Getting Paid to Learn
Apply for new scholarships and grants. A lot of students think that they are only eligible for funding when they initially apply for admission. This is a mistake! There are often new scholarship opportunities for upperclassmen, though they aren't always widely advertised. You may also be able to apply for external scholarships or grants, which are offered from groups outside of your school. Begin by scoping out bulletin boards on campus and paying careful attention to email announcements. You can also search online for new funding opportunities, and there are apps that you can download for free (or for very little, such as the app Scholly, available for just $.99) that can help you tailor your search.
Offer your services as a tutor. One of the best ways to learn a subject is to teach it. By becoming a tutor, you can hone your own knowledge of your field of study, perform a valuable service to others, and earn some needed cash—it's a win-win scenario for everyone involved! You can often get paid through your school to tutor other students in classes you have completed and done well in, or you can advertise your own services to your fellow classmates. To find tutoring opportunities, meet with your advisor or your professors, or go to the campus tutoring center.
Get paid to take notes. You are hopefully already taking careful, thorough notes in your classes for your own benefit. Why not make your efforts pay out double? It's fairly common for students who need special arrangements because of learning disabilities to be assigned a (usually anonymous) note-taker for their classes. These positions are usually compensated—you can often make up to $10 an hour for every hour of class. You'll take careful notes, type them up, and email or drop them off at disability services, where they will be passed on to the students who need them.
Watch for emails asking for note-takers. Once a fellow students' needs are documented, disability services will contact the professors and ask for volunteers in the class to take notes, and your professor will in turn email the class. You can also upload your notes to a platform like Stuvia, where you can earn money by selling your notes to other classmates.
Advertise your services yourself. You can also contact disability services directly to see if they have a need for note-takers in the courses you are taking, or you can advertise your services yourself to your fellow classmates. If you advertise yourself, make sure that you aren't violating class or university policy.
Proofread your classmates' essays. If you excel at writing and editing, you can hone your skills and get paid for it at the same time by offering to proofread your classmates' papers for a reasonable fee. Spread the word among your friends and roommates, and consider posting fliers which advertise your services.
Study the honor code carefully. If you do get work proofreading, be careful about how you offer feedback and make suggestions for revision. You should be very familiar with your school's honor code and rules regarding plagiarism. Double-check the particular professor's policy about sharing written work with others, too. Some professors assign take-home essays that are more like exams, and they forbid students from talking to one another during the writing process. If you rewrite, instead of proofread, someone else's paper, you both could be brought up on academic fraud charges, and you could face serious consequences, to include being expelled.
Take advantage of your strong typing and computer skills. If you are a fast and accurate typist, if you are great at creating interesting presentations with sophisticated graphics, or if you excel at creating tables and graphs to represent data, you may be able to get paid to teach and help other students with their assignments and hone your own skills at the same time.
Visit Career Services. Most campuses have a Career Services office which counsels students on job market possibilities, and which helps prepare them for applying and interviewing as they near graduation. Don't think, however, that you should only use this resource as a senior. You can often find advertisements for paid internships and part-time work in your field of study at the Career Services office. Finding these opportunities early in your studies will not only help you excel in your field and build up your resume, but can add some much needed cash to your wallet while you learn.
Enter academic competitions. You can pretty regularly find advertisements for essay contests and scholarly competitions (such as science or engineering competitions) which offer cash prizes for the top performers. Be on the lookout for these opportunities by regularly checking the bulletin boards around campus (begin by looking in academic departments and the library), going through your email carefully, and by going directly to your advisor and/or professors to see if they know of any such competitions for which you may be a good fit. Even if you don't win, you'll get experience in your field, make connections, and build up your portfolio or work.
Finding Other Ways to Make Money on Campus
Apply for work study. Even if you weren't awarded work study when you first applied to your school, you may be able to apply now. Make an appointment at the financial aid office to see if you can still apply (or reapply, if your financial situation has recently changed). There are all sorts of jobs available on campus, from working in the dining halls, to performing administrative work in academic departments, and even working at campus theaters, where you'll have access to free performances or movies!
See if your college participates in the Federal Work Study Program. This program provides part-time work opportunities for students with financial aid, and guarantees that you'll be paid at least the federal minimum wage. Whenever possible, the positions available are relevant to your area of study and are civic-minded, aimed to serve the public interest.
