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You're a domestic student if you are:

  • a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

  • intending to study on a student visa,
  • not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • not an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.
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Working while studying

Casual or part-time work is a great and flexible way to earn money while you study.

Most international students with a student visa are allowed to work while studying in Australia.

Competition for casual or part-time jobs can be high, so they can be difficult to find. Jobs are usually offered in areas like retail, hospitality and customer service.

If you have the right qualifications, tutoring, either at university level, or privately, may be an option.

Before you work in Australia

  • Check your visa conditions. For a Student visa (subclass 500), you can only work for a certain number of hours and only after your program has commenced. Make sure you understand all conditions that apply to you.
  • Contact your scholarship provider. If you're studying at UQ on a scholarship, you will need to find out how many hours you're permitted to work each week.
  • Apply for a tax file number from the Australian Tax Office. If you don't provide your employer with a tax file number, your income will be taxed at the highest tax rate.
  • Understand your work rights in Australia. All international students are protected by Australian law while working in Australia.
Learn more about working while you study

Hours of work

If you have a student visa, you can work:

  • up to 48 hours per fortnight (2-week period) during university semesters, and
  • full-time hours during vacations.
In general, you shouldn’t expect a casual job to cover your tuition fees or expenses.

It's recommended that you spend approximately 10 hours studying per week for each 2-unit course, including contact time, during semester.

Some courses will require more hours. Be sure not to overload yourself with commitments including additional work.

You also need to consider any Centrelink payments you receive. Austudy and Abstudy have rules about how much you can earn while receiving payments.

Help finding a job

All UQ students can access job listings, advice and services:

There are also many private companies that list jobs. Try an internet search for ‘job search’ to find them.

To find out more about finding work as a student:

To find out more about finding work as a student: