6 Easy Ways to Earn Money While Studying Abroad

Phoebe

Updated on Feb 06 • 2 minute read

Going on exchange is a fantastic and fun-filled experience, where you'll make friends from all over the world and open your mind to new cultures. Of course, going on the adventure of a lifetime comes with a drawback - it doesn't come cheap.

Not only does the tuition cost money but you'll also have to pay for rent, food, travel and still have some left over to keep your social life going.

But this doesn't have be a reason to decide not to study abroad. There are many, and flexible, ways to earn extra cash internationally, here are 6 of the easiest!

1. Get into freelancing

The greatest benefit of being a freelancer is the flexibility, it allows you to work according to your schedule, but it also helps you get some real work experience under your belt before you've graduated.

Freelancing comes in many forms, if you're good with image editing then taking on some commerical design projects may just be up your street! Or for those with a knack for languages, translating and copywriting is a good path to take.

Before you get started, make sure you check out the local laws on working for yourself as this can differ from country to country. The next step is to set up profiles on platforms like Upwork, PeoplePerHour or Airtasker, which connect freelancers to just about anyone who needs help with a project!

2. Find a local part-time job

Having a part-time job an excellent way to earn some extra cash around your studies and improve your language skills at the same time!

As its a local job, speaking at least the basics of the local language will be a requirement. This might be a struggle in the beginning, but it gets easier with time. To find local businesses to work for, we reccommend asking your classmates for insider tips as they'll have similar jobs.

Part-time jobs usually require between 6 to 10 hours per week of commitment, which shouldn't be too hard to slot in with your studies. Remember to be transparent with your boss over your schedule so they can be flexible with your hours during exams. And last but not least try to find student-specific job agencies in your city.

3. Become a tutor!

When you're moving to another country where the education is different from your own, you'll come across subjects that you may have more knowledge on compared to local students. Ask your teachers if they have a tutoring scheme at your university that you can sign up to or better yet ask them if they need any teaching assistants.

4. Do some babysitting

Babysitting another easy job to secure and maintain, if you like kids, that is. It also tends to pay well! Parents often offer a relatively high hourly wage and you may even get some free snacks on the side. Check local job boards and Facebook groups to see if there's any one requiring baby sitting services.

5. Do some dog walking

If your an animal lover and baby sitting doesn't sound appealing then you could try your hand at dog walking. It doesn't generally pay as well as baby sitting but it's a great way to get in some exercise, explore your new city and earn money at the same time! Try putting your details on a local job boards or Facebook groups to advertise your services to your community.

6. Sell your old books

Another option to earn some extra money is to sell your old school books. If you take care of your books properly, then they will still be in good condition after you used them. These kinds of books are often costly and are therefore worth quite some money. There are always students that are looking for schoolbooks, and they also would like to save some money by buying second-hand books.

With all of these tips, you'll be able to earn some extra cash whilst you're abroad. It's worth looking for opportunities before you move so you know the options that are open to you. However, after your arrival, you'll get help from your classmates to find a suitable job.

Don’t worry too much and make sure to have fun while you are on exchange!

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