Working While in grad school

I have planned on working while being in grad school, but I emailed my university to see what a common course shedule would be like and I was informed that I won't have time to work because it is a fulltime program. I realize that most people will not be working during the term but unfortunately I know I will need some type of supplemental income in addition to my student loans. I guess what i'm wondering is am I really at a dead end with this? Or do a small proportion of grad school students work?

Of course grad students work. Many grad students do teaching in their subject area (depends on your uni, but usually this is just for research students rather than taught masters students), or do part-time jobs like working in a pub or a shop. If you wanted a course schedule so you know what hours you'd be available, you can probably count on your days being fairly busy, so at least for a start, go for an evening job, like a pub or restaurant job.

You'll probably have time to work despite what your Uni says about full time programs. I had plenty of free time and would have loved a job for some extra $ if I had been able to find one. YMMV

I did a research masters at Bristol uni in 2006/07 and I worked about 20 hours per week as well as being at the university full-time .

I was only contracted to work 7.5 hours on Saturdays, but I ended up doing overtime on Wed evenings, Thursday mornings and Thursday evenings (Thursdays were fun, I would go to work from 7.30 until 11.30 a.m., do my research at uni from 12 until 5 p.m. and then go back to work from 6 until 9 pm!

I think it comes down to what you're capable of.  Some people are very good at managing their time and others aren't.  There were a couple of students in my course who worked.

I didn't work during grad school, but I sort of wish I had.  Mostly for the extra money and partly because it may have meant having something to carry on with when I finished.  I chose not to because I worked nearly full-time while being a full-time student in undergrad and my grades suffered.  I really wanted to give it my all this time.

I didn't work during grad school, but I sort of wish I had.  Mostly for the extra money and partly because it may have meant having something to carry on with when I finished.  I chose not to because I worked nearly full-time while being a full-time student in undergrad and my grades suffered.  I really wanted to give it my all this time.

I was actually the other way around - I worked in term-time during my masters, but not during my undergrad degree (both were in the UK).

Luckily I started undergrad before the top-up fees were introduced, so tuition only cost about £1,000 a year, which my parents paid for me. My living costs were covered by my student loan, so any extra money I made would just be for extras (socialising etc.). I decided to just work full-time in the summer and not during term-time and in doing that, I was able to save about £2,000 each summer to use for living/socialising during the school year (plus I was able to claim my income tax back if I only worked in the vacations and not in term-time).

I think it comes down to what you're capable of.  Some people are very good at managing their time and others aren't. 

This.  My last year of undergrad I took 18 hours (6 classes) and still worked a 40 hour week, and still made above 3.5 GPA for the semester. The official stance of my university in the handbook was, if you take more than 12 hours, they say you shouldn't work at all.  So what you feel you can do and what the university recommends may be very different things.

Thank you so much everyone-I have been stressing out about this since this morning!! I know I could scrape by on student loans if I absolutely had to but I had always planned on working part time. I worked fulltime all throughout my undergrad while carrying at least 18 units each semester so i'm definitely used to organizing my time with work and school, and now that I think about it I remember my undergrad university saying that if we had a full course load we should only be working like 10 hours!! I've always felt that I have benefited from working in the industry while studying-so many students graduate without having any real life experience!

I did my MFA in Exeter, and I was limited to 20 hours during term time and unlimited during breaks.  I had classes in the mornings/afternoons and rehearsals in the evenings and still found around 15 to 20 hours a week to work in a restaurant.
Luckily, my boss was willing to work around my schedule - but I found it to be no problem.

Of course, this did mean that I was sometimes going straight from class/rehearsal to the restaurant to spend the hour or two between that and work reading and writing.  And even, on a few occasions, having my script behind the bar to memorize lines while making drinks.

It was crammed some times and relaxing others...but the extra money sure was a help.

Thanks!! I actually just got a job yesterday-they were willing to work around my school schedule and so now i will be working mwf and have class tuesdays and thursdays, and with the 20 hour limit for working i get a half day on friday! Its all happened very quickly because I just started class yesterday so I am feeling a bit overwhelmed but I think once I get settled in it will be okay!

Well done!

Hello,

I just started grad school in the UK. I know I need to apply for a National Insurance Number. Any idea on how long the process takes? I haven't even started looking for jobs yet, but I'm hesitant to even bother if I don't have the National Insurance Number. Thanks!

Hiya!
Emmm I didn't even realize I needed to have a national insurance number until I started my job and they asked for it!!! I called jobcentreplus at 08456000643 yesterday and got an appointment for the 21st to have my interview. From what i've read on here so far it isn't a difficult interview you just need to bring pieces of evidence like a rental agreement, uni letter, passport and visa. I'm hoping I can get it before my first paycheck comes through because apparently if i don't have it i'll get taxed 50%!! It only took me about 3 weeks to get a job so I would suggest applying for the number right away. Where are you studying?

Hello! Thanks for the reply. I'm studying at London Metropolitan University. I just called the jobcentreplus and they are sending me an application in the mail. I've just been casually looking at jobs. Will employers hire you even if you don't have a National Insurance number? In your case they did. Thanks for the info! It is greatly appreciated!

Hello! Thanks for the reply. I'm studying at London Metropolitan University. I just called the jobcentreplus and they are sending me an application in the mail. I've just been casually looking at jobs. Will employers hire you even if you don't have a National Insurance number? In your case they did. Thanks for the info! It is greatly appreciated!

Yes. You'll be emergency taxed until you give them your NI and they can get everything sorted.