Social inequality at campus. Perspectives on the relation between full-time studies and part-time work in Swedish higher education

The project aims to clarify a central issue in welfare policy and sociology of education that hitherto has received little attention: What are the living conditions for Swedish students at different places in the higher education landscape?

The central question is how different kinds of students manage the act of balancing full-time studies and part-time work.

Even though most students receive financial support from CSN, a widespread view is that these means are not sufficient to make ends meet. Hence, about half of students work while studying.

There is, however, a lack of more precise answers with regards to which students face challenging financial conditions and which students work (or choose not to work) are missing. Also missing are also to questions such as what kind of work they do, and why the received support is not sufficient.

The project contributes with answers to these questions.The project assumes that the answers to these questions will be varied, depending on the perceived economic needs of different student groups as well as their heterogeneous perspectives on work and the labor market.

Research in sociology of education has shown that Swedish higher education is socioeconomically stratified, but this research has focused on the enrollment to higher education. The knowledge of students’ circumstances during their years of study is highly limited.

Without insight into how students fund their subsistence there can be no robust understanding of the implications of socioeconomic differences in relation to higher education. Who can afford not to take up a part-time job?

Who are able to find a job that actually enriches their studies?The questions are answered through 60-80 interviews with students, capturing how the relation between full-time studies and part-time work is constructed by students enrolled at different points on the spectrum of places Swedish higher education.