The scarcity of foreign exchange and the new regulations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may have compelled many parents of Nigerian learners abroad to seek the option of trading or getting approved jobs to augment their expenses.
However, the parents of these students have been advised to approach the CBN for reprieve rather than subject their children and wards to the unpalatable experience of trying to balance academics and work in an attempt to pay their tuition and other expenses.
“As an agency we try to discourage students to think that the jobs they will do as students will pay all their tuition fees and also their living expenses,” said Mrs. Nnembu Ada Nwokeji; Director at Drums School Finders..
According to her, “Ireland, USA, UK, and Australia all offer options for students to work and earn some money to help with some expenses. In all these countries generally students are allowed to work 20 hours during term time and full time during the holidays. It is possible to work while studying. There are jobs available students just need to multi-task and manage their time properly so that they concentrate on their academic pursuit which is the main reason they have been granted a visa and then balance that around working.”
She said in the case of the UK, prospective students are required to show proof of all the funds for their tuition fee and living expenses in an account for 28 days before they can apply for a study visa.
“The purpose of this is to show that you have enough funds to provide for all your academic, social and living needs for a year and hence will not be dependent on the UK government. The purpose of working as a student should be focused mainly on career development, CV building and working to cover some expenses or extra money. Some high paying jobs may afford students some luxuries but the limited number of hours they are allowed to work during term time upon their immediate arrival will not allow for a huge opportunity to make much money in the beginning of their journey. Students are allowed to work full-time during the holidays and this is the time when they will be able to accumulate more money and work over time to acquire a bigger saving pot.”
She said some of the most common jobs students can get are Student Ambassador, catering, animal care, administrative jobs, tutoring, sales, care assistant, security and jobs in retail. “These are unskilled and do not require much experience and employers in these areas are always hiring.
There are also jobs for people with skills in IT, hair dressers, nail technicians, plumbers, bakers and so much more.
Nwokeji advised students who are thinking of working while studying to start job search as soon as they arrive. “You can even start the search before you leave your home country. Take advantage of your school resources, check your school career centre, and talk to them, they have so much support to get you started. Finally, network and talk to people. Build relationships with your lecturers as they may be excellent referees and can also recommend you for various positions.”
In a post on Drums School Finders Instagram page @drumsstudyabroad posted a reel about the minimum wage per month in each of the countries above, calculating this against working of 20hrs per week which equates to 80hrs per month during term-time to illustrate the earning potential per month for a student. The post illustrates that even for the country with the lowest minimum wage, the USA figure is tops the minimum wage in Nigeria many folds. “The minimum wage per month in Nigeria is $79, in contrast the minimum wage in the USA is $580 per month. Obviously students can earn a lot more than this including bonuses and tips and even a higher salary. The other countries mentioned above have higher minimum wages which makes the prospect of working while studying so attractive to many students. This remains a major point of interest to most international students and will remain a major deciding factor for students looking to study abroad.”
