Balancing work alongside your studies can be challenging, but a little practice and organization can make it more manageable. Many students work throughout their studies and gain employable skills through their different experiences.

To find a job on campus, your first stop should be UBC Careers Online.

A lot of the roles are Work-Learn positions, a UBC program which provides students with part-time positions in an administrative or research unit, from the UBC Library to UBC Farm. Most are 10 hours a week from September–April, or 20 hours a week in the summer. These roles are a great opportunity to gain mentorship from a UBC staff or faculty member and gain work experience in an area you are interested in.

Whether you want to tutor, organize events or provide mentorship, the AMS offers many paid positions throughout the school year and summer. These can be found on their website at ams.ubc.ca/opportunities/jobs. You can also apply to be a teaching assistant or become a notetaker for students with the Centre for Accessibility — keep an eye on your inbox for those opportunities.

There are also lots of customer service positions available on or near campus with restaurants on campus and in Wesbrook Village, which you can often find on Careers Online or Indeed.

Positions are open to both domestic and international students, but make sure you check the study permit requirements as they can differ between positions. Applications for school-year positions are typically open in August and summer positions are due in March. And don’t forget to polish up your resume, cover letter or interview skills using resources from UBC Careers!

Some practical tips to balance work and study include:

Upgrade your study skills for efficiency. Learn the difference between active and passive recall, ask questions and don’t forget to reward yourself with breaks.

Plan ahead. Avoid cramming for exams and instead, start earlier with a study schedule. By starting early, you’ll avoid stress and be able to balance all your commitments.

Communicate. Don’t be afraid to find a schedule that works best for you by talking to your supervisor. Exactly what that means will look different for everyone, but it could include scheduling days you don’t have class or working less hours around exams.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself and your mental health — balancing work and school is tough, but with patience you can find techniques that work for you.