How to Find a Part-Time Job in the UK as an International Student (2026)
Working part-time is one of the best things you can do as an international student in the UK — for your income, your CV, and your confidence. But knowing where to start, what jobs to apply for, and how to present yourself is not obvious when you're new. This guide covers everything: the legal rules, the best job types, where to find them, how to write a UK-format CV, and how to understand your payslip.
Weekly limit
20 hours
during term time
Minimum wage
£12.21/hr
age 21+ (2025/26)
Holiday work
Unlimited
official university holidays
1. Before you start: what you need
Before you apply for a single job, make sure you have these three things in place. Missing any of them will create problems on your first day — or delay your first paycheck.
Apply for a National Insurance (NI) number
Prove your right to work
Open a UK bank account
Open a Monzo account — free in 5 minutes
Get paid by any UK employer. Just a passport needed. No credit check.
2. The 20-hour rule explained
Your Student visa grants you the right to work, but with a strict weekly limit during term time. Here is exactly how it works.
✓ During term time
✓ During official university holidays
Visa risk — do not exceed 20 hours. UKVI cross-references HMRC payroll data. Consistently working over 20 hours during term time is a breach of your visa conditions and can lead to visa curtailment, a re-entry ban, and a report to your university. If your employer pressures you to work extra hours, that is an unlawful request — you can legally refuse.
💡 Tip: If you're unsure whether a particular week is "term time" or "holiday," go directly to your university's website and find the official term dates. Your Student Union usually publishes them too. When in doubt, treat it as term time.
3. Best types of jobs for international students
Not all jobs are equally accessible or practical for international students. Here are the five categories that work best — with honest notes on each.
Hospitality — barista, waiter/waitress, bar staff
- Most welcoming sector for international workers — multilingual skills are valued
- Flexible shift patterns (evenings, weekends) that fit around lectures
- Cash tips on top of your hourly wage — can add £30–80 per week
- Big brands actively hire students: Pret A Manger, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, McDonald's, Wetherspoons, Nando's
Retail — supermarkets and high street
- Predictable 4h–8h shift blocks — easy to plan around your studies
- Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Primark, Marks & Spencer all hire student part-timers
- No prior UK experience required — training is provided
- Staff discounts are a genuine perk (10–20% at most supermarkets)
Campus jobs — library, student union, research assistant
- Employers know your study schedule and will accommodate it without question
- Library and student union roles are often the most relaxed environments
- Research or lab assistant roles look excellent on a graduate CV
- Apply through your university's careers or jobs portal — not public job boards
Delivery — Deliveroo, Uber Eats
- Maximum schedule flexibility — work exactly when you want
- Higher effective hourly rate during peak times (evenings, weekends)
- No interview — just sign up, pass ID check, and start
Remote customer service — call centres, online support
- Many large UK companies hire remote part-time staff: Amazon, Sky, BT, HSBC contact centres
- No commute — work from your student accommodation
- Often structured shifts (4h or 5h blocks) that fit a student schedule
4. Where to find part-time jobs
Use a combination of these channels. The fastest results come from a direct walk-in for hospitality and retail, and from your university portal for campus roles.
Always check this first for campus roles — library assistant, student ambassador, research assistant, Student Union jobs. These are not listed anywhere else.
For cafés, restaurants, pubs and supermarkets: walk in between 2–4 pm on a weekday with a printed CV. Ask to speak to the manager or shift leader. This is how most hospitality jobs in the UK are filled — online applications are secondary.
5. UK CV format — the rules
A UK CV is different from what you may be used to in your home country. Following the wrong format will get your application ignored. Here is what UK employers expect:
✓ Include
· Full name, email address, phone number
· A 2–3 line professional summary at the top
· Work experience (reverse chronological — most recent first)
· Education (university, degree, expected graduation year)
· Relevant skills (languages, software, certifications)
· "References available on request" at the bottom
✗ Never include
· A photo or headshot
· Your date of birth
· Your marital status or nationality
· Your full home address (city is fine)
· A second page (max 1 page for student jobs)
· Fancy graphics, coloured boxes, tables
💡 Tip: UK employers do not include photos on CVs because of anti-discrimination law. Adding one marks you immediately as unfamiliar with UK hiring norms and may disqualify you. Keep the CV clean, plain-text friendly, and max 1 page. Use a simple Word or Google Docs template — not Canva or graphic-heavy designs.
6. The job application process
For entry-level student jobs, the process is usually simple and fast. Here is what to expect at each stage.
Cover letter (250 words or under)
Interview — usually informal, sometimes by phone
Trial shift
Zero-hours contract — what to check before signing
Right to be paid: On any type of contract, you are entitled to UK minimum wage for every hour worked, paid annual leave (5.6 weeks/year, even on zero hours), and statutory sick pay after qualifying. If an employer pays you below minimum wage or withholds pay, report it to ACAS (acas.org.uk) — this is a separate process from your visa and will not affect your immigration status.
