It’s no news that International students in the UK pay higher tuition fees than the domestic or EU students while funding their accommodation and living costs. In 2018, students from the UK and EU enrolling in English universities had to pay up to £9,250 (~US$13,050) as an annual fee.
However, the fee for the International students varies considerably, ranging from £10,000 (~US$14,130) and going up to £38,000 (~US$53,700) or more for medical degrees. Along with a high cost of living, the average cost of studying in the UK is estimated to be £22,200 (~US$31,380) per year. Needless to say, studying in London is likely to be significantly more expensive.
Fortunately, there are supports and ample opportunities for part-time work for International students to top up their funds and pay their university fees. If you are an International student in the UK and are enrolled into any full-time undergraduate or postgraduate degree program at a recognized university, you are allowed to work part-time during the term for up to 20 hours a week and full-time during the holidays.
InstaReM, Southeast Asia’s leading digital money transfer company, presents to you some useful information on employment preconditions and lists the types of jobs that international students can pursue in some favorite student destinations in the UK.
Students in the UK Have a Range of Part-Time Jobs — from Sales Assistant to Bartender!
The UK offers a range of part-time jobs to expat students. Flexible in nature, the KRAs of such jobs are designed in a way that they suit the life of a student. Websites such as indeed.com and studentjob.co.uk are mostly searched by both employers and students for jobs such as:
- Sales Assistants in Retail
2. Customer Assistants in Hospitality
3. Research Assistants in Universities
4. Data Analysts in Corporate
5. Event Organizers
6. Catalog Distributors
7. Shopping Assistants
There are other jobs like babysitting and pet-sitting as well. There are also paid internships that will earn you additional money and give you some vital extra skills, such as teamwork, which would be great for your CV!
The UK Has Set National Minimum Wages — You Get Paid According to Your Age and The Nature of Your Job.
The National Minimum Wage is the minimum pay per hour that almost all workers in the UK are entitled to. Regardless of the scale of an enterprise, it has to pay the correct minimum wage to a worker.
Workers aged 21 or older – £6.70 an hour
Workers aged 18 to 20 – £5.30 an hour
Workers aged 16 or 17 – £3.87 an hour
Workers aged 25 and above – £7.20 an hour
Apprentices – £3.30 per hour
*These rates are as on 2016 and are reviewed annually by the government.
Part-Time Jobs of Various Nature Are Available in Cities Popular among International Students
There is a list of top 7 cities in the UK that are most frequented by international students and the kind of jobs and wages offered there.
Only Tier 4 General Study Visa Allows You to Work Part-Time as a Student in the UK.
There are 2 types of student visas in the UK – a short-term study visa is issued for a duration of 6 months for any short course (including English language courses), or a short period of research if you’re 16 or over. You cannot work (including on a work placement or work experience) or carry out any business with this visa. Neither can you apply for an extension.
Tier 4 General Study Visa is issued to students enrolled in courses with a duration of 1 year or more. How long you can stay depends on the kind of courses you’re doing and what study you’ve already completed. But with this visa, you can work in most jobs depending on the level of your course and what kind of sponsors you have. Also, you can apply for an extension.
If you are an international student in the UK, you may not need to pay tax on your income. If you are working part-time as a student in the UK, you don’t need to pay tax on grants or student loans. However, you are still liable for income tax and National Insurance (NI) like the other workers in the country.
However, the good news is that you are entitled to a certain income before being taxed – this is called your ‘Personal Allowance’. You can get information on the current allowances on the GOV.UK website.
For the tax year 2017-18, those born after 5 April 1948 are entitled to a tax-exemption on earnings up to £11,500 per year. So if you’ve got a part-time job and earn under £11,500, you don’t need to pay any tax.
Above your ‘Personal Allowance’, the amount you pay depends on the amount you earn. In 2017-18, the first £11,500 is tax-free; you pay 20% tax on earnings between £11,501 and £45,000. Few students are likely to be earning over £45,000, but if you do, you pay 40% on this.
Also, if your home country has a double-taxation agreement with the UK, you don’t need to pay any tax on your income if you work and you’re a student. However, if your country doesn’t have such an agreement, you have to pay taxes like other workers in the UK.
Image Credit: Inlingua-cheltenham.co.uk