Become an RA. If you live in the dorms, are an active participant in dorm and campus activities, have a good grade point average, and enjoy working with and counseling others, then becoming an RA (resident assistant) could be a great opportunity for you. While you may not bring home an additional pay-check for being an RA, you'll usually get either free or greatly reduced room and board, which will then free up money for your other expenses. At some schools, though, you may receive a stipend as an RA.
Become a guinea pig. Scope out bulletin boards on campus for advertisements looking for volunteers for psychology studies or medical experiments. These usually pay a flat rate, though at some schools, you could make up to $20 an hour doing something as simple (and possibly as interesting!) as filling out questionnaires.
Verify that the experiment is safe. Before you agree to participate, make sure that the experiment was approved by an Institutional Review Board or a Human Subjects Participant Program. This will help ensure that your rights and physical and mental well-being are protected.
Look for off-campus research trials. If you can't find opportunities to participate in research on campus, go to the US Government's official clinical trial website to find legit trials in your area. You can also visit the webpages of local hospitals to see if they are looking for participants.
Sell your textbooks at the end of the term. One of your biggest expenses may be the cash you have to set aside for textbooks. You can usually get a good chunk of your money back at the end of the term by selling back your books. Campus bookstores will sometimes buy back books, but many campuses also allow independent companies to set up shop at the end of the term. You can also scope out used bookstores in the area to see if they buy used books. To improve your odds of being able to sell a book (or fetch a good price for it), take care of your books throughout the semester, and avoid marking up the pages with notes and highlighters.
Become an organizational guru. It's hard to succeed in school (or at at any job!) if your work materials are a messy nightmare. Spend some time developing your organizational skills, and then advertise your services to your fellow classmates, and possibly even your professors. Offer to help your clients go through their files (either paper or electronic), and help them come up with a method for sorting and arranging their work that they can manage on their own.
Offer your cleaning and laundering services. College student usually aren't known for keeping spotless rooms or staying on top of their laundry. If you don't mind doing either of these tasks, and if you can stand the mess and stink, consider getting paid to clean dorm rooms or do laundry for your lazier classmates.
Open a salon in your dorm room (or make house calls). If you are talented at doing nails, hair, or make-up, consider advertising your services to your classmates, especially before big events like sorority formals or Valentine's Day. Research what local salons charge for services, and then undercut their prices to the point where you'll still be making a profit, but will be an affordable option for your fellow classmates.
Open a snack-shop. It's not a secret that college students get the munchies! If you're good at baking (or even just scoping out good deals on prepackaged snack items), take advantage of your classmates' perpetual hunger. Post fliers with tantalizing pictures of your baked goods, or visit the library and other hot study spots at key points in the term, such as midterm and finals week. If you're a night owl, then you're sure to find students on the prowl for a good snack in the wee hours of Friday and Saturday (or even Thursday, at some party schools!). If you decide to sell to the night crowd, though, it's a smart, safe move to work with a partner.
Set up a recycling center on your dorm room floor. If you live in a state which accepts bottle redemptions, you can make easy money by collecting and returning soda cans. Consider making a small investment in a large plastic garbage bin, line it with a sturdy plastic bag, and decorate it with signs: “Place your used soda cans here!”. Place the bin outside your dorm, and then all you'll have to do is sort through it before bringing it to the redemption center. Make sure that you aren't violating dorm policy by doing this. So long as it's allowed, you may also be able to go through any other recycling bins that are set up on campus.
Finding Jobs Off-Campus
Seek out tip jobs. As a college student, having access to quick cash is extremely helpful. Look for part-time job opportunities that will allow you to walk away with cash in hand at the end of your shift. Serving or tending bar in restaurants, working as a hotel or restaurant valet, delivering food (which usually requires you to have your own car and insurance), or doing street performance are good options.
Get a part-time job at a local shop. Hit the pavement and check out the local businesses around your area. You may be able to find part-time work that fits around your school schedule. While you should check the classifieds regularly for posted job ads, understand that not all businesses use these, and you may have better luck if you inquire in person about possible job openings. Be prepared with a copy of your resume and look presentable when you first go to the shop. Don't pop in on your way home from the gym! That won't leave a good impression!
