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Finding work as a student in Cape Town can leave you wondering where to begin. You might be looking to make some extra money while you study in the Mother City, or you might be interested in gaining some early work experience by interning or job shadowing in a field that interests you.

Before we get into the types of jobs and where to find them, a great first step is learning how to write a student CV which will assist you during the application process.

But without further adieu let’s jump into how to find different types of student jobs in Cape Town!

female student looking for part time student job opportunities in cape town

How to find student jobs in Cape Town

While the job market in Cape Town is very competitive and there might be slimmer pickings for students with little to no experience – there are still plenty of opportunities to pursue if you know where to look.

There are part-time opportunities for work that may be easy to come by, whilst internships and apprenticeships might be harder to find and obtain. That being said, there are also online job opportunities for students working in the Mother City that might fit your fancy.

Let’s cover some of the jobs you might find in the city or online while you complete your studies!

Tutoring

Tutoring students is a great way to make part time income either face-to-face or online. Building up a list of happy learners during your studies can also help you provide yourself with recurring part time income and you’ll have the satisfaction of helping students improve their marks.

Basic requirements:

Generally speaking, if you have high enough marks for specific subjects in high school that you’d like to tutor, you should be able to start helping learners in your spare time.

How to find a tutoring job:

You can find high school learners and primary school students by registering with the following platforms below, and start earning online or face-to-face. Some platforms may also allow you to adjust your rate and they’ll help match you with the right learners that will benefit from your tutelage.

tutor teaching student school subject

Teach Me 2

Teach Me 2 offers part-time tutoring services for students, which can take place face-to-face or online via their easy-to-use modern communication platform. Teach Me 2 offers tutoring services for a wide variety of high school and university subjects as well as support with languages and even coding.

The signup process takes place online where prospective tutors create a profile that is vetted and published on their site. Once there, you will be approached by students looking to improve their marks or learn something completely new.

Teach Me 2 has an efficient and friendly customer support team to handle any issues you might have while tutoring new or returning students.

Visit Teach Me 2 to find out more about becoming a part-time tutor today.

Turtlejar

Turtlejar boasts thousands of tutoring opportunities to teach all types of learners.

Turtlejar offers opportunities to tutor primary school students, high school students, adult learners, university students (undergrads & postgrads).

If you become a tutor on this platform, students are allowed to select how many lessons they need from you upfront and when they’d like to start. Tutoring takes place at the student or tutor’s home, online, or in a public place such as a library.

This platform tends to recruit top tutors to start teaching online or arranging sessions in person – so it might be a little more difficult to make the cut. That being said, the application process is easy enough and involves filling out an online contact form with your details and adding information about your skills to the profile.

As a tutor, you will need to have a minimum of 80-85% for matric subjects in you’d like to tutor high school students in those subjects, while if you’re looking to tutoring university students you need to have final marks ranging between 75-80% for specific subjects for which you’d like to offer support.

Once listed, you’ll be matched with students that wish to find help with a wide variety of subjects. Payments for tutoring sessions are secured by Turtlejar upfront, and once you’ve completed your lessons, weekly payments are directed straight to your account.

Visit Turtlejar to find out more & register.

Superprof

Superprof is a really great website for tutors with different levels of expertise to teach online.

The opportunities are wide-ranging, and as a tutor on their platform, you can teach over 1000 subjects, including some of the following:

  • School support: Academic tutoring, maths, afrikaans, physics and chemistry.
  • Languages: English Afrikaans German Spanish Italian and even Chinese/Mandarin
  • Music: Piano, guitar, singing, drum, violin.
  • Sport: Personal training, roller skating, exercise, french boxing, swimming.
  • Arts & hobbies: Drawing, acting, sewing, cooking, sculpture

The community boasts 13 million tutors, plenty of which are available in Cape Town. The great thing about being a tutor on Superprof is that you can tailor your own profile, which will allow prospective students to view your rates, read a bit about you and learn more about how you can help them improve.

To make your service even more competitive you can offer your first lesson for free, which will allow you to get a feel for prospective students and whether you’ll be able to help them learn and improve.

Visit their website to find out more about Superprof

Waitering & Bartending

Some of the most popular student jobs revolve around the restaurant and hospitality industry. Some restaurants and bars will be able to offer part-time work for students which can be a great way to make some side cash while also meeting new people and making new friends at work.

Basic requirements:

To get hired as a waiter or bartender at a restaurant, bar or bistro you could ask around your local area or in a region where you’d like to work in Cape Town.

