7 Tips To Help You Work Part-Time And Still Get Good Grades 

Unless you’re born to royalty or immense generational wealth, it’s not unusual to see international students working part-time.

In key study destinations like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, working students can earn anywhere from $10 to $20 for every hour of work.

This is a great way for them to earn some extra money to expense their day-to-day necessities, especially when finances are tight.

However, it’s not always the easiest challenge to juggle both at the same time. But just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Here are 7 tips and tricks that can help you maintain stellar grades while hustling at your part-time job!

7 Tips To Ace Your Studies While Still Working Part-Time

1. Create A Firm Schedule To Study And Revise

The first step that will set the tone for everything you do from here on out is to create a plan. When juggling two hefty responsibilities at the same time, it’s not ideal to just wing it.

Before each semester begins, students would have already been given their timetables and key dates to take note of.

From there, you’d be able to build a fixed study schedule for yourself and choose your availability to work part-time.

Get creative and use different colored markers to differentiate shift dates and revision dates to keep them organized.

2. Get Your Project & Examination Deadlines In Order

Deadlines are a student’s worst nightmare. But getting organized can often soften the blow and help you prepare ahead.

From any upcoming examinations or tests to project deadlines, always be mindful of these important dates to ensure that you’re right on track with school work.

Keeping track of these dates can also help you plan your part-time shifts accordingly, which guarantees that there won’t be any clashes moving forward.

3. Do Not Overcommit To Shifts & Prioritize Your Studies First

The beauty of working part-time is being able to choose the number of shifts you want to work in a week. However, the danger is that it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and bite off more than you can chew.

Certain universities have a quota for the number of hours international students can work in a week, but it’s recommended that students shouldn’t work more than 15 hours.

Always schedule your shifts with your studies in mind first and foremost.

The last thing you want to do is to drown in school work and go back on your word after having made a commitment, which may paint you in a bad light to your manager.

4. Get Ample Rest & Sleep To Recharge

Once you start earning your own money, it’s hard to stop the momentum from going. But remember, your mind and body cannot function without rest.

It can be tempting to take shift after shift, knowing how much you’ll be earning at the end of the day.

However, overworking your body will only lead to decreased productivity levels in both your part-time job and studies.

Always look after yourself, ensure that you’re getting enough rest day in and day out, and do not overdo it.

5. Do Not Miss Your Lectures & Tutorials

At the end of the day, you will always be a student first. Making a few extra bucks may not always be worth compromising your grades and missing classes.

If you’re in dire need to make some extra cash for the week, consider catching up on your lecture slides and tutorials online.

However, keep in mind that being physically absent from your classes may leave you feeling isolated from your classmates.

This may also not bode too well with your project teammates and lecturers, so make a conscious effort to attend your classes regularly and avoid student absences as much as possible.

6. Work With Your Employer To Get Flexible Hours

Unlike in the past, online and remote work arrangements are becoming more common for university students today, giving them more freedom to plan their time accordingly.

Some of these jobs include online tutoring, freelance writing, graphic design, video editing, and the list goes on.

With that, students with such jobs can afford to work out an arrangement with their employer to come up with more flexible hours to suit their school schedules. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!

7. Lower Your Expenses & Save More Money

As if juggling responsibilities in school and a part-time job wasn’t hard enough, don’t add money problems into the mix.

You might have heard the phrase “live below your means” before. Essentially, what this means is that you shouldn’t be spending more money than you earn.

As long as you are spending equal to or less than the amount of money you made in that month, you’re well below your means.

To manage your money efficiently as an international student, plan out your budget based on your expenses and income and make sure to stick to it. It also helps to set up an emergency fund for rainy days as well.

Gain Expert Advice From Our IDP Counsellors!

Navigating this balancing act can be a struggle for any international student. But that doesn’t mean you have to go through it alone.

Undergraduates from anywhere in the world can reach out to our IDP Education Counsellors for tailored guidance on striking a balance between maintaining good grades and working part-time.

On top of that, students looking to kickstart their overseas study journey may also reach out for assistance with the application process from start to finish.

All that’s left to do is book your free counselling session with us today and we’ll take it from there.