Visit a temp agency. The process of finding an available job can be simplified by enlisting the help of a temp agency. They can sort through all the ads for you, and already have established relationships with local businesses. While the agency will take a portion of your wages, temp jobs tend to pay fairly well, and you can be clear about what your availability is around your class schedule. Another advantage of working through an agency is that you can turn down work if you are having a particularly busy week or month at school.
Baby-sit or nanny for local families. If you are responsible and good with children, you can often find steady work as a baby-sitter or nanny. Research the going rates in your area; as a college student, you may be able to demand a higher rate, particularly if you are an education major (or psychology, pre-med or nursing student, have certification in CPR and/or first-aid, etc.). In some cities, you may be able to make up to $15 an hour.
Consider signing up with professional baby-sitting services. These businesses screen and run back-ground checks on their sitters. Many parents are more comfortable placing their children in the care of sitters who have been vetted through this process.
Advertise your baby-sitting business on campus. You may also consider offering your services to your professors. If you are their current student, they may not feel comfortable (or be allowed to) hire you, but they may be able to recommend you to other of their friends and colleagues.
Negotiate additional tasks for extra pay. If you are already spending time in a home taking care of children, you may be able to make some extra cash by going above and beyond. For example, you can offer to do laundry and wash dishes for an extra fee (perhaps $10 more) on top of your regular baby-sitting rate.
Work with children in other ways. If baby-sitting isn't your thing, you may find fulfilling and lucrative work by tutoring or coaching elementary or high school students. Contact the local schools to see if they have children who might benefit from your services or to see if they have part-time coaching positions available. You may also be able to find these sorts of jobs by going to local organizations like the YMCA or YWCA.
Work with animals. If you connect better with animals than people, then you may be able to find work that puts you in contact with our non-human friends, which will be good for both your mental and your financial health. Advertise your services as a dog walker or pet sitter. You can place fliers (dog-parks and local veterinarians are great places to start) or advertise on-line, but don't overlook the importance of networking with people you know. You may even want to think about opening a pooper-scooper business. Cleaning up Fido's business is no one's favorite chore, but armed with gloves and the proper tools, it's an easy enough job. You'll also be provided with steady work!
Get paid to work outside. If you're young and strong and like to be outside, then starting a business in which you do yard work or landscaping could be right up your alley. Be able to switch up your services as the seasons change: have access to a lawn-mower and weed-whacker in the warmer months, and switch out to warm clothes and a shovel once the cold hits. If it snows a lot where you live, buying a snow-blower could be a solid investment. If you're an early bird, you may be able to make money by offering to scrape the ice off cars in the early hours before people have to go to work. You may be able to find several clients in your own neighborhood or at a single apartment complex.
Use your vehicle to your advantage. If you own your own car, are insured, and have a good driving record, then there are various ways you can put your car to work for you. You may be able to find work delivering papers, driving fellow students (to the airport, to run errands or go to appointments off-campus), or you can even open up your own delivery service. For example, you can get paid to grocery shopping for those who are home-bound while you stock up for your own pantry. If you have a truck, you probably already know that you (or rather, it) is in high demand, especially come moving in/out day on campus: offer your services as a mover—for a fee, of course!
House sit. Do you know anyone who is planning to take a long vacation, or has your professor mentioned their plans to travel overseas on their sabbatical? If so, you may be the perfect candidate to house-sit. This is a particularly great gig: you usually won't be asked to do much more than watch over the home, collect mail, water the plants, perform yard work as necessary, and perhaps care for pets. Beyond that, though, you'll get to live in a home that's probably far nicer than yours for a few days or even weeks.
Network to find house-sitting opportunities. Let your family, friends, and professors know about your availability to house-sit. It's usually best to try to find a friend-of-a-friend (or a coworker or boss of a friend or parent, etc.) Your immediate friends and family members may expect you to help out for free and be insulted at your request for payment.
Sell blood and/or plasma. Why not perform a valuable service for others while getting paid at the same time? Depending upon whether you are giving blood or plasma, you can usually make in the range of $20-45 per “donation”. You will need to meet certain eligibility requirements before you'll be allowed to donate, though, and there are limits to how often you can donate. Read up on the American Red Cross's donation guidelines before you commit, or check in with the hospital or clinic where you'll be donating.