7. Getting paid: payslips, PAYE tax, and what to do if you're overtaxed
Understanding your payslip matters — especially since many international students end up paying more tax than they should, and never reclaim it.
Minimum wage (2025/26)
The current National Living Wage is £12.21/hr if you are 21 or over (from April 2025). If you are 18–20, it is £10.00/hr. These rates apply equally to all workers in the UK — being international does not change your entitlement. Any employer paying less is breaking the law.
PAYE — automatic tax deduction
Most employed students are taxed via PAYE (Pay As You Earn). Your employer deducts income tax and National Insurance from each payslip automatically. You do not need to file a tax return if you are employed only. Your payslip will show your gross pay, deductions, and net take-home pay.
Personal allowance — most students pay no income tax
The first £12,570 you earn in a tax year (April to April) is tax-free (2026/27 personal allowance). Working 20 hours/week at £12.21/hr for 40 weeks of term gives you around £9,768 — comfortably under the threshold. Most students working part-time will pay little or no income tax.
Emergency tax codes — the most common problem
If you start a new job without a NI number, or if you have two jobs, your employer may put you on an emergency tax code (prefix "OT" or "M1"). This deducts more tax than necessary. As soon as you receive your NI number, give it to your employer. If you are overtaxed, contact HMRC directly to get your tax code corrected.
Reclaiming overpaid tax
If you are earning below the £12,570 personal allowance but tax has been deducted (which happens with emergency codes), you can reclaim it. If you stop working mid-year or leave the UK, use the P85 form at gov.uk or Self Assessment to claim a refund. Many students are owed £100–500 and never claim it.
Send money home with Wise — low fees, live exchange rates
Once you start earning, send wages home at the real exchange rate. Used by millions of international students in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
+Do I need a National Insurance number before I can start working?
No — you can legally start work before you receive your NI number, as long as you have already applied for one. Tell your employer that your application is in progress. You must give your employer the number as soon as it arrives. Without it, they may use an emergency tax code, which means you could be overtaxed temporarily. Apply at gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number — processing takes 4–8 weeks.
+Can I work for two different employers at the same time?
Yes. Many international students hold two part-time roles simultaneously — for example, a café shift at the weekend and a library assistant role during the week. Both employers will check your right to work separately, but neither is legally responsible for monitoring your other job. You are personally responsible for making sure your combined hours stay under 20 per week during term time. Track them yourself.
+Is a zero-hours contract legal in the UK?
Yes — zero-hours contracts are legal in the UK and are very common for student jobs in hospitality, retail, and event staffing. They mean your employer has no obligation to offer you a set number of hours each week. The advantages for students are flexibility and the ability to reduce hours during exams. The disadvantages are income unpredictability and limited employment protections. Always check whether your zero-hours contract includes an exclusivity clause — this would prevent you from working elsewhere, which is often unenforceable and worth challenging.
+What happens if I accidentally work more than 20 hours in a week?
A single accidental overage (working 21 or 22 hours in one week) is unlikely to trigger immediate consequences. However, a consistent pattern of overworking is detectable via HMRC payroll records, which UKVI can access. If you realise you have gone over the limit, reduce your hours immediately and do not let it become a pattern. If you are ever concerned you may have seriously breached your visa conditions, contact your university's international student advisory office — they can advise you before any formal action is taken.
+Why do UK CVs not include a photo?
UK employment law prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, and other protected characteristics. Including a photo would potentially expose the employer to accusations of bias in their selection process. As a result, the standard across all UK industries is: no photo, no date of birth, no marital status. If a UK job ad asks for a photo, that itself is a red flag.
+Can I work during my reading week or exam period?
This depends on how your university classifies those periods. In most universities, reading weeks and exam periods are considered part of term time — meaning the 20-hour limit applies. They are not "official vacations" unless your university explicitly labels them as such in their published academic calendar. Check your university's term dates document before increasing your hours during these periods.
+If I earn less than £12,570, do I still pay tax?
You should not pay income tax below the personal allowance of £12,570 (2026/27). However, tax may still be deducted via PAYE if your tax code is set incorrectly — particularly if you are on an emergency code or if you have multiple jobs. You can reclaim any overpaid tax from HMRC. National Insurance is a separate deduction — you pay 8% on earnings above £242/week (2026/27 threshold), regardless of your annual income.
+How do I work out if Deliveroo or Uber Eats is worth it?
The headline earnings look attractive (£10–14/hr in busy periods) but the reality is more nuanced. As a self-employed contractor, you receive no holiday pay, no sick pay, and no employer National Insurance contributions. You also need to track your own weekly hours against the 20-hour limit (the apps do not do this for you). You need a bike or e-scooter, and you are exposed to weather and road safety risks. On balance, campus jobs or hospitality shifts offer more stability and actual employment protections — use delivery as a supplement, not a primary income source.
Ready to start earning?
Get your NI number application in, open a UK bank account, and start applying. These three steps unlock everything else.
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