A systematic review of the literature on student work and academic performance

Abstract

Student work is becoming more prevalent throughout the world. More students are not only working but doing more hours per week, which very likely affects their academic performance. This paper provides a systematic literature review (SLR) of 347 papers, focusing on the: indicators of academic performance, relation between student part-time work and academic performance, and drivers of students’ decision to work. Researchers note both positive and negative relations between student work and academic performance, with the positive connection less reported. The positive relation primarily involves students’ improved ability to link theory with practice, while the negative impact of work on academic success is associated with more time devoted to work. The common tangible key driver of students’ decision to work is meeting financial needs, and the intangible drivers include gaining work experience and developing practical skills. This paper’s contributions lie in systematising positive and negative impacts of student work on academic performance and providing a better understanding of the drivers of students’ work engagement. The results can ultimately serve as bases for further research on student work’s impact on academic performance, as well as incentives for higher education institutions to rethink the possibilities of better integration of student work into curricula.