Working from Home
Sell your gently used clothes to consignment shops. Take a careful look at your closet; how much of it do you regularly wear? How much of it still fits? How much of it is still in style? There's a good chance that you have a decent amount of money tied up in your wardrobe. Pull out any items that are still in good condition, make sure they are clean and wrinkle-free, and then take them to a local consignment shop. You should be able to walk away with cash in hand. Just try not to spend it all on new clothes while you're there—unless, of course, that's why you wanted the extra money in the first place!
Sell your stuff online. If there isn't a good consignment shop nearby (or if you think you may be able to make more by selling your items yourself), you may want to consider selling your no-longer-wanted-or-needed possessions online. Craigslist and eBay are two popular sites to try. Think about offering up your clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, exercise equipment, and/or electronic equipment. So long as it's in decent condition, you can usually find a buyer for nearly any item. You'll want to take high resolution pictures of your items, and be sure to offer a clear, complete description of the item. If you have warranty information, manuals, or brochures that accompany the items, you may have better luck making a sell.
Have a yard sale. You can also set up shop in your own yard (or drive-way, or garage). Many areas have active yard sale scenes, and it takes minimal work for you to be able to meet up with those who are looking for great deals. Post fliers around your neighborhood, and remember to place an ad in your local paper if they advertise garage/yard sales. Be willing to negotiate with buyers, and don't set your expectations too high when you set your prices. At best, you may only be able to fetch 25% of the original price you paid for an item.
Write online. If you are good with the written word, you should be able to find plenty of opportunities to write (or edit others' work) online. Search for freelance writing and editing gigs. The rates for these jobs vary: you may be paid by the word, be offered a flat rate for a project, or in some cases can be paid an hourly rate. You typically won't be able to retain copyright over your work or collect royalties, however. Even so, by doing freelance work you can build a portfolio and make valuable connections which may later pay off with more stable job opportunities.
Start your own blog or website. If you want your work to remain your own, and if you want the freedom to write about whatever topics interest you, you can think about creating your own website or blog. If you get enough followers, you can start to bring in revenue through advertising. You'll only make a few cents per click on the ads on your page, but with enough followers, this can add up for you over time.
Start a YouTube channel. If you prefer visual media and are great at creating videos which are funny or informative, you may also be able to make money by creating a YouTube channel with advertising. See our related wikiHow on how to earn money on YouTube.
Turn your hobbies into a business. Do you love do-it-yourself projects? Are you able to knit, crochet, work with wood, or craft hand-made jewelry? If so, you may find a good client base by setting up shop on sites like eBay or Etsy. You'll need a PayPal account, a good camera to take quality pictures of your crafts, and a way to organize your orders.
Perform paid administrative work. If you have basic computer skills and don't mind doing repetitive work, you may be able to find work stuffing envelopes, doing data entry, or working as a telemarketer from your home. These jobs typically can be done in your spare time and require minimal training from the employing company.
Make the most of your time online. If you already spend too much time surfing or shopping online, you may be able to find a way to turn your time-wasting past time into a profitable venture. There are various business which offer you small amounts of money to take surveys (such as iPoll.com), download apps or listen to music. The money you'll be able to make will probably only amount to pocket change—you'll be offered a few cents to a few dollars per task—but it can add up over the course of time, and will certainly help you feel less guilty about the occasional latte splurge.
Design an app. There's a lot of potential money to be made in the mobile app business. If you've got an idea for a great new app that can either provide people with a fun diversion or help them organize their life or learn in creative new ways, you may be sitting on potentially lucrative idea. There are many tutorials available which offer helpful advice, and you can even create an app if you lack coding experience. See our related wikiHow on how to create an app.
Making Money by Saving Money
Rent a room. If you rent or own off-campus, you can free up a large chunk of cash by cutting down on your share of rent and utility expenses by finding a roommate. Carefully screen applicants—it may be a good idea to begin searching for a roommate among your friends and classmates. Be sure to draw up an agreement between the two of you outlining how bills will be handled, and make sure you aren't violating your current lease if you bring in an additional person to your home.
Save money on books. Books are a large expense for any college student, but it's not a good idea to forego purchasing them at all. There are, however, various ways to potentially save hundreds on your book costs over the course of the school year. Once your reading list is available, begin by checking the prices in the campus bookstore, but them look elsewhere for better deals.
