30 Jan 2025
Imagine diving into a world of new experiences, balancing the intricacies of academia with the thrill of a part-time job. Sounds adventurous, right? Over 6.3 million students study in foreign countries, out of which 1.3 million are Indian students living in 79 countries. Studying abroad is not just about getting an international education as an overseas Indian student; it's also an opportunity to gain work experience and earn some cash. The best part of traveling abroad to study for Indian students is that they can earn a living to support their studies financially, save money, or support their family through every money transfer to India from their destination country.
Several foreign countries allow international students to do jobs and work after their study hours. This is a boon for students hailing from humble backgrounds as it offers them several benefits and opportunities in financial and career terms. This blog will throw light on the prospects of earning through part-time jobs while studying abroad as an Indian student.
As a student, earning a living and doing jobs is the first step in the direction of gaining financial independence. It is a fulfilling feeling and emotion.
Not all but a few developed countries offer this opportunity to international students to earn while they continue their studies. Otherwise, some universities in some of the countries preclude students from earning unless they are done with their degrees.
But the prospects of earning as an Indian student abroad are more than what might hinder them from doing so.
The significance of balancing studies with earnings cannot be overemphasized.
Indian students doing so will get the following few quick benefits of balancing work and studies.
It may seem tough and challenging to earn while pursuing a professional degree, and that too in a foreign country, where circumstances are hardly in one’s favour. However, students who are determined to do so will end up reaping the following critically important benefits.
Studying abroad alone is an international experience, but earning with it can add to one’s international experience as one will have enjoyed two separate experiences at the same time without having to wait for one task (study) to end to undertake the other (earning).
Given that most Indian students come from humble financial backgrounds, it is likely that they would have acquired student loans to finance their studies. Now, they either have to first graduate, find a job, earn and pay off the debt, or have the opportunity to earn while pursuing their professional degree and pay off the debt. And who knows, they might end up paying their debts earlier than graduating!
One can find several companies working in a single developed country. For example, many multinational companies, whose origins lie elsewhere, are housed in the UK. Therefore, working while studying in the UK might help one get the experience of working with a German or a French company while still in the UK, and without having to travel there. Besides, you can send money to India and support your family’s financial needs through international part-time jobs.
It is essential to understand the work rules for international students because whether they can work or cannot depends on these rules. Furthermore, it must also be realised that these rules are always asymmetrical and hardly align between different countries.
A list of some of the popular study destinations is given below.
An international student in the UK can earn up to £22,012 per year on average; however, these earnings are subject to the type of visa, permissions, and nature of jobs available. If you break it down to weekly earnings, you can expect to make around £100 - £200 as an undergraduate, semi-skilled or fresh student. These earnings can go up to £300 - £400 per week if you hold at least a master's degree with some experience.
If a student gets a visa for a full-time degree in the UK, they will be allowed to work for 20 hours per week at a stretch during study duration. It can be paid or unpaid work at one or multiple organisations. They can undertake any type of job.
The average weekly salary for students working part-time is around CAD 22/hour, while the minimum amount you can expect to earn per hour is CAD 10. If you are working in a mid-level role, you can make around $37,569 annually, and most experienced individuals working in senior roles can even go up to $58,895 per year.
In Canada, the work rules for international students are almost the same as in the UK. Minor differences, however, remain in terms of the number of hours and types of work one can get.
Part-time jobs for students typically pay around AUD 21/hour in Australia, based on the position and level of job. This breaks down to an average of $855.20 per fortnight while studying, and the earnings can go higher if you have breaks after ending a semester.
Depending largely on the type of visa an Indian student gets to study in Australia, the normal work hours are 20 per week. Still, the number of working hours is infinite during recognised school vacations. It means that students can work for as long as they can.
For international students, the rules regulating working hours have changed somewhat. Effective July 01, 2023, international students, including Indian students, can work up to 24 hours per week, increasing from 20 hours per week.
This change is aimed at providing students with more flexibility to support themselves. It also allows them to focus on the primary objective of their visa, which is study. But this rule still varies from country to country.
As working hours increase, you have the opportunity to increase your earnings. And, using the ACE mobile app to make an online money transfer to India every time you send funds home will add further value to your earnings since you get competitive rates and enjoy low transfer fees with this company.
The importance of adhering to one’s visa requirements cannot be overemphasised because straying away from the rules stipulated in one’s visa can land one in trouble. So, regardless of one’s visa type, adhering to the rules laid out in the document is the key to achieving one’s objective in a foreign country.
There is no dearth of jobs in foreign countries for international students. However, these job opportunities vary from country to country and also depend on the visa type.
The list of these two job types is given below.
While one can find several jobs abroad relating to their study programs, general job opportunities are also aplenty. The reason? The job market of most developed countries is expansive, and opportunities in almost every field of study and life are many. Some of the general job opportunities are listed above, whereas study-related jobs depend on one’s study type.
Salary largely depends on which country one has gone to for study and also the type of job. So, estimating student salary is difficult.
A look at some of the average salaries is given below.
In 2023, the average salary for international students was $40,000 to $45,000 per year. But as mentioned earlier, the average salary depends on the country, one’s study course, and job type.
Top factors that influence salary and pay rates are as follows:
The following tips will help Indian students negotiate a better salary with employers.
This is the most critical part of one’s journey as an international student seeking employment while studying abroad.
One has to manage finances and, if needed, must send money across borders through some of the most trusted and reputable remittance service providers like ACE Money Transfer. Furthermore, while living abroad for any purpose, managing one’s time is also critically important.
The following tools will help international students manage their study-work well.
International students, including Indian students, must create a budget and stick to it after taking a realistic review and analysis of what they earn and what they spend every month. For this purpose, they can use digital as well as manual tools. This will ensure an effective and better management of their finances.
International students are particularly vulnerable to job scams because of the financial burden they carry along. Therefore, it is of extreme importance to know the scams and be prepared for them so that one knows if a job offer is genuine or fake.
Some of the popular job scams are listed below.
Being aware of these scams will help students guard against them.
Indian students must first prioritize their studies and prepare fully to take on the challenges that come with blending work and study. Furthermore, working with the study is a fine practice so long as earning does not impact their study. While opting to work part-time, it’s essential to search and apply for the most relevant jobs that match your profile, interest, and field of study so that you have chances to grow in a particular career. Once you start earning, don’t worry about transferring funds back home since some credible services like ACE Money Transfer help you quickly send money to India online from abroad and support your families.
Earnings depend on the country, job type, and working hours. On average, Indian students can make between $100 to $400 per week through part-time jobs, depending on the minimum wage and work regulations in their study destination.
Popular part-time jobs include retail assistant, customer service, food delivery, tutoring, research assistant, and on-campus roles like library assistant or student ambassador.
Yes, most countries have work-hour limits for student visa holders. For example, in the UK, students can work up to 20 hours per week during term time, while in Australia, they can work up to 48 hours per fortnight. Always check local regulations.
Yes, many countries allow international students to work full-time during scheduled university holidays, such as summer and winter breaks.
Strong communication skills, proficiency in the local language, digital marketing, tutoring, and IT skills can help students secure higher-paying part-time roles.
Creating a budget, saving a portion of earnings, avoiding unnecessary expenses, and using cost-effective money transfer services like ACE Money Transfer to send funds home can help manage finances efficiently.
Most study visas allow part-time work without an additional permit, but some countries may require separate authorization. Always verify with the local immigration office.
ACE Money Transfer provides a secure and cost-effective way for Indian students to send money back home and ensure financial support for their families with competitive exchange rates and low fees.