You may need to have a few training shifts with the restaurant you choose at the least, while some restaurants and bars might require previous experience or even a bartending course.

How to find a job as a waiter or bartender:

Generally speaking, you should be able to find a job waiting tables or bartending by asking enough restaurants or bars about job availability.

Your best bet would be to find part-time work at bars and restaurants that don’t require long shifts that last until the early hours of the morning and can leave you feeling exhausted for your classes (although this might be unavoidable). If this is important to you, then working at a coffee shop on select days of the week might be the best option. It’s also a good idea to find this kind of part time work closer to where you’re staying in Cape Town.

waiter taking order at cafe

Coffee shops

There are all kinds of coffee shops that might be hiring, and finding out which ones are fully staffed or recruiting will largely depend on you enquiring directly but we’ve collected some ideas below. You might even just want to try some of these coffee shops out in your free time!

Rosebank(near NEST) – Rondebosch; Claremont.

Cape Town City Centre

Restaurants and Bars

There are all kinds of restaurants and bars that might be interested in hiring student staff, but finding out which ones are fully staffed or recruiting will depend on you enquiring directly. That being said, we’ve collected some great restaurants situated in Rosebank, Rondebosch, Claremont, Observatory, and in the Cape Town City Centre below. You might even just want to try some of these restaurants and bars with friends in your free time!

Rosebank(near NEST); Rondebosch; Claremont; Observatory

Cape Town City Centre

Au Pairing and Dog Sitting

Au pairing in Cape Town and pet sitting are also viable ways to make money in your free time. There are organisations you can join which will connect you with clients within their customer base but you could also go it alone and find family friends and friends of friends that are interested in having someone look after their children or pets a few times a week.

Basic Requirements

Sometimes au pairing may require some training and a CPR certificate in order for you to be eligible to care for others children and some families may need a full-time carer – but you may just find the right fit with a family that only needs part-time care during busy work weeks.

How to find au pairing or dog sitting jobs in Cape Town:

While au pairing and dog sitting for family and friends word of mouth is a great way to get a part-time job in this field, you can find out more about au pairing and dog sitting opportunities by applying to the following companies below.

student taking care of child at home - au pairing

Sitters4U

If you are interested in Au-pairing or babysitting, Sitters4U have a wide range of sitting options available for you to choose from, should you be interested in registering and joining their network.

Sitters4U has opportunities available from caring for children under 5 years, over 5 years of age, and even offering face-to-face and online tutoring opportunities, personal assistant jobs, and more.

You’ll need to submit your CV, any references you may have, a copy of your ID or driver’s license, certified copy of your matric certificate and you’ll need to have a SETA approved first aid course under your belt as well as a clear criminal record. It’s worth noting that you will need to pay a R500 fee when submitting your application which does not automatically mean that you are going to be listed and receive work as part of their network.

Find out more about Sitters4U today!

HomeSit

HomeSit offers the opportunity for you to join their network of dynamic, responsible house & pet sitters. By submitting your application, with a small fee (R250), you may be registered to start house sitting and pet sitting for families around Cape Town.

You’ll need to have a passion for looking after animals as well as a clean criminal record, valid SA ID/Passport, a CV and you can submit any references you may have already.

HomeSit looks for friendly and polite individuals who are caring and security conscious to look after others’ pets and homes and your hours are flexible which is the perfect fit for tertiary students in Cape Town.

Visit HomeSit to find out more!

Delivery Driving

Delivery driving is an easy way to make part-time income, provided that you have wheels of some kind – whether it’s a scooter/motorbike or your own car.

Delivery jobs are readily available and are perfect for students as they offer flexible part-time hours during the week or on weekends.

Basic requirements:

  • A vehicle of your own
  • A clear criminal record
  • A valid drivers license & ID

How to find a delivery driving job:

We’ve got you covered with some great ideas below!

delivery driver delivering packages to customer - driving in van

Butlers Pizza

Butler’s Pizza has always primarily recruited students to help them deliver delicious pizzas to customers in Cape Town. With branches in Cape Town City Bowl, Rondebosch, Newlands, Tableview, Wynberg, N1 City and Bellville – you’re bound to find a Butler’s pizza in the area in which you’re studying.

The only catch is that you’ll need a car. The remuneration is based on your evening’s tips and you are reimbursed for the petrol you use. You’ll also gain a 2% commission on future orders delivered to returning customers you’ve delivered to before.

