Side Hustles ideas While In Academia

It's no secret: students do not get paid much. In a perfect world, every student would be paid a liveable wage so they wouldn't have to rely on extra income to live while pursuing a degree. 

Enter side hustles. Here are some ideas which are possible to start within a week! However, please note, if you are an international student you need to find out if this will interfere with your VISA or not.

Tutoring

This is probably one of the most obvious gigs you can do. As a well-educated person (especially one with a specific concentration area), if you have a knack for teaching you might make a great tutor! 

Tutors are always in high demand, both in person and online. Especially during COVID-19 when both the tutor and the family of the student might not feel comfortable with in-person teaching, online tutoring is a great alternative! 

​VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Being a virtual assistant is a great side hustle! VA's are people who provide various services to entrepreneurs or businesses from a remote location. Not only do you learn about how they run their business (which can help you out with yours), but you can pretty much make your own schedule! Tasks can include scheduling social media posts, managing inboxes, transcribing, etc. 

Social media manager

Particularly skilled or interested in social media? Then you can help businesses create engaging content to amp their social media presence by becoming their social media manager. By keeping social media channels brand-focused and up-to-date to connect with audiences, your skills are a highly demanded asset. 

Freelance writing

I know, I know. You already do a ton of writing while doing your degree (hello thesis, our old friend). But I'm willing to bet that it isn't too fun... or allows you to flex your creative muscles! Many people get paid to write articles, quotes, and social media captions. Why shouldn't one of those paid people be you?

House/pet sitting

Do you live in an area where you see a lot of pets? Then it's a good in for this side gig: pet sitting! If you love furry friends, and are relatively tidy, get paid for that love and cleanliness. 

nanny gigs

For the same reasons listed above, people around your community might need a babysitter. If you like kids, this is something you could excel at! Just make sure you have a background check and do a First Aid/CPR course before advertising your services.

​These were just a few ideas - but there are so many more options! if you have a gig, what is it?