For the majority of graduate school, I’ve been in a very privileged position financially. I received a full five year fellowship as part of my admissions packet. When those five years were done, I received two prestigious fellowships to take me through years six and seven. I never once thought that I’d need to finance an eighth year, so when I realized that writing my dissertation was taking much longer than I initially anticipated, I was filled with equal parts disappointment and anxiety about my new timeline and how I would be able to support myself. I have enough in my savings to carry me I wanted to keep it as just that, savings.To be honest, I’m ready for a bigger paycheck. I’m ready to have a place of my own. I want to order an appetizer and desert if I want to.
After mourning the life that I imagined, I picked myself up off of the couch, had a few heart to heart talks with my academic squad and came up with a game plan on how I could support myself until graduation. Below, find out how I plan on brining in a few extra coins as well as some suggestions for any grad student no matter where they are in their academic journey.
How did I pivot towards profit?
- Apply!
Luckily, I found a late deadline dissertation writing grant that I’d been ignoring up until this point because I thought I could take a break from applications–humbled is the word. At the same time, there was a part time job opening at my university that was still taking applications. I applied to both without hesitation.
2. Tell people that you are looking
Related to the previous is that I had to tell people that I was looking. Since my advisor knew that I was in a bit of a pinch, asking for the letter of recommendation on such short notice was more understandable. I’m a pretty reserved person, but in this instance, closed mouths literally would not be fed if I didn’t let those closest to me know that I was struggling.
3. Reconsider your skillset–grant writing
Grant writing is something I’d though about doing on a volunteer basis but never as a way to generate income for myself. When I think about it, grad school has been a perfect practice ground for honing my grant writing skills. I remember being the non-example for a grant writing workshop my second year, but now when I look at my CV and all the grants I’ve been awarded, it’s obvious to me that I’ve really progressed. Related to the previous, I let a friend know that I was in need, and that I wanted to work on my grant writing skills—here we are. The hardest part about this was figuring out my rate. Despite the fact that my grants had all been in the academic realm, I had to remember to give myself credit and to not discount my experience. I googled average pay for grant writers and landed on $35 an hour.
Other ways that grad students can make money while enrolled
- Side hustling
Have you always wanted to start an Etsy page? Do you have an extra room for rent? Have you considered being a tutor or a nanny? The possibilities are really broad, and you can determine your hustle based up on what your schedule will allow.
2. Research Assistant
Keep your eye out for professors looking for someone to work in their lab or to simply work on citations on their manuscript. This is a great way to network and to see how other scholars go about producing research. (From experience, make sure the rate of pay is clear up front.)
3. Consulting/Freelancing
Many graduate students have prior work experience prior to matriculating. Use your skillset and consult on the side. These agencies/organizations would likely be even more attracted to you knowing that you are honing your skillset and pursuing an advanced degree.
4. Adjuncting
Adjuncting is….complicated (exhibit A, exhibit B), but it’s an option if you so choose.
Have you tried any of the above ways of earning extra money in grad school? Is there anything that I missed? Let me know in the comments below.
Grad Girl Wellness 