It’s also a great place to meet other Cape Town students and form new friendships while you work. Each shift comes with a discounted pizza to enjoy between your deliveries.

Find out more about Butler’s Pizza by visiting their website, and to apply – give their head office a call: 021 686 9007

Takealot

Takealot offers part-time work to students with their own vehicle for delivery such as a car or motorbike. Takealot will provide you with the training you need to get started and it’s easy to apply.

The requirements are as follows:

  • Own smartphone required with android V6 or higher for the delivery app & GPS
  • Your own scooter, motorbike or light vehicle
  • ID
  • Valid Drivers Licence
  • Proof of Address
  • Proof of Bank details
  • Vehicle Registration form
  • Clear criminal record

If non-South African, you are required to bring along your national/international drivers license; valid passport and work permit/asylum details.

Part-time work takes place from Friday-Sunday and drivers on the Takealot team have personal injury insurance offered to ensure they are protected and covered against any personal injuries whilst on duty.

Find out more about applying for a part-time delivery job by visiting Takealot delivery partner page.

UberEats

UberEats allows you to sign up online with all of the information which they require to register you as a driver on their platform.

You’ll need to submit your South African Drivers License, South African ID/Passport, your vehicle inspection report or arrange for a vehicle inspection by a third party or by Uber, license disc, after which you’ll need to undergo a background check.

Find out more about becoming a driver by visiting UberEats

Mr D Food (Mr Delivery)

Mr Delivery allows you to deliver food as well as other goods for businesses across Cape Town and only requires that you have a clear criminal background, valid driver’s license, android smartphone, and South African ID or work permit for international students.

You’ll keep 100% of your tips, and have the ability to work during the week or on weekends and get paid on a daily, weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Find out more by visiting Mr D Food today!

Internships, learnerships & part-time apprenticeships

Internships learnerships and part-time apprenticeships are great part-time jobs that can provide worthwhile work experience to better your future as well as earn some extra income during your studies.

Basic requirements:

You might need to show some motivation and apply for plenty of open internship positions through companies directly or agencies that work in fields you are interested in.

These kinds of opportunities are perfect for students with no prior work experience, who are willing to learn.

How to find internships learnerships, internships and part-time apprenticeships:

In order to get a learnership or internship in Cape Town you will need to pick the field you’d like to work in and search for appropriate open positions online.

You can also find these kinds of learnerships through specific organisations and companies that specialize in placing students with startups or companies looking for interns to join them. Check out the ones we’ve listed below.

student doing internship at a company

Knowledge Trust

Knowledge Trust provides a variety of opportunities to students, including internships, bursaries, courses and programmes to assist in furthering your learning experience and expanding your skills.

These opportunities often revolve around but are not limited to, the world of business, computer applications, coding, social media, skincare, supply chain management, human resources, make-up, office administration, personal training, and agriculture. There are tons of options to choose from with opportunities offered by a wide variety of institutions.

Applications take place online after you create an account on their website.

To find out more visit Knowledge Trust check out the opportunities they have to offer.

Intern Cape Town

Intern Cape Town matches you with a variety of start-up companies in a variety of industries in Cape Town who are offering internships. Some of these industries include admin, digital, IT, marketing, business and finance.

Once you’ve signed up, and you’re matched with a company you like your spot is held for 3 days in which time you are required to sign an Internship Agreement with the company and secure your spot. Intern Cape Town is tailored toward international students and will assist you with your visa application, accommodation search and any other queries you might have if you’re a prospective international student.

The internships available usually span a 3-6 months duration, in which time you’ll be able to assist a worthwhile startup and gain some great work experience. Most companies associated with Intern Cape Town will offer a tax-free stipend to contribute toward some of your living expenses or assist you with finding accommodation.

Find out more about the internships on offer by visiting Intern Cape Town today.

Browse Careers websites for part-time internships, learnerships and work experience opportunities

You can also find plenty of part-time opportunities, internships and learnerships on careers websites that also service full-time work opportunities.

Using the right kind of filters and searching for industries that interest you in order to find part-time work and internships is the first step to finding part-time work experience in the Mother City.

You can use sites like the following:

Visit the websites above to start your search for part-time work & internships for students in Cape Town.

we are hiring - online careers website job search

Online work for students at Cape Town universities and colleges

Freelance websites can offer viable opportunities for those looking to get some early work experience in the field in which you are studying.

That being said these freelance websites can also present challenges for those without prior work experience, but you can find opportunities without experience if you look hard enough.

