Game testing, bartending and other menial jobs are the standard around here, since it's kinda the only jobs who hire students ... unless you happen to be good at programming; they always hire new programmers.

in America if you want education, but can't afford it... the best way to pay for it would be by joining the military and getting a GI Bill etc.

Last edited by Hashiriya (2012 July 08, 6:11 pm)

I funded my undergrad at first by doing bar work every night. Although I got paid illegally low wages (£5/hour) it paid for me and my gf to live (she worked too). Living is cheaper if you share all your expenses with another person.

In the summer holidays of the first year I got a job working with the Highways Agency doing environmental surveys, and kept that job throughout my second year. That paid my bills a bit more comfortably than bar work, but I was pretty much working full time and studying full time, and the work was dull.

My third undergrad year was a year in industry for which I got paid, then I carried on working full time for that company in my final year as a researcher. Also in the second half of my final year I started working as a freelance programmer (on Anki! ^_^). I attended precisely 0 lectures in my final year because I was working all the time, but thankfully the skills I learned at my various jobs were more than enough to cope with the coursework and exams.

Bar work is fine, and is usually quite easy to get, but your legs and back get tired and the pay is nowhere near as good as a skilled job. Freelance programming is really an excellent student job, as you get paid to develop your own skills as well as producing useful output. This can easily lead to a stable side-career which will give you financial support in the future too. The best jobs I've had are the ones which use the skills I have and develop new ones, and require me to think a lot.

Since your English is good Raschaverak, you could always come to the UK to study, and you will be eligible for some financial support for tuition fees (no matter what age you are). You could then do part-time work to earn your living expenses. I'm sure other EU countries will also offer finance packages like the UK does.

To give you an idea, in the UK you are entitled to up to £9,000 per year for tuition fees as an EU national. If you classify as a migrant working from an EEA country, you can also get an allowance for your living expenses.

Last edited by Blahah (2012 July 08, 7:19 pm)

security work always seems to be hiring?