8 Easy Side Hustles for University Students (Because “Broke” Is Not a Valid Personality Trait)

Is there anything like uni life? (I mean I hope not, cause I’m not going through all that again) Where professors act like their course is the only one you’re taking, your money keeps magically disappearing like there are little gremlins robbing you when you sleep, you’re somehow always hungry but never really have an appetite, or you have too much of an appetite and no food to eat, and your bank balance often looks like an idiot’s IQ (two digits only). If you’re tired of depending on your parents (who have their own financial struggles) or surviving on instant noodles and tap water, it’s time to pick up a side hustle.

The good news? You don’t need much to start. You just need common sense(I hope you have that), the internet, and some effort. Let’s dive into 8 easy side hustles you can start as a university student — so you don’t have to rob a bank.

1. Freelance Writing (A.K.A. Getting Paid to Waffle)

If you can write a term paper last minute and still get a B, congratulations you procrastinating psycho, you have a skill! Many blogs, businesses, and even lazy students need well-written content.

What You Need: A phone or laptop, a strong internet connection, and Grammarly (because typos are embarrassing).

How to Find Gigs: Sign up on freelance platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, or join Facebook groups for writers. You can also slide into the DMs of small businesses and offer to write their product descriptions or blog posts.

Balancing with School: Dedicate weekends or free evenings to writing. Break long projects into smaller tasks so you’re not overwhelmed.

2. Social Media Management (Because Scrolling All Day Can Actually Pay You)

If you can craft tweets that get retweeted hundreds of times or make TikToks that blow up overnight, you can manage social media pages for brands and influencers.

What You Need: A good phone, Canva for design, and a data plan that won’t disgrace you.

How to Find Gigs: Offer to manage social media for small businesses around campus or within your community. Show them how better engagement means more sales.

Balancing with School: Use scheduling tools like Later to plan content in advance.

3. Tutoring (A.K.A. Turning Your Brain to Cash)

If you’re that student everyone comes to before an exam, why not charge for your knowledge?

What You Need: A knack for explaining things, patience, and maybe a whiteboard if you want to feel like a real professor. 

WARNING: Your patience will truly be tested, but you can make real money from this.

How to Find Students: Offer tutorial classes for difficult courses or secondary school subjects. Use group chats, posters, and word-of-mouth to market yourself. You can also extend your services to local high school students for extra cash.

Balancing with School: Set clear schedules—weekends or evenings—so your own grades don’t suffer.

4. Graphic Design (Because People Will Pay for Good Aesthetics)

You have an eye for design, start creating logos, flyers, and social media graphics for businesses and event organizers.

What You Need: A smartphone (use Canva) or a laptop (use CorelDRAW, Photoshop, or Adobe Illustrator).

How to Find Clients: Promote your designs on Twitter and Instagram. Reach out to small businesses, local event planners, and student organizations.

Balancing with School: Work in batches—set aside specific times for client work.

5. Mini Importation (A.K.A. Buy Cheap, Sell High)

Buy cheap but high-demand items (e.g., phone accessories, fashion items) from platforms like eBay, Temu, AliExpress, or local wholesalers and resell at a profit.

What You Need: A little bit of cash (a week’s allowance could be enough to start, you just have to keep your eye out for really cheap products. Again, AliExpress is a good place to start), a reliable supplier, and social media for marketing.

How to Find Customers: Sell to coursemates and hostel mates and promote on your socials and school boards.

Balancing with School: Handle orders and deliveries during weekends and free periods.

6. Shoemaking or Bag-Making (Because Drip is Forever)

If you’re creative and enjoy working with your hands, start making and selling trendy bags, slippers, or shoes.

What You Need: Basic training (YouTube and Udemy have tutorials), a little startup capital for materials, and marketing skills.

P.S.: If you’re the brokest of broke and can’t afford the startup capital for leather shoes and bags, use a different medium. Crochet/knit bags are always cute. And yarn is a lot cheaper than leather. You’ll find a ton of free crochet patterns on Pinterest. 

How to Find Customers: Take advantage of Instagram, Twitter, and every other social platform. Use your useless friends to market your products. Have them wear some of your designs and market you everywhere they go. Sell directly to students.

Balancing with School: Work on orders over the weekend or between lectures. Yeah, your weekends won’t be fun anymore, but at least you won’t be broke anymore either.

7. Home Cooking or Baking (Because Everyone Loves Food)

How to Start: If you can cook or bake well, start selling snacks or even full meals. The trick to selling food to students is to be mad. Don’t sell normal stuff. Want to sell egg-fried rice? Sell pink egg fried rice. What makes it pink? You’ll never tell. What to sell doughnuts? Sell red doughnuts. What makes it red? The spice, obviously. Can they handle it? They won’t know until they try it. That’s what will draw them in. 

That’s how you get attention. 

What You Need: Cooking utensils (you probably already have those, but you can get cheap used ones at local or online thrift stores), ingredients, and word-of-mouth marketing.

How to Find Customers: Sell in hostels, offer meal plans for busy students, and take special orders.

Balancing with School: Cook in bulk during free hours, then deliver throughout the day.

8. Comedy or Skit-Making (Because Laughter is Cash)

So you’re the class clown. Prove it. If you know you’re funny and creative, start making and posting short comedy skits online. Make jokes about school life, the joyless existence of engineering students, the purposeless architecture of your school library, literally anything. Make it relatable, make it funny, and let YouTube give you a salary for it.

What You Need: A phone with a decent camera and editing apps like CapCut or InShot.

How to Make Money: As your content gains traction, you can earn through ads, brand deals, and promotions.

Balancing with School: Record multiple skits during free time and schedule uploads.

The Broke Life Is Not Your Destiny

Being a student doesn’t mean you have to be broke… It just means you will be broke unless you fight the spirit of brokeness (very real spirit, by the way. Recognized by various religions and even the government.) You have skills, a smartphone, and internet access—use them! Whether you want some change for cab rides to early morning classes (because ride fares are no joke nowadays) or enough to cover tuition, these side hustles can help. Just start today and be consistent. Your future rich self will thank you.

Which side hustle are you starting? Let me know in the comments!

Wishing you peace and funds,

Dee