Basic requirements:

A lot of these freelance websites are for self-starters, and you might need experience in order to find jobs in an industry that you are interested in. That being said, if you apply for enough opportunities, you’re bound to secure a part-time job. Once you have a little bit of experience under your belt, finding more clients becomes easier as time goes on.

How to find jobs online as a student:

Browsing freelance websites for part-time work or turning one of your side hustles into part of the online gig economy is what you’ll need to find and secure opportunities in the online freelance market.

We have some great platforms to help you along the way below!

student working online using website platforms

Upwork

Upwork is an online platform for individuals and companies looking to outsource their projects to freelancers from around the world.

The platform offers a variety of job opportunities including graphic design, copywriting, multimedia (video and photo editing), customer service, sales, marketing, web development, app development, accounting, and administrative support.

To get started on Upwork you’ll need to create a profile and add some projects to your portfolio and add some information about yourself and the skills you offer to your profile.

Once you’ve completed setting up your profile, you will be able to search for opportunities and bid on projects and tasks others have added to the platform. You’ll need to apply for each job listing you’re interested in and wait until the prospective employer gets back to you.

Payments are kept in escrow by Upwork until you’ve delivered on the terms of your work contract or milestones related to the job. Upwork will take a percentage fee as a commision, and you may have to pay a small monthly fee for the points needed to submit job applications (2 credits per application).

To find out more visit Upwork today.

Fiverr

Fiverr is great for self-starters looking to complete work in a variety of industries, whether you’d like to complete small gigs or partake in large projects.

Fiverr is historically a great place for fledgling students that have a keen eye for the industry and work on portfolio pieces in their spare time. The platform allows you to set your price for packages and stipulate what each of your gigs or side hustle packages include. Clients can rate your service and the quality of your work.

Once again, having prior experience is a bonus but not a prerequisite for posting gigs on Fiverr. Often design students might try their hand at creating logos, illustrations and other smaller deliverables for clients for a discounted price to see if they can start making more portfolio pieces while they complete their main course as a student in the Mother City. This could also be said for students in the web development industry, writing field and other industries.

To find out more, visit Fiverr today!

Freelancer

Freelancer is another freelance platform that allows individuals of all skill levels and expertise to become freelancers in a variety of industries.

Using the freelancer platform, you’re able to create your profile and find jobs that match your skillset and what you can offer to prospective clients. You submit job proposals, or essentially a quick pitch about why you believe the position is for you and wait for the client’s feedback. If your bid is accepted you’ll be able to get in touch with your client for calls and start working on projects.

As a student still completing your course you would ideally search for part-time projects and ongoing work that won’t require a high experience threshold to make the application process easier for yourself.

Find out more about working on Freelancer today!

Other ways to make money in Cape Town

There are other ways to make money while living as a student in Cape Town, so we’ve listed some additional ideas that might help you secure some extra side cash while you study.

Although these opportunities won’t provide you with an early work experience, they’re easy ideas that can help you generate some side income.

students chatting about how to make money while studying in cape town

Get paid to answer surveys

One of the easiest ways you can generate some extra side cash online is by answering market surveys online.

On average you can make anywhere from R5 a survey to R50 a survey for every survey you complete. Some sites also offer more benefits including prize draws and vouchers for online stores in return for completing surveys.

We’ve collected a list of a number of the best websites to help you make some extra money online from the comfort of your home!

Paid Survey Sites in South Africa

Global Paid Survey Sites

Get paid to advertise on your car

In Cape Town, you can get paid to advertise on your vehicle.

The remuneration for advertising on your car varies depending on the size of your vehicle, how much you drive every week, where you live and the advertisers budget.

Here’s a list of a few sites you can check out below!

Being a student is one of the most exciting times of your life, but also one of the most financially straining periods.

But don’t worry we have written a whole bunch of helpful posts on student finances, like ways to save money as a student in Cape Town and the best bank accounts, loans and bursaries in South Africa.

Find affordable student accommodation in Cape Town

Finding affordable accommodation in Cape Town is a great start to help you save some money by lightening your expenses while you study.

It’s a task made much easier with NEST!

We provide affordable, modern student accommodation in Cape Town, including access to high-speed WiFi, sleek spacious living environments, 24/7 security, a rooftop gym and stunning views of the Mother City’s Table Mountain!

We’re also just a stone’s throw away from the Jammie Shuttle stop – ideal for UCT students – plus Damelin is across the road, with other universities like Varsity College and AFDA nearby.

Find out more about our student accommodation by contacting us now!

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