Universities should receive a partial rebate on their international student fee levy if they help students find “meaningful” work, according to a new study which found that the quality of a part-time job can impact on academic success.

Amid a rise in students working while studying to offset the increasing cost of living, researchers at the University of Lancashire and the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) found that most students are employed in “low-paid and flexible sectors, such as health and social care, retail and hospitality”.

Thirty-eight per cent are on zero-hour or casual contracts and 43 per cent report “stress, anxiety or depression caused or worsened by work”, according to a survey conducted as part of the research.

But those who do find their jobs meaningful or good quality were more likely to achieve a good honours degree with factors such as being able to work from home and having a good manager and supportive colleagues increasing the likelihood of students doing well at university.

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The authors say, therefore, that job quality is “a critical, and often overlooked, determinant of student success”, which should place a “new emphasis” on the topic of student employment.

The study concludes that “paid work has become a necessity rather than a choice for the majority of students”, which was “reshaping the student experience”.

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The survey finds that 66 per cent of students work to cover basic living costs, while 26 per cent work to support their families.

Students report working an average of 17 hours a week, contributing to an overall weekly workload of 50 hours, including academic work and travel.

“This study offers a unique insight into students’ everyday experiences in higher education,” said Adrian Wright, director of the University of Lancashire’s Institute for Work, Organisations and Employment and one of the study’s authors.

“It challenges the myth of the full-time student and reveals the significant impact paid work has on academic outcomes. Many students are trapped in unsuitable, low-quality jobs.

“In response, we propose practical solutions for governments, universities and regulators to better support students’ working lives.”

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The report calls for reforms including recalibrating student financial support “to reflect actual living costs”, introducing means-tested maintenance grants, raising maintenance loans in line with actual inflation and updating parental income thresholds.

It urges universities to build regional employer partnerships, reposition careers services to support meaningful work during study and develop regional “student employment charters”.

Institutions that facilitate high-quality student employment should receive a partial rebate on what they pay as part of the coming international student levy, it suggests.

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This could be “allocated based on student employment data captured at the point of enrolment and through tracking the number of student jobs facilitated by university careers services in sectors linked to regional economic priorities”.

Rose Stephenson, director of policy and strategy at Hepi, said: “We cannot continue designing and delivering a higher education system around the ideal of the full-time residential student when they are now the minority.

“Students are working incredibly hard to secure their future success, and they deserve a system that supports their efforts. That means honest communication about the real cost of study, maintenance support that reflects actual living expenses, and more flexible teaching models that recognise the realities of modern student life.”

The University of Liverpool, New Buckinghamshire University and London South Bank University were also involved in the research.

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tash.mosheim@timeshighereducation.com