Part-time study: Pros and cons
Beinga full-time student is the pathway for thousands of school leavers every year,but this isn’t feasible for everybody. Some international students will have to take the part-time option, so we've compiled a list of the good and bad.
Pros
Money
There is no doubt one of the biggest factors in choosingpart-time study over full-time is the capacity to work more often and earn moremoney. Full-time students often do night and weekend shift work to fit in withtheir busy schedule, whereas part-timers have more flexibility.
Lifestyle
Blending part-time study and employment along with leisuretime can be a pretty good mix. There is less coursework to deal with and it isunlikely that your routine will be as concentrated as someone who is full-timeat university, allowing more time to do what you enjoy.
Support
Tutors and lecturers will be familiar with students tacklingpart-time study and should be able to provide advice for how best to approachthe course. Completing a smaller proportion of the workload will also leavemore time for seeking out the assistance of teaching staff to clarify anyissues.
Variety
There is great variation in the people that choose to studypart-time. They could be middle aged already with a distinguished career, ayoung professional raising a family or a school leaver working casual shifts ata local café.
Cons
Duration
Naturally, it takes longer to complete a degree or diplomawhen you are studying part-time. This can be frustrating, particularly whenother students in your course are graduating while you are still at university.
Balance
Juggling work, study, family life and other responsibilitiescan take its toll. Poor time management can be disastrous, particularly if youreducation is neglected and you fail to meet the course requirements.
Stress
Just because you aren’t at studying full-time doesn’t meanthat you won’t endure the typical stresses of university life. You will still beexpected to meet deadlines, complete assignments and pass exams, regardless ofyour circumstances outside of university.
Availability
Some institutions simply don’t offer part-time study. Thiscan be the same with specific faculties or courses, so it is worthinvestigating prior to selecting a university.
