Finding a part-time job

You may choose to work part-time for financial reasons and to gain experience specific to your longer term career goals.

We can help you to find and apply for opportunities within and outside the university, and advise you on the practical and legal considerations of working while you study.

Need feedback on your CV? Make an appointment to see us

Working for your university

Roles include student helpers, advisers, residential accommodation advisers and staff and volunteers for Brighton Students' Union.

Where to look for vacancies 

  • Our vacancy service advertises most on-campus opportunities. For further updates on campus recruitment, follow our social channels.
  • Human Resources recruit staff at all levels across the university including part-time roles that are appropriate for students.
  • Sport Brighton has vacancies at the university's sport and recreation facilities.
  • Brighton Students' Union recruits for a variety of paid and volunteer roles.
  • Roles within academic schools may be advertised directly to students via My Studies.
  • A recruitment agency Blue Arrow provides temporary staff for the university and they encourage students to register for part-time work on campus.

When to apply 

Regular recruitment drives typically take place in these months:

September
Student Helpers (Information Services)
Recreation Assistants (Sport Brighton)

October
Student Ambassadors (Academic Services)

January
Student Ambassadors (Business School)

February
Student Ambassadors (Academic Services)

March
Student Ambassadors (Student Operations and Support)

April
Summer Accommodation Assistants

May
Various posts (Students' Union)
ASK Ambassadors
Online Student Ambassadors (School of Environment and Technology)
Student Helpers for examinations (Brighton and Sussex Medical School)

Contracts and pay

Employment contracts

Before you start work at the university you will need to make available your bank account details, your passport and details of a named referee; this could be a previous tutor or employer.

You may also be asked to provide a reference from your course leader or head of year. This is to confirm that you are a current student attending a course at the university.

We will only ask for this information once you have been recruited into a role. Delays in providing this information could result in delaying your start date or in receiving your pay.

Pay

Rates vary according to the level of responsibility. All student jobs pay more than minimum wage.

Most roles are paid hourly via the university payroll system and recruits should expect to be paid a month in arrears on the last working day of the month, eg if you work hours in mid-February you will be paid at the end of March.

Working in your local area

Working in Sussex and the south-east has links to sites advertising work across Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne and the south-east.

If you are looking for part-time work in a specific industry or role, consider making a speculative application.

Before you start part-time work

Working hours 

The university allows you to work as many hours as you like as long as it does not affect your studies. A sensible guideline for full-time students is 15 hours per week maximum. Your studies should take priority.

EU students and Brexit

To date, there has been no change to the rights and status of EU nationals in the UK as a result of the EU membership referendum.

International students

If you are an international student, your visa will tell you if you can work in the UK and how many hours you are permitted to work per week.

If you are unsure, contact our International Student Support Team, or you can visit the UK Government or UKCISA.

Getting paid  

The National Minimum Wage is the minimum amount that an employer must pay you per hour. If you are over 25 years of age you should be paid the National Living Wage.

If you are concerned that you are not being paid the legal minimum, contact the Careers Service for advice on how to proceed.

An employer will usually pay your wages directly into your bank account. Deductions for Income Tax and National Insurance will be made before you are paid.

Employers who pay you in cash without making deductions are breaking the law. If you accept these payments you risk losing your employment rights and may have to pay tax and national insurance yourself.

Tax and National Insurance 

Tax

You will have to pay income tax if your income is above the tax-free Personal Allowance. Your employer will deduct tax from your wages before you are paid.

If you are self-employed you will need to register with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and pay your tax directly.

If you earn less than the tax-free Personal Allowance you can claim the tax back.

Non-UK students leaving the UK may be able to reclaim any tax they have paid.

National Insurance (NI)

All UK citizens are issued with an NI number at age 16. If you were not a UK resident at age 16 you must apply for an NI number before starting work.

Find out more about making an NI application. You will be given an application reference number. You can then start work immediately.

How much NI you will pay depends on your earnings.

Your employer will deduct NI from your wages. If you are self-employed you will need to pay directly.

Resources

The Salary Calculator works out how much money you will make based on your salary or hourly rate and working hours.

Student jobs: paying tax has information on tax and national insurance from the UK government.

Your rights 

Student workers are protected by UK employment law and have the same rights as everyone else.

If you think you are being treated unfairly or are having problems at work, see our page Your rights in the workplace for information and contact details for advice agencies, or contact us.

Protect yourself from fraud 

Most jobs advertised will come from reputable employers offering genuine opportunities. However there are some fraudulent jobs being advertised.

  • Never be a 'money mule' – which is getting involved in work that requires you to pay money into your bank account and forward the money to someone else. Both you and your employer are engaging in illegal activity. Ignorance of the law is not an acceptable defence in these situations so beware.
  • Do not respond to job offers in unsolicited emails.
  • Be wary of job offers based solely on CV submission or limited telephone contact.
  • Never give out your bank details to an employer unless you have been through the recruitment process, have accepted a job offer and are confident they are legitimate.
  • Before you sign any contract it is essential you check that it is in accordance with your rights under employment law. If you are in any doubt, please discuss with us before signing a contract or accepting a job.
  • Check the legitimacy of the company - are they registered with Companies House, registered for VAT, do they have insurance? 
  • Jobs that are too good to be true, eg offering unusually high rates of pay for very little actual work - probably are!

Further information

  • Safer Jobs supports job seekers and agency staff with any suspected fraud, malpractice, breach of legislation, or poor experience they may encounter. 
  • If you're unsure whether to accept a job offer or think you might have inadvertently become involved in fraudulent activity, get in touch as soon as possible.