By Opeyemi Quadri 
Some years back, undergraduates would have to wait until they completed their studies before they could find work placements. Technological innovation has changed that. Undergraduates can now get jobs online and work remotely from anywhere, combining financial independence with their studies.
This article will guide you on how to find freelance jobs online, choose the most convenient working hours, and explore 10 platforms where you can find freelance jobs as an undergraduate.
Why part–time online work matters for students
Remote and flexible roles have become part of today’s digital world. Many students in the United States and the United Kingdom sustain themselves through freelance jobs. In some instances, they learn on the job because some freelance roles organise training while working.
So, working independently while studying helps you build practical skills, add value to your CV and profile, and develop other soft skills that employers look for after graduation.
Identify your strength
In Economics, this is called comparative advantage, that is, you capitalise and expand on what you know how to do best. Start with subjects you understand well. If you are an undergraduate in the English and Literature Department, then you should tilt towards writing roles, English AI training freelance jobs, editing, proofreading, and copy-editing roles. Generally, anyone can be a writer, but your area of study can influence your career.
Other areas you can find interesting to build a career on include:
- Graphic design using tools like Canva
- Social media page handling or Social Media Communications
- Coding
- Webpage editing
- Data entry or spreadsheet support
- Online tutoring in subjects where you perform well
You do not need to be perfect. You only need to start and improve with experience.
Show clients what you can do
Don’t claim you can do something without proving it. Show samples of your work. Even when you have no work experience, you can create a template of what you are capable of doing on platforms such as Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or Blogshop.io.
These things don’t need to be complex. For example: Write short articles and publish them on Blogshop.io, or publish your articles on LinkedIn using the “Write Article” option if it is a long article. If you are into coding, there are lots of projects you can join on GitHub. Even though they may be contributions or volunteering, they will boost your profile and make you visible.
You can even build a landing page for yourself using Canva, without any coding experience. Store your samples on Google Drive, Notion, or Behance, and share the links when applying for jobs.
Platforms where you can find work as an undergraduate
Freelance jobs that allow students to work from anywhere are available on these platforms, depending on your skills:
Codeable
Codeable is a WordPress freelancer platform where you can get jobs if you are familiar with different coding languages.
Tips: Join GitHub, search for projects that have not been updated recently, and work on them. Continue doing this to boost your profile. It will help you land a job on Codeable when you add these works to your Codeable profile. Collaborate with other developers when the opportunity arises on GitHub.
Braintrust
While platforms like Codeable are specifically designed for WordPress developers who want freelance jobs, Braintrust is a place for every work-from-home job irrespective of location — though some roles are location-specific.
On Braintrust, you can find freelance jobs such as Actuarial Science Expert to train AI (with payment between $40–$80 per hour), English Language Expert in Python, and Freelance Writer for AI projects.
Suggestion: When searching for roles on Braintrust, look out for jobs that allow you to “work from anywhere.” This is very important because some of the roles require specific locations. Don’t waste your time applying for roles in Ukraine or other countries when you reside in Nigeria or elsewhere — employers will not take your application seriously.
Upwork
Upwork has been around for some time, and thousands of people around the world have found jobs on the platform. But you need to be patient when finding freelance jobs such as writing, design, or research support on Upwork.
Suggestion: If you are in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, or other African countries, join or follow the social media pages of some of the known FinTech companies that process payments for freelancers across the continent — such as Raenet (Geepay), Grey, Chipper Cash, and Cleva. These platforms organise free training on how to get jobs on freelance platforms.
When starting with Upwork, start with small tasks to build credibility. Don’t put a high service charge on your profile unless your skill is unique. Even at that, don’t scare clients with your rates.
Freelancer
You can find many entry-level tasks on Freelancer. From experience, getting a job on Freelancer can be challenging because the platform places priority on premium membership over free-entry job seekers.
Tips: If you eventually find a freelance role on the platform, make sure to review job details carefully before accepting.
Yes, you read that right. Even though LinkedIn is mainly for networking and direct client outreach, millions of people have found jobs on the professional networking site. However, you have to make yourself visible — post tips, articles, or make contributions to discussions that align with your area of interest and skills. You need to be consistent.
Suggestion: To get the attention of your prospective employer, post your work samples to attract opportunities and add the tag “#OpenToWork” to your profile.
PeoplePerHour
You can find writing, marketing, and administrative tasks on PeoplePerHour. This is good for short and quick jobs.
X (formerly Twitter)
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter (now X), the billionaire has turned the platform, which used to be a micro-messaging app, into a money-making platform for content creators.
Suggestions: To get the best out of X, choose a niche and create unique content around it. Be consistent. If you are just starting out, don’t worry about the number of followers you have, in a few months or weeks, you’ll start gaining followers, especially if your content is useful and impactful. Then subscribe to the premium plan. When you are on premium, your posts will most likely get more visibility. Keep building until you meet the requirements for monetization.
Some of the X monetization requirements include:
- Five million impressions in the last three months
- Verified account
- Minimum of 500 followers
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Verified email address on your account
- Compliance with X’s terms of use
Don’t sleep on this. There are students like you who literally post and engage on X and earn a living from it. But it’s not a one-day job — you have to put in the effort.
Dribbble
Dribbble is a platform for designers to showcase their work. Clients often message designers directly.
PrepClass
PrepClass offers home and online tutoring in Nigeria for those who have a passion for teaching and earning from their services.
Tips: As an undergraduate, you will be teaching subjects you are good at. All you need to do is teach primary or secondary school subjects, depending on your clients.
Remote.co
This platform is good for part-time and flexible roles. One interesting thing about Remote.co is that the roles are carefully categorised according to discipline and area of expertise. You can explore the available freelance roles that align with your skills.
How to present yourself professionally
Don’t use slogans people are not familiar with in your profile. Use simple and direct language.
Your objective is to find roles that pay reasonably. Don’t forget to list the services you can offer clearly.
Ensure you are active on any platform you choose and respond to messages on time, particularly on Freelancer. You can activate notifications in your settings so that alerts are sent to your email address.
Maintain a good standing once you start getting work. You can achieve this by delivering tasks before the deadline.
Feedback is very important in online jobs. It boosts your morale, creates a good image for your services, and can win you more clients. So, don’t forget to request feedback from satisfied clients.
Don’t reject small jobs or small pay when you are starting out. Freelancers who charge as much as $100 or more today started small. Don’t despise small opportunities.
Explore the power of networks
Share your portfolio link on your social media profiles and let your networks know what you offer. Let your work speak for you.
Balancing freelance jobs with education
See freelance jobs as a support system for your education, not an interruption. Use a notebook or digital planner to track tasks. If your workload increases, adjust your commitments. Your health and studies remain the priority. Study your academic timetable well before committing five hours a day to freelancing. Make sure the time you dedicate to freelance jobs doesn’t interrupt your studies or negatively impact your education.
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Editorial Staff 
Anita John