enhances your communication and problem-solving skills but also offers insight into the retail industry. It’s a great way to gain practical knowledge, interact with diverse customers, and potentially advance in a retail career.

Plus, the hands-on experience and customer interaction can significantly boost your resume, making you more appealing to future employers. If you’re aiming to build a career in retail, sales, or customer service, a retail assistant job is a solid stepping stone. Average part-time retail sales assistant salary in the UK is £22,984 per year, or £11.79 per hour.

Care Worker

Home care workers provide essential care and assistance to elderly or disabled individuals in their homes, offering international students in the UK a chance to gain experience with diverse populations while earning an income. These workers find opportunities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and other healthcare settings across the UK, making it a common part-time job for international students in cities, like Birmingham, Newcastle, Bradford, Leeds, etc.

As caregivers, you need to travel to patients’ homes to help with their daily tasks such as washing, dressing, and eating. You also have to manage medications, perform light housework, and shop as needed. This role offers the opportunity to develop practical skills, engage with different communities, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those they care for. (Average hourly salary: £9 – £14 per hour)

Prep Cook

Being a prep cook , your job is to receive instructions from the head chef and help in preparing meals. You are also responsible for maintaining hygiene and ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly. Working as a prep cook offers the chance to learn how to make various dishes and gain practical culinary experience. In addition, most restaurants provide food to their employees. This can be helpful for a student to save some cash and have a healthy diet.

Prep cooks can find employment in cafes, restaurants, and catering companies. The salary for a prep cook varies depending on the establishment. This role provides valuable hands-on experience in the culinary field, making it an excellent option for those interested in pursuing a career in cooking. The average salary for a prep cook in the UK is £9 – £12 per hour.

Advantages of part-time job for international students

Mental & Financial Support

Studying in the UK as an international student, your main priority must be focused on study. Likewise, there are many other factors that contribute towards a good student life. A student must also engage in social activities, and doing a part-time job alongside his/her study career can greatly increase his/her productivity.

Although it can be argued that international students are required to have enough financial balance to support them for their study term. Earning some extra pocket money through a part-time job can enable a student to spend extra for travel and shopping and afford a better living standard.

International students living in big UK cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, etc. have a very high cost of living and transportation. Earning extra pounds through part-time work can help ease the financial burden for both the student and their family.

Development of skills

Besides studying in university, working part-time can be a great way to improve your English communication skills, especially in speaking and listening and your ability to respond for instant communication.

In addition, working part-time can also develop your time management and teamwork skills, which also help you to engage more in your studies.

Cultural adaptation

Part-time jobs can help an international student to interact and communicate with people from many cultures, indulge in British culture, and swiftly adapt to its customs. Working part-time can lead to making many friends who help you better understand their culture and lifestyle.

Building network & experience

The key benefit of a part-time job is the opportunity to build a network for your own career path through meeting co-workers, customers and clients; gaining valuable experience to enhance your resume, making you more attractive to future employers; and boosting your chances of securing full-time work after post-graduation

How to find part-time jobs in UK with student visa

Searching jobs online:

The highest number of part-time jobs available can be found by searching online. If you are interested in working in a certain position of a company, then you should check out its website to see if they have job offers in your area.

Looking for work through job search engines is also an effective way to look for part-time work. Many UK-based websites such as gov.uk , Reed, Indeed, Total Jobs, CV-Library, The Guardian Jobs, jobs.ac.uk, and Universal JobMatch are some of the top job search websites in the UK.

UK jobcentre Plus:

A government-funded organisation that acts as a recruitment agency and social security office that aims to help finding suitable jobs for people of working age in the UK. Jobcentre Plus helps job-seekers find work via Job Points (touch-screen terminals), Jobseeker Direct (phone service), and their website.

They also provide training information for the long-term unemployed and manage benefit claims like Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, and Jobseeker’s Allowance.

International students seeking part-time work can also apply to Jobcentre Plus, as they provide special assistance to those who are unemployed. You can also physically go inside Jobcentre and use their materials for free to search jobs online and through their listed directories.

Search at local businesses:

Searching your own local neighbourhood businesses can also be an effective way of finding the right job. Start by searching for jobs at your local area shops; providing your resume to those shops can be fruitful.

Check the job tab of your local newspaper daily for up-to-date job listings. Try searching at virtual community boards, which allow neighbours to communicate locally within an area. Businesses like restaurants, cafes, and small retail shops prefer to hire young active students in part-time positions.

Attend job fairs:

International students are also encouraged to attend job fairs or career events organised by local communities and universities. Attending these events can enable a student to establish good communication with potential employers. In a job fair, you can meet recruiters face-to-face and enquire more about the type of employee they are looking to hire. Making use of these in-person opportunities can boost your chances of securing a part-time job that matches your goals and offers valuable work experience.

Explore University career services

Most universities offer separate career services to aid students in finding part-time work. Checking your university’s career centre for job listings, workshops, and help with your CV and cover letter can be beneficial.

Tailor your CV and cover letter for each application to highlight your skills and experiences, increasing your chances of being noticed by employers.

National minimum wages

Starting April 2024, the National Living Wages have been updated . It shows the age and the amount to be legally given to anyone fit in the category.

Apprentice	Under 18	18 to 20	21 and Over
£6.40	£6.40	£8.60	£11.44

Rights & requirements for working part-time jobs as international student

1. An international student seeking a part-time job in the UK must show that he/she has a valid Tier 4 (General) student visa and a written permit on the Visa page stating that the individual is permitted to work up to specified hours as an international student.
2. Students must be enrolled in a UK university or a certified education institution as a full-time student. Any students studying as part-timers will not be able to do a valid part-time job.
3. As an international, students can only work up to specified hours mentioned in their visa. Under a Tier 4 (general) student visa, you are allowed to work 20 hours a week.   Students doing foundation courses are eligible to work for up to 10 hours weekly.
4. Every student intending to work part-time must obtain a National Insurance Number before joining their work.  This NI No. will cover your National Insurance & Social Security system, and you shall be identified as this number in the UK tax systems.  If you work more than the hours permissible, then there will be a 20% payable tax on your income for the extra hours you have worked. 
5. Just like domestic employees, international employees also get the same rights and benefits. Such as the same holiday/sick leave policy, minimum wage  and break times at work in compliance with the labour law of the UK. So do not be afraid to exercise your rights.
6. During vacations, session breaks, and government holidays, you as an international student can work full-time (weekly 40 hours) and can gain full benefits of being a full-time worker on those specific days. 

By comprehensively exploring these aspects, international students can make well-informed choices about part-time job opportunities in the UK. Understanding the various roles available, the benefits they offer, and how to balance work with studies allows students to select the best fit for their needs. 

This approach ensures they maximise both their professional development and academic success while navigating the job market effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)