Uni students now need to work more in term-time

MORE than two in three full-time university students are now undertaking paid work during term time, a survey suggests.

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University undergraduates are spending less time on independent study as more take on jobs, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank and Advance HE report.

A survey of 10,232 full-time undergraduates in the UK found that 68% had paid work while they were studying, up from 56% in 2024. The number of students working in term time has nearly doubled in a decade, with only 35% in paid employment in term time in 2015.

The Student Academic Experience Survey 2025, carried out between January and March, suggests time spent on independent study has fallen significantly, from 13.6 hours per week in 2024 to 11.6 hours this year.