Paid work whilst at Oxford / Cambridge?

[TeenToTwenties]

Back in the 80s I was at Cambridge and people didn't tend to have part time jobs, and iirc it either wasn't permitted or you had to have permission, due to course work loads etc.

I'm just watching a rerun of 'Lewis' and there are students doing hotel reception jobs etc.

Are Oxford / Cambridge students allowed to take on paid work these days in term time?

Term time same as it was years ago strongly discouraged. Rest of year fine.

At Oxford there's some student ambassador jobs (not sure of exact title) DD has one of those but not many hours or much pay involved. In holidays she's working 5 days a week maybe 8 weeks this year. There are bursaries for those on lowest household incomes.

DS's college discourages undergraduates from doing most types of paid work during term time. His course was a 50+ hour week, so it would be difficult to fit in paid work without it impacting their studies.

There are certain jobs available with the college or department which are positively encouraged (these involve a very small number of hours). As an undergraduate, DS was employed by the physics department in term-time as a STEMSTART mentor. As a postgraduate he has a term-time only job as a lab demonstrator.

I’m going to go against the grain here and say lots do online tutoring, even during term time, as they can fit it in around their studies and do as few or as many hours as they want.

Lewis isn’t necessarily an accurate source of information - afaik it slightly exaggerated the murder rate within Oxford colleges so it may possibly use some dramatic license re students doing work in term time outside their colleges/departments.

Its discouraged - most colleges have some sort of bursaries available for students in financial need.

DD wouldn’t have had time to do paid work in term time anyway.- some degree courses, at Oxbridge and elsewhere really are full time. Or the Xmas and Easter vacations either really. Summers, absolutely yes but proper course-relevant internships not hospitality.