Balancing university life with the rising cost of living isn't easy. Rent, groceries, textbooks, nights out – it all adds up fast, and your student finance won’t always cover everything you need.
The good news? Earning extra cash doesn't have to mean long shifts, taking on two (or more) jobs, or giving up your evenings and weekends. In some cases, it doesn’t even have to mean leaving your room!
We’ve unlocked 10 side hustles that can be fitted around your lectures, scaled up or down depending on how busy you are, and started from your room.
Student side hustles: which one will you choose?
Student side hustle #1: Online tutoring
Knowledge is valuable. If you’re confident in a subject, whether it’s the one you’re studying now or something else, then someone out there could benefit from your help – from GCSE and A-level pupils, to struggling first-year uni students.
Platforms like MyTutor and Superprof allow you to set your own rate, hours, and subjects you cover. They handle the admin, so all you need to do is is show up, teach via video call, and get paid.
How to get started: Step one is to create your profile. Set a competitive rate to start, get some initial reviews, then you can raise your rate once you've got some bookings under your belt. A typical rate is £15-40 per hour depending on subject and level.
Student side hustle #2: Freelance writing
Do essays come naturally to you? Do you enjoy writing on the side? Then put your writing skills to use. Businesses, marketing agencies, blogs and more are looking for content – everything from articles and product descriptions to social captions and newsletters, you name it.
Explore opportunities on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to start pitching from your laptop. The more niche your knowledge (medicine / law / finance students, rise up!), the more you can charge.
How to get started: Write two or three sample pieces, or existing examples that you’ve already written. Upload them to a free portfolio site like Journo Portfolio and link it from your Fiverr or Upwork profile. You can typically pull in £15-80 per article, based on length and topic.
Student side hustle #3: Selling your notes online
If you’re raising an eyebrow, don’t worry: note-selling is nothing to do with cheating. You're already making notes and other students may be looking for additional revision materials, so why not turn them into passive income? High-quality notes, lecture summaries and study guides sell on platforms like Stuvia and NotesMarket.
You don’t have to worry about shipping, stock, etc. Upload once, earn every time someone downloads. Simple.
How to get started: Start small, e.g. with a module you’ve already finished. Tidy up the material, upload as a PDF, and set your price between £2-8 to start building reputable reviews. Then go from there!
Student side hustle #4: Social media management
Social-savvy? Sink your personal time into TikTok? Being chronically online is an asset, when so many small business owners are looking for good content.
Don’t worry: you don't need to be a professional. The key is understanding the platforms (and the differences between them), consistency, and clear communication. Approaching local businesses (think cafés, independent shops, services) with a simple pitch may turn into a social side gig – and, if nothing else, you’ll get real-life practice at pitching to a potential client.
How to get started: Get on Canva and turn around two or three example posts for a business you like, or a business you’re looking to pitch to. If you score a sideline social gig, what you earn will vary depending on the business – but you could be looking in the hundreds of pounds per client, for regular posting! 😮
Student side hustle #5: Refer a friend or student to Student Roost
Not to brag or anything, but this is the quickest one on the list. No setup, portfolio or pitching needed. Just send your code, and let the £££ rain down!
If you live at Student Roost and know someone who's looking for a room, this is genuinely one of the easiest ways to put money in your account right now. Share your referral code to friends, family, the group chat, online on socials and/or forums – and when a student uses your code when booking a Student Roost room, you get £150.
And, for a limited time only (terms and conditions apply), both you and the booking student get £150 each. That's £150 for you and £150 for them.
How to get started: It couldn’t be easier. Find your code on your Student Roost account, share it with anyone and everyone, and prepare for that referral cashback to come rolling in when the referred students move in. Good luck!
Student side hustle #6: Sell on Etsy
Sure, you can buy and sell all manner of items on Etsy – and if you have a talent for crafts, then you may already have a presence on there. However, did you know you can sell digital products on there too? This means no inventory, no postage costs, and no time-sucking admin.
If you can make something useful on Canva like a CV template, budgeting spreadsheet, meal planner or phone wallpaper, you can share the love and sell it on Etsy. Others might really love your work, and want it enough to pay for it too!Start with something you've already made for yourself — a meal planner, a to-do list template, a study schedule — and see if others might want it too.
