7 of the Best Freelance Jobs for College Students

Guest post: Hasibuddin Ahmed

There is no college student who wouldn’t want to earn some extra pocket money. On the other hand, working full-time or even part-time is not viable for many students, as it’s important to keep time free to concentrate on studies, assignments, classes and exams.

So what is the best way college students can earn an income without putting their grades at risk? If you answered “freelancing”, then 10 points for you! Freelancing is one of the best ways you can earn money at college, as you can adjust the projects according to your own time and get decent pay as well. By now, you must be wondering just what freelance jobs you could do, and how much you could earn.

Here are seven options to consider:

1. Online tutor/teacher 

Here is something every college student will be comfortable with. With a lot of online learning websites popping up, you can go for any subject you are good at. Most online teaching platforms will set up an account in your name, and you will get the pay according to the number of sessions you have dedicated to your students.

You can teach according to the level you want, from K-12 students to peer-to-peer tutoring. You can schedule the timing of your sessions according to your own convenience and you do not have to worry about completing a fixed amount of hours because you are paid per session. And the most exciting part is that you do not even have to leave your dorm room or apartment to teach anyone. You can also become a tutor in an indirect way, by creating a course video and selling it to online learning platforms.

2. Graphic designer

If you are very good at designing, you should consider using your skills to earn some money in your free time. Design students can become freelance designers and use this as an opportunity to gain some valuable experience which can be part of their résumé in future. Competition in the freelance designing sector is very high, as there are a huge number of freelance designers in the market. Try to get started with some small projects, like marketing materials and posters for small businesses.

3. Online marketer 

Online marketing is in high demand nowadays, with people worldwide spending so much time online, not just on computers but increasingly also on smartphones. The basic job of an online/internet marketer is to increase traffic to websites, social media pages, or online markets by using a range of online platforms. Freelance jobs in this area are perfect for marketing students who want to get useful experience – as well as for any students obsessed with the latest online trends, social media and apps.

4. Content/blog writer

If you are a journalism student or simply enjoy writing and blogging, you could look for freelance jobs as a content or blog writer. Though you will gain useful experience, you should also expect to not be credited for all the content you write. But, on a positive note, freelance writing gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of schedule, and the opportunities in this field are huge. You could also write blog posts for small businesses or individuals who will pay to get good content for their websites.

5. Freelance editor 

Another good source of freelance jobs for college students, editing and sub-editing roles are ideal for all students with a good eye for detail and excellent fact-checking skills. Editing jobs may be less time-consuming than content writing roles. Again, having this experience will be a good starting point for your future career, providing good preparation for a wide range of communications-based roles.

6. Freelance website developer

Everyone who has a business wants to establish their presence online, and website developing offers great opportunities for freelance developers. If you are good at developing simple websites that are suited for small businesses, you can earn steady money by selling your website designs. Nowadays, with the help of open source codes for incorporating e-commerce capability, you can even sell these websites to local businesses.

7. Tourist guide 

The last of our top freelance jobs for college students is one for the more adventurous students out there! If you enjoy working directly with people, have a lively communication style, and you’re good at remembering facts and figures, this could be for you. Even if you’re studying far from home, there’s no reason you can’t become a guide – you’ll just need to invest some time in learning interesting facts and stories about the local area. If studying abroad, you could be the perfect tour guide for tourists from your home country, who want someone who speaks their language.

Freelancing is all about finding a role you’re good at, which you can do any time. This means you’ll still be able to devote enough time and energy to studies and exams. If you think of any more great freelance jobs for college students, share your ideas in the comments below.

Hasib is a career coach, blogger and a professional writer working for jobs portal Naukri.com. With an interest in providing career counselling for professionals, he has contributed a number of articles related to the topic on various online platforms. You can follow him on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.