New Research Shows Students are Working Long Hours Just to Get By
At Bristol SU, we’ve been hearing more and more from students who are struggling to balance part-time work with their studies and wellbeing. So, our Research and Insights team worked with your Undergraduate Officer Mia, to dig a little deeper.
As a result of this, our Student Work-Life Report 2025, revealed just how widespread this issue has become. Nearly a third of students at the University of Bristol are working more than 15 hours a week, and 14% are working over 20 hours, which is above the University’s recommended limit for full-time students.
This comes at a time when student employment is rising sharply across the UK. National data from Advance HE and HEPI shows a 12% increase in undergraduates working while studying, from 56% in 2024 to 68% in 2025.
What We Found
While 80% of students told us they feel they’re managing to balance work, study and life, the reality is more complicated:
- 35% have skipped classes because of work
- 34% say their wellbeing has been negatively affected
- 77% told us that work impacts their studies, costing them time, energy and, in some cases, academic progress
What Students Told Us
We heard powerful stories from students in focus groups. One international postgraduate researcher shared:
“As a self-funded international PGR, I have to work to cover living expenses. I’m only allowed to work 20 hours a week, meaning I have to budget living as an adult on part-time work. Work has to take priority until I hit those 20 hours so that I’m not homeless and can eat. Part-time study isn’t an option for international students, so work is much more of a worry and focus than my actual research.”
Another student told us:
“I often feel overwhelmed because I have little time to do anything other than work and study. My social life has suffered, which means my mental health has worsened. I’ve been more tired too, which has impacted my studies.”
Our Undergraduate Officer, Mia Stevens, who helped commission the research, said:
“These results show a real shift in how students nowadays are able to participate in higher education. Years ago, most students were able to focus full time on their studies, whereas students now are needing to prioritise earning money in order to sustain living and studying. This means that students are often faced with the difficult choice of attending seminars in order to succeed in their degree or taking extra shifts at work in order to afford to study.”
What Needs to Change
We’re calling for a cultural shift across the University; one that recognises student employment as the norm and ensures students are properly supported to balance work and study without compromising either.
Also, this report is just the start. We’re urging the University to build on these findings with broader research that captures the full picture and explores how different groups of students are affected.
Your Full-Time Officer Team will keep pushing for change, because no student should have to choose between their degree and staying afloat.
Current Support ⬇️
If students are struggling to balance their work and study, Mia's advice would be to speak to your personal tutor to discuss the best ways to navigate thsi extra pressure. This is so you can get the most out of your education whilst still allowing time to work and earn money.
The University have published some useful tips on thier Study Skills blog, here students' like you have found some answers to the problems you might find balancing work. Have a read through, you never know what tips you might come across.
Do you find it hard to balance part-time work with studying?
Get in touch with Mia and find out how you can be a part of this camapign! Or submit your thoughts on our Ideas Board 💡
