How To Balance Work and Study?: Tips for Indian Students in the USA

The opportunity to study abroad is the start of a new experience and more responsibility. One of the responsibilities can be managing your living expenses. Part-time work while you study presents an opportunity to keep living costs to a minimum. For first-time students, knowing how to balance work and study is essential.

This blog explores a list of tips that will help students manage their time while they study and work in US cities. With these, students can focus on their studies while also earning money for their living expenses.

8 Tips on How to Balance Work and Study in the USA

Working and studying at the same time can be a bit complicated for students. It becomes even more of a challenge in a foreign country that presents unfamiliar conditions. Luckily, many students have come face-to-face with the same situation.

Because of this, these are some important tips for successfully balancing work and study in the USA.

1. Plan Way in Advance
2. Set Boundaries Based on Capacity
3. Understand Working Hours in the USA for International Students to Manage Time
4. Prioritise Health and Well-Being
5. Clear Communication Helps in Balancing Work and Study
6. Networking
7. Don’t Ignore Food and Diet
8. Take Time Out for Leisure and Interaction

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1. Plan Way in Advance

Careful planning is the first step to accomplishing anything, including finding a balance between work and study. International students have a lot of planning to do when studying in a country like the USA.

International students must plan:

• When their lectures are, and what time are they free to work
• When will they complete assignments and study
• When to do chores 
• How long they will work for
• Factor in travelling time (if applicable)
• A desired hourly wage

Noting down answers to all of these questions can help students plan and be more organised. Knowing what needs to be done every day provides help on how to balance work and study.

Not only this, but planning will be a great skill to have throughout a student’s education and career.

2. Set Boundaries Based on Capacity

The opportunity to study in the USA for Indian students is a dream for many. But it isn’t always a walk in the park to live out this dream. Long hours of lectures and heaps of coursework can leave students feeling drained.

In such cases, having to end such a tiring day with work can be the tipping point for fatigue. Students must, therefore, know their capacity and set restrictions accordingly.

Setting these boundaries will help international students to:

• Avoid burnout
• Ensure all attention and focus is on education
• Prevent situations of being exploited by employers

Work boundaries will help ensure grades do not drop when working and studying in the USA.

3. Understand Working Hours in the USA for International Students to Manage Time

While there is an upper limit of 20 hours per week, there is no lower limit. This provides international students with complete flexibility to dictate their working terms.

This is a good thing as it reduces the pressure of working on students. All that is necessary is to ensure your part-time job is flexible and everyone is informed. Part-time positions usually have shifts, and there will be someone to cover shifts.

Working the daily allocation of 4 hours is possible for students who have less demanding courses. But students with difficult programs can choose to work for 3, 2, or 1 hour a day. This helps to manage time for work and study in the US without feeling pressure.

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4. Prioritise Health and Well-Being

For students studying abroad, being without family and friends can be tough. This makes it even more important to look after one’s health and well-being. Without family, students must take over their health and well-being.

This can be done by eating and resting properly and looking at the warning signs. Difficulty thinking, body pain, and health problems are clear signs of poor health and well-being. This can affect the ability to find a balance between work and study.

Students need to get enough exercise and rest while studying and working. Prioritising health and well-being will help students manage study and work simultaneously. 

5. Clear Communication Helps in Balancing Work and Study

Communication can be key to balancing a university program and a part-time job. Students can use it to manage university and work seamlessly.

Students need to ensure their employer understands their situation and availability. Based on this, the employer can effectively make a suitable timetable for the student.

Students can also ensure a balance between work and study and no clashes by using communication. Also, it is vital to communicate with their employer ahead of time. This helps to ensure education events take priority while also ensuring their work record and reputation remains intact.

There will also be times in which students will not be able to work or reduce work hours due to stress and strain. In such times, communicating with employers will do well to inform them of the situation, and employers could help.

Having a compassionate employer will help. But not all are understanding, and students need to be aware of a few difficult decisions. If schedules are not holding up, it may be time to search for another job or reduce hourly commitment.

6. Networking

Networking doesn’t directly help in balancing work and study. But it can directly influence your part-time job options. Networking is a great way to get opportunities through word of mouth.

There are multiple other benefits of networking in college, and one of them is gathering advice. Past students and experts can share insightful information about how to manage the study and work ecosystem.

Networking helps students relieve some of the mental stress of working and studying. Besides this, networking with locals can even help in understanding local culture.

Better knowledge of local culture and communities can assist in performing part-time job duties.

7. Don’t Ignore Food and Diet

Many students would be shocked to know that food and diet highly impact their lives. Failure to adopt a healthy diet can affect health and well-being, which affects productivity.

A healthy diet does play a role in balancing work and study. Getting adequate vitamins and energy-producing foods helps keep students energised, healthy, and strong.

This is just what young individuals need when pulling through long days of studying and working. Balanced diets are mandatory, and students should look to home-cooked meals instead of take-outs of poor nutritional value.

8. Take Time Out for Leisure and Interaction

Students wondering how to balance work and study without missing out should know enjoyment also matters. Student life is a unique experience, and having it in a foreign country makes it special.

That said, Indian students should take some time out to enjoy the little things. Spending time on the expansive campus, socialising with local students, and experiencing USA cultures are a few of them.

Students will benefit from leisure and entertainment, it can help to maintain focus by having adequate downtime.

Understanding Rules Regarding Work and Study in the US

International students in the USA are legally able to work part-time while studying. However, students must be aware of certain rules and regulations concerning part-time work and study.

There is a limitation to the number of working hours in the USA for international students during the academic year. Here are some other rules regarding working in the USA and studying:

• The student must have an F-1 student visa that allows for working.
• A complete academic year of studying must be completed before part-time work is possible.
• The student must qualify as having economic difficulties that qualify with the Department of Homeland Security’s criteria. 
• Students can only work for a maximum of 20 hours per week while studying.
• Work opportunities in the field of study are only possible through Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

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Conclusion

The addition of rules that allow Indian students to work and study at the same time is advantageous. The money earned through part-time jobs can help with living costs. Students must know how to balance work and study to be successful in both categories of working and studying abroad.

Tips to work and study in US universities are:

• Advanced planning
• Setting capacity boundaries 
• Understanding rules and regulations
• Prioritise health and well-being
• Clearly communicating 
• Networking
• Adopting a good diet
• Taking time for leisure

FAQs

Q.1 Can Indian students work part-time in the USA?
A.1 Yes, Indian students can work in the USA and study at the same time. Students must know how to balance work and study to avoid compromising their education. They must stay within the 20-hour-a-week limit and ensure they have a valid, appropriate visa.

Q.2 Is it easy for Indian students to get work for international students in the USA?
A.2 Indian students can choose from on-campus and off-campus part-time work opportunities.

Q.3 Is it possible to work and study in the USA for Indian students?
A.3 International students can work a part-time job while studying after the first year of studies if all other criteria are met.

Q.4 What is the best way to find a balance between work and study?
A.4 Finding the right sequence to balance these two activities involves planning, setting limits, communicating, and adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle. Also, stepping away and taking time off can help in very stressful times.

Q.5 What is the hourly wage for part-time working students in the USA?
A.5 Part-time work for international students in the USA can earn them anywhere from $7 to $25 per hour. Some part-time jobs pay better than others and depend on demand and certain conditions.