More than half of students now work alongside their studies

The average number of hours full-time students spend in paid work alongside their studies has risen, a survey suggests. The study found that almost three in five (56%) university students are in paid employment during the period, compared to 55% the previous year.

Students in paid employment work an average of 14.5 hours a week, compared to 13.5 hours last year, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) think tank and Advance HE report. The Hepi director warned that students are now divided into those who can afford to have a “traditional” experience and those who have to do paid work.

Three in four students (75%) believe the cost of living crisis has negatively affected their studies, according to the survey of 10,319 full-time students studying in the UK. Concerns about the cost of living was the most stated factor influencing perceptions of value for students who say they received poor value for money, according to the report.

The 2024 Student Academic Experience Survey, conducted between January and March, suggests that students now spend an average of 42 hours a week in paid work and study. The report says this level is “above the UK average” for the number of hours paid for the full-time working population – which is 36.9 hours.

According to the report, students studying health subjects such as medicine, dentistry or veterinary studies typically spend an average of 55.9 hours per week in paid work and study. The report found that almost three in 10 (28%) students said cost of living concerns or challenges had negatively affected their studies “a lot”, compared to 26% last year.

Meanwhile, 47% of students said the cost of living crisis is affecting their studies “a little”. The report warns that university students are “now facing” a cost of living crisis, which could affect the delivery model of higher education if its impact remains unaddressed.

He added: “The majority of students are now working and the average number of hours worked by these students is hovering at levels that could affect their studies. If this trend continues, there is a risk that “full-time study” will become unsustainable for an increasing number of students.

“Cost of living pressures may also force a further shift to commuting rather than residential living.”

The report calls on the Government and devolved governments to review their maintenance support systems to ensure students are adequately funded while completing their studies. It says universities should take into account that part-time work for students is the “new normal” and should consider compressing scheduled hours into fewer days per week or providing paid work.

The survey also found that 62% of students use artificial intelligence (AI) in their studies in a way that is permitted by their university. There is some evidence of a “digital divide”, with male students and international students more likely to use AI tools more often, it found.

The report says: “The data shows that students who have more contact hours, students who do more intensive courses such as medicine, those who do more hours of paid work and those who commute a longer distance are all more likely to use AI tools daily.

“This suggests that AI tools are being used by at least some students to save time in busy schedules. Some students may also use AI while doing paid work.”

The survey also found that 69% of students said they still had at least some of their lectures delivered online, despite the return to face-to-face interactions following the pandemic. The report suggests that potential changes in student preferences – and “advances in the ability to use technology to maximize flexibility and inclusion” – are likely to have played a role in the continuation of hybrid teaching across multiple courses at many institutions.

Nick Hillman, Head of Hepi, said: “Students have responded to severe cost of living pressures by doing more paid work alongside their academic studies. But many students, especially those from poorer backgrounds, do so much paid work that their studies are negatively affected.”

He told a news conference in London: “We already have more than half of full-time students doing levels of paid work that are in the danger zone. (It means) a lot less extracurricular activity from those people, and also there’s evidence that it affects your academics in terms of getting a first and a 2.1 and things like that.”

He added: “My view is that we are already in the danger zone. We have divided the degree between those who can afford to have the traditional university experience that most of us had and those for whom paid work must come first.”

Rose Stephenson, director of policy and advocacy at Hepi, said the increase in students balancing paid work with studies could affect their studies and lead to “losing” the social side of university.

She told the media: “As students struggle with the cost of living, the trend towards part-time work is becoming more worrying.

“Most students are working and the number of hours they are working is increasing. And if this trend continues, full-time study may become impossible for many students.

“The UK prides itself on the traditional full-time residential study model for many, but not all, students with high completion rates. There is a chance that, without intervention, the model of higher education will evolve by accident.”