Look for used books. You can usually find cheaper options (both new and used) online or by going to local used bookstores, who often buy books from students at the end of the term. Given that professors often use the same texts from term to term, you may be able to score much cheaper versions of the book. You may even be able to check the text out for free from the campus or local library.
See if you can use an older edition. If your professor has assigned a newer edition of a text, you may be able to get buy with an older (cheaper) edition of the text. Publishers often make very few changes from edition to edition, and the only thing that may vary is the page numbers or the occasional addition of a new reading. Double-check with your professor to see if an older edition will work for you before you commit to buying.
Rent or share textbooks. You may also be able to rent your textbooks for a much reduced cost, or you can split the cost of a pricey book with a classmate or roommate who is enrolled in the same course. If you do this, make sure that you have a clear schedule for when each of you will access to the book.
Carry cash only. You may be able to spend less by limiting yourself to only paying for items with cash. Put your debit and credit cards away, or tuck them in corner of your wallet to only be brought out for emergencies. When you cash your check or make a withdrawal, take out enough to last you for the month, if possible. This way, you can avoid having to make repeat trips to the ATM. At an average fee of $3 per withdrawal, the fees can really add up. Avoid carrying all of your cash when you go out, though. Take just what you think you'll need.
Save on food on campus. If you live on campus, you may be required to purchase a dining plan. If so, select the most economical plan (be honest about how often you'll be willing or able to go to the cafeteria). Then, whatever plan you have, take full advantage of it: avoid skipping meals so that you won't need to purchase food later; and if you're allowed, take fruit or leftovers so that you'll have snacks available throughout the day. Also, scope out events on campus which offer free food. If you have a work study with the dining hall or catering services, you may be able to take home free food.
Opt out of your dining plan. If you are able to, you may be able to save more money by opting out of a dining plan and buying your groceries yourself. Shop at discount grocery stores or buy in bulk from stores like Costco. While you get more bang for your buck when you buy in bulk, your tab can be pretty high. You can work around this problem by having a friend or roommate go in with you on purchases.
Save on clothes. Sure you want to look good, but you don't have to spend a lot to stay on trend. Consider simplifying your wardrobe: build a solid base of classics that you can easily mix and match. Buy all of your clothes second-hand or commit to only buying items on sale. You can also swap clothes with your friends to keep things fresh.
Barter your services with friends. Do you spend more than you'd like getting your hair and nails done each month? Do you have a friend who can't resist the pastries at the coffee shop or who pays for a personal trainer? Think about what both you and your friends spend money on, and then see if there's a way for you to barter and trade services with each other in order to save money. For example, in exchange for doing your hair before a big date, you can offer to supply your friend with some fresh-baked goodies.
Reduce your transportation costs. The costs associated with commuting to and from school (or across town as you run errands) can be quite high. In an effort to save money on gas, insurance, and parking, try to take public transportation as much as possible. Your school may have discounted bus passes available for students, or you may be able to arrange to carpool with your fellow students to classes or for supply runs.
Cut out luxuries. You may think that you can't live without your cable or Starbucks, but be honest with yourself. It's probably just the caffeine you need, and not the $4 latte. Make your coffee at home, consider cutting out the cable and switching to free or cheaper tv options (such as NetFlix or Hulu), and hold off on upgrading to the newest, shiniest electronic gadgets. By going without luxuries, you'll of course free up money, but you'll also come to enjoy and appreciate them more once you can truly be able to afford them again.
Take advantage of student discounts. Before you head out to a local restaurant or museum, do some quick research to see if they offer discounts for students. As a student, you can often get free admission or great deals with your student identification.
Look for free entertainment. How much money do you currently spend going out to movies, bars, or clubs? While it's important that you have a social life and find ways to relax when you aren't hitting the books, you don't have to spend a lot of cash (or any!) to have a good time in your free time. Actually read the fliers and posters around campus, which advertise free, fun, and/or interesting activities and lectures. You may be able to see plays and concerts on campus, attend lectures from important thinkers, or go to university-sponsored parties all for free with your student ID.
Consider joining one or more of the clubs on campus. Besides being able to meet new and interesting people, some of them have regular activities (like movie nights) or even take service trips over school breaks. These are usually funded in part or sometimes completely through donations or through fund-raising efforts.
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