Can grad students have (other) jobs?

Between classes, studying and research, working toward a Ph.D. or master’s degree is basically full-time work. Can you have another job while you're in graduate school? Is is allowed? Is it manageable? Those are the questions I’m diving into in this week’s career column.

Is grad school a job?

 When I was in graduate school, the university considered me a student employee because I received a stipend to do my research. The stipend was intended to ensure that my graduate work was my main focus, and I also received tuition remission for the classes I was taking toward my degree.

 This isn’t the case for every program. Some graduate students are required to do other work associated with earning their stipend, such as teaching classes. Most students pursuing a master’s degree don’t get a stipend or tuition remission and are not typically considered student employees. The structure varies, so make sure you understand how you earn your stipend (if you get one) before thinking about finding other work.

 Can you seek outside work?

 In general, graduate school that involves research is a full-time gig, and you don’t have a lot of time for other work. Students are expected to spend most of their time on coursework, research and, possibly, teaching. However, graduate student stipends are often a little lacking, especially considering the rising cost of living. I was certainly tempted to find outside work when I was in school to help pay my expenses. But is it allowed?

 Before you think about finding a part time gig, check your school or program policies. In my Ph.D. program, the graduate student contract stated we could not seek outside employment and emphasized our schoolwork should be our full time and only means of employment. Although many grad students still found part time work or side hustles to supplement their stipends, it was generally discouraged. Other programs don’t have restrictions on outside employment or leave the decision to individual mentors.

If you aren’t sure what your program allows, start by looking in your student handbook, if you have one. If you can’t find the info you need, check with your program coordinator or mentor.

Finding work that works

If outside employment is not restricted, think carefully about what kind of job would work for you. Start by thinking about your graduate program — it should be your top priority — and your school or research activities. What are your time constraints? What is your class schedule? Finding a job that doesn’t interfere with your grad school obligations will help ensure you can manage both at once. 

You could also consider internships or externships, assuming your mentor is okay with something more time consuming. I had a friend in grad school who was really interested in pharmaceutical research and was able to do a three-month summer externship with a pharmaceutical company in the area.

Depending on the kind of work you find, you might want to have a conversation with your PI so they’re aware of any new time constraints you have. Maybe you have to say no to weekend research. Explaining that to your PI early can help prevent misunderstandings.

To summarize: Outside work may be allowed, and you might be able to manage it. Be sure to check your program policies and carefully consider what work won’t interfere with your grad school progress.