In this guide, we check whether working during full-time studies really makes sense and show you how to approach it reasonably – so that studying and earning money actually go hand in hand.
In short: yes, you can work during full-time studies, but not everywhere and not at every stage. Part-time, shift, or remote jobs that can be tailored to your class schedule work best. The first year can be tougher – the new study routine and daily organization can take up all your attention – but in subsequent years, working while studying full-time is much easier to reconcile with getting your degree.
Your field of study matters a lot. With more flexible schedules (e.g., humanities or social sciences), it is easier to find time for extra working hours. Technical, medical, or art studies often mean long blocks of classes and mandatory attendance, which severely limits the possibilities of working during the week.
For Erasmus students, other factors are important – the language barrier and a shorter stay in Poland. That is why they more often choose remote work, international projects, or jobs that do not require knowing Polish. In practice, this means that working during full-time studies is possible, but only if its format is well-suited to your situation and the reality of your university life.
Not every job can be sensibly combined with classes, so what kind of job will be best depends mainly on flexibility and the number of hours. Below you will find options that most often work for students in practice.
Here it is worth taking off the rose-colored glasses for a moment. Full-time studies and a full-time job is a combination that sounds ambitious in theory, but in practice very often ends in burnout and university problems. A full-time job means a rigid schedule, and that rarely goes hand in hand with classes scattered throughout the day, mandatory seminars, and sudden schedule changes.
However, there are situations when full-time studies and a full-time job can work out. Most often this applies to senior students who have fewer mandatory classes, know the university reality, and can plan their time well. Individual study organization or hybrid work, giving at least minimal flexibility, also helps.
In most cases, a full-time job quickly verifies your plans, especially during the exam session. Exams, projects, and mandatory assignments make balancing everything at once very difficult. Therefore, instead of romanticizing this solution, it is better to treat it as an exception, not a standard during full-time studies.
If you want to balance studies with work, the key to success is good organization before chaos appears in your calendar. The foundation is planning your week around classes – it is best to mark fixed university blocks in advance, and only then fit in your work hours. This makes it easier to avoid a situation where studies and work start blocking each other instead of complementing one another.
An honest conversation with your employer is equally important. If you clearly state your availability, exam sessions, and moments when studying must take priority right from the start, it is much easier to combine studies with work without constant stress. Many students also appreciate the ability to swap shifts or temporarily reduce hours during exams.
Finally, it is worth looking at daily logistics. Commuting, scattered classes, and the lack of a permanent place to study can take up more time than the work itself. The simpler the day – shorter routes, a predictable rhythm, and comfortable living conditions – the easier it is to maintain balance and not give up on either studying or earning.
The very question of how to earn money during studies often comes down to one goal: stability, not maximizing hours. So how to earn money during full-time studies in practice? Most often, this means income allowing you to cover current expenses, not full self-maintenance. Working during studies provides a regular cash flow, but its scope usually changes depending on the semester and exam session.
It is also worth remembering that supporting yourself during studies is not just a matter of a salary. For many students, social and academic scholarships or university allowances are real support, which, combined with work, create a safer budget. This solution is especially important when the number of hours at work must be temporarily reduced.
The third, often overlooked element is controlling expenses. Even if you know how to earn money during full-time studies, a lack of control over costs quickly cancels out the effects of your work. Fixed fees, food, and commuting are the foundation of a student budget – the more predictable they are, the easier it is to plan both studies and work.
Balancing studies and work is juggling several responsibilities at once, so it's easy to make mistakes that look harmless at first. In practice, they are the ones that most often make working during full-time studies hinder, rather than help, daily functioning.
If you want to combine studying with earning and not lose control over your time, remember a few key rules.
Such a checklist helps to make decisions more calmly and makes working during studies a support, not an additional source of stress.
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