How to get started: Start with something you’ve already made for yourself, or browse Etsy for what’s selling in your niche and design something to capitalise on this or plug a gap. Price your work competitively, ensuring the product photos are clear and good quality. The first sale is always the hardest – once you’re on a roll, you could potentially draw in anywhere from a couple of quid to £20 per download. We love to see it.
Student side hustle #7: Virtual assistant work
Looking for something remote and flexible that you can fit around lectures from your desk? Sure, that’s most things on this list, but there are small business owners and self-employed professionals out there who are often drowning in admin, so if you thrive on organisation then this could be the perfect fit.
Emails, calendar management, scheduling, data entry, customer and community responses. If this sounds like your bag, then your time will be valued by individuals who are looking for extra support.
How to get started: Search ‘virtual assistant’ on Fiverr or PeoplePerHour and list specific tasks you can help with (inbox management, scheduling, research) rather than a vague offer to help with everything. Look for opportunities with flexible hours, so you can base it around uni work, with hourly rates around the £12-25 mark.
Student side hustle #8: Selling your pre-loved clothes
Ah, a classic. You may already have a Vinted or Depop account, so make the most of it by giving a second home to that dress or shirt that you haven’t worn in two years and probably never will ever again. List an item in minutes, post it when it sells – aside from the odd trip to the post office, it’s a low-effort side hustle.
Once you've sold your own stuff, buy low-priced clothes from vintage shops and car boot sales and resell at a margin for additional income. It’s a tried-and-tested business model, ideal for a busy student looking to make some extra cash.
How to get started: Once you’re on the platform(s), take care to feature clear photos, descriptive captions including key info like size, condition and measurements, and price competitively to build up sales and reviews. The world is your oyster when it comes to what you could earn, as some popular brands can demand higher prices of £100 or more.
Student side hustle #9: Affiliate marketing
Do you already share recommendations to friends on WhatsApp or socials? You might as well get paid for it. Affiliate marketing means sharing a unique link to a product, and earning a percentage every time someone buys through it.
The passive nature of activity like this makes it perfect for students. Amazon Associates is a good starting point – you can generate links for almost any product Amazon sells. Other programmes worth looking into include ASOS, LOOKFANTASTIC and networks like Awin and ShareASale.
How to get started: Authenticity and trust are key here. Share links to things you genuinely use, as honest recommendations will convert better. A blog, TikTok or Instagram account are just some options for your platform, and you’re looking at a typical commission of 3-10% per sale.
Student side hustle #10: Online surveys and user research
Do you end up scrolling on your phone when you’re chilling, procrastinating or filling spare time between lectures? Use that time to make some extra money.
Apps like Prolific match you with academic and market research studies based on your demographic, while UserTesting pays you to test websites and apps for around £10-15 per 20-minute session.
How to get started: Sign up, turn on notifications and react quickly when new opportunities drop, as they can fill up fast.
Before you start: student side hustle checklist
Sounds great, right? Here are just a few tips that are worth knowing, so you can balance your money-making side schemes with the main business of your uni work.
Start with one hustle
Choose one thing that appeals the most to you, rather than juggling five from the get-go. Which one fits your skills best? Try that first then add more when you feel ready.
Use free tools
This is about making money, not spending it. Utilise free-to-use versions of platforms like Canva, Notion, Fiverr, Trello – you don't need to spend anything to start earning. You can consider upgrading when you're actually making money.
Set dedicated time
Setting “office hours” means you’ll commit to the task at hand, without it consuming important study or social time. Just two or three hours a week is enough to get started and stay consistent.
Be careful of scams
If you’re asked to pay upfront, avoid! A role that requires you to buy something before you can earn screams ‘scam’.
Choose something you enjoy
If it feels like extra work, then it’s probably not the side hustle for you. The ones that last are those that fit conveniently into your student life, and don’t feel like a chore. Even if it pays a bit less than another option, pick something that is a bit of you.
A spreadsheet is your friend
Keep on top of any earnings through a basic spreadsheet, especially if you’re making extra money through a few different student side hustles.
And don't forget: referring someone to Student Roost couldn’t be easier
If you're reading this and you live at Student Roost, then hustle number 5 is probably the easiest one on this list. And if you don’t? You could find next year’s room at one of our properties across 21 UK locations, with all bills included and perks like free events. Plus, you’ll be able to benefit from making referrals too when you live with us.
