Can I work and study?

Last Modified: 13/Jul/2024

Obtaining a part-time job is an excellent way to meet new people and gain new skills.

If you are a full-time student, you will need to spend around 30-40 hours per week engaged in your studies, some programs may also require periods of work placement to meet degree requirements. You will need to check your study commitments and consider how you will balance these with paid work.

For international students, check your visa requirements for guidance also.

Types of work

Full-time work is usually considered 38 hours or more per week, while part-time is less than 38 hours per week. Full-time and part-time employees agree to work a fixed number of hours per week for their employer, and generally have a set salary or wage which includes benefits such as paid sick leave and holiday leave.

A casual worker will usually have varied work hours from week to week depending on the needs of the business and they are not entitled to paid leave and are not guaranteed a minimum number of hours of work per week. However, casual employment generally attracts a higher rate of pay per hour to compensate for this difference.

For guidance on fair work conditions and pay, check out the Fair Work Ombudsman website.