University of Wollongong (UOW) students are working longer hours to keep up with the rise in living costs, with many students claiming it impacts their studies.
The university recommends that full-time students work 10-15 hours a week to properly manage their study load.
However, UOW full-time student, Liam Robinson said he works around 25 hours a week.
“If I didn’t, then I just wouldn’t be able to pay for anything. You need a job as well as the study,” Mr Robinson said.
National data has reflected this experience.
The 2022-2023 Australian and New Zealand Wellbeing Survey has found 86 per cent of Australian students were working while studying, an increase from 78 per cent in 2021.
Mr Robinson said work did not affect his attendance, but feels the amount of time he can spend studying has been reduced.
“I don’t have as much time as I’d like to study and get work done, which I would say affects my grades, because they’re not always the best,” he said.
Despite this, he said he tried to balance both commitments equally, describing it as “pretty 50/50”.
Head of Student Engagement and Marketing at UOW Pulse, April Alexander said the number of hours contributed by student volunteers this year was reduced by 61 per cent compared to 2025.
“We’ve definitely seen a decline in the number of students volunteering because they’ve had to prioritise their paid work to meet the demands of cost of living,” Ms Alexander said.
A survey conducted on UOW students for this story has shown that those working longer hours were more likely to report negative impacts on their study.
Ms Alexander said working long hours added pressure for students balancing multiple responsibilities.
“They’re trying to study, they’re trying to learn, they’re trying to absorb, they’re getting told they need to do work experience and practical placements, but it just builds up and the stress is the main impact,” she said.
International students face additional limits on how much they can work while studying.
Ms Alexander said visa restrictions meant some students were already working at their maximum capacity.
“International students will lean more on Pulse supports to improve their scenarios with products we can give them because there is literally no other way for them to increase their working capacity due to legislation,” she said.
As living costs continue to rise, many UOW students are working to support themselves while studying, reducing the time available for academic work and campus life.
Additional reporting by: Lavanya I
