Full-time Student (and Part-time Employee?)

Dear Dora,

I’m having a hard time making ends meet and am considering taking a part-time job in the evenings to help keep me afloat.  If I’m enrolled full-time as a grad student, is that legal?  I’m hesitant to ask our graduate coordinator since I don’t want to anyone to get suspicious.

M.J., graduate student

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Dear MJ,

I understand your dilemma, and unfortunately many graduate students are in similar situations. On the one hand, you want to focus on your studies, but on the other you might need a part-time job to make ends meet. Different institutions have different policies regarding this issue. Some programs do forbid students from working, because they expect them to devote 100% of their time to their studies. Their concern is that students who work part-time will take longer to graduate, which would cost the department extra money.

Other departments do not expressively forbid students from working part-time, but they might frown upon it, because of the extra time commitment. At the other end of the spectrum, some programs (particularly in the humanities and social sciences) expect that students will work part-time, because the departments are not able to provide sufficient funding. Most schools or departments have a graduate student policy books or website, which provides details about vacation, medical insurance and funding. If you find the handbook or website (either at the department or university level), see whether they have a policy regarding part-time jobs.

If you are concerned about asking your graduate coordinator, talk to your classmates or group members first. You do not need to bring up part-time jobs right away, but you can talk about graduate student finances, and ask how others make ends meet. They might have suggestions on how to save money on groceries, clothing, rent, and (hopefully) entertainment. Your student ID might entitle you to save money at stores, restaurants, and movie theaters. Then, if you are comfortable, you can ask whether any of them have considered part-time jobs, and if so, how they balanced it with lab work.

For more suggestions on part-time jobs and saving money, I recommend does grad school and work mix? and how to save money as a graduate student.

Hopefully you will get some good insights so that you can make ends meet, and also save some money for the future!

Dora Farkas is the author “The Smart Way to Your Ph.D.:200 Secrets from 100 Graduates,” and the founder of PhDNet, an online community for graduate students and PhDs. You will find links to her book, monthly newsletters, and discussion board on her site. Send your questions to [email protected] and keep an eye out for them in an upcoming issue!

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Stay tuned for the next Dear Dora in two weeks!  In the meantime, check a few of Dora’s recent posts:

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Submit your questions to Dora at [email protected], or use the comment box below!

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