23 Easy Side Hustles for Students in Kenya [2024 Guide]

Are you a student in Kenya? Do you need side hustles to make some extra money? Well, this guide is for you. To find the best side hustles for students in Kenya, it is important to consider what skills you have and how you can put them to use outside of the classroom.

Here are the top side hustles that students in Kenya can do and earn income without sacrificing their study time.

Best Side Hustles for Students in Kenya

• Become a Freelance Writer
• Tutor other students in your area
• Teach Internationa Students English or Swahili
• Do Data Entry Jobs
• Look for online work
• Become a Data Scientist
• Design websites for clients
• Become a political advisor
• Become an artist
• Start Your Own Blog
• Sell Mitumba clothes
• Start a part-time hair salon
• Become a boda boda rider
• Do Pizza Delivery
• Become an Uber Driver
• Sell smokies/boiled eggs or Chips
• Work at a Restaurant
• Become a Bartender
• Start a YouTube Channel
• Sell stock photos
• Become a babysitter
• Become a photographer
• Clean other people’s houses
• Tutor other students

Many students take side jobs as tutors to make extra money. You can tutor other high school or college-level students in your area and earn a little side income while studying.

1. Become a Freelance Writer

There are many freelance writing opportunities for those with English proficiency, but you will often need strong research skills too like knowledge of grammar and spelling. If you study journalism, for example, you will be able to find jobs as a writer online or on the side of your current job.

2. Teach International Students English or Swahili

If you are good in English or have expertise in Swahili, it is possible to get side jobs as an instructor for international students. This can be done remotely or online and earn some supplemental income while also teaching a skill that many people need.

3. Do Data Entry Jobs

If you are skilled in data entry work then there is plenty of side job opportunities available to students who have some computer literacy in Kenya. Data entry jobs can be done on the side for extra money or as a primary side hustle.

4. Look for Online Work

There are many online jobs available that students in Kenya can do, such as transcription work and outsourced customer service tasks. You will need to have some computer skills but you can learn those skills both offline and online while still studying. Working online means that you will be able to keep up with your side hustle and complete it while studying.

5. Become a Data Scientist

If you are studying computer science or engineering, then there are plenty of side jobs available such as data scientist work which can be done on the side for extra money.

You could also earn side income as an engineer or programmer and there are many data science jobs available to students in Kenya.

6. Design Websites for Clients

If you are studying computer science, then website development side hustles could be perfect for you. You can create websites on the side for clients and get paid without having to miss too many classes. This might even help with your coursework.

7. Become a Political Advisor

If you are a political science student or just have political skills, then side job opportunities like working as an advisor to other politicians are available and could be done on the side while studying.

You will need some experience with politics, but it is possible for students in Kenya who know their stuff about local or international politics to make extra money online.

8. Do General Deliveries

You can deliver food from restaurants, groceries, or general shopping from supermarkets if you have a motorbike or even a good delivery bicycle. This side hustle is perfect for students who want to make a little extra money while also studying.

9. Start Your Own Blog

Blogging is a mother great way to make extra money as a student in Kenya. You can set up your website online and start to earn income from advertising or affiliate programs on the side while studying.

10. Sell Boiled Eggs/Smokes/Chips

This is a great side hustle for students in Kenya who are free in the afternoons and can make side money by selling boiled eggs, smokes, or chips. You need a space to sell these. However, if you are only selling boiled eggs and smokies, you can get a second-hand trolley and hawk your products around.

11. Start a Part-time Hair Salon

Starting your own part-time hair salon could be a great way to make some cash on the side while you are studying. You will need some equipment and space to set up the business. You can read our guide on how to start a salon business in Kenya to find out more.

If you can’t get a business space, you can use your dorm room and work when you don’t have classes or even at night.

RECOMMENDED: How to Start a Successful Salon Business in Kenya [2021 Guide]

12. Become A Boda Boda Rider

As a Kenyan student, boda-boda riding can be a great way to make extra money if you are not studying. For this, you can either buy a second-hand motorbike or hire one for some time until you make enough money to buy your own.

The best time to operate as a student boda boda rider is on weekends, at night, and on days or hours that you are free from class.

13. Become a Bartender

You can sell at a nearby bar or club during weekends or at night. This is the best part-time job for students who are studying hospitality as they look to improve their skills. You will most likely be paid per hour or you can agree to a fixed daily rate.

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14. Become an Uber Driver

This is another side business that will allow Kenyan students to work part-time and make side income without skipping classes. You will need to have a car, so you can either hire or ask for a relative who has one they don’t use to lend you theirs.

15. Do Pizza Delivery

Doing Pizza delivery is one of the most exciting part-time jobs for students in Kenya.

You’ll need a second-hand bike or motorcycle to do pizza delivery. This side hustle is perfect for students who do not have access to a car. The time required usually means that you can still attend classes on your days off from work.

16. Work at a Restaurant

For students who have some experience in a restaurant, a side hustle might be perfect for you. You’ll need to find work where the hours are flexible and if possible, choose one that is close by so it does not affect your studies too much.

17. Do Laundry on Weekends

If you are a student in Kenya and have some free time on weekends, side jobs like doing laundry cleaning might be perfect for you. You can find customers with dirty clothes who would need to wash them or dry-clean the items that should not go into the washing machine by hand as well as return them back to their owners.

The best place to find this kind of part-time work is in middle-class homes as opposed to fellow students.

18. Sell Mitumba Clothes

Selling mitumba is one of the most creative ways to make extra money while on Campus. Most students prefer second-hand clothes as opposed to brand-new ones since they are cheaper and more suited to their budget.

You can cut rent costs by hawking the clothes yourself to dormitories and off-campus areas where students mostly live.

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19. Start a YouTube Channel

This side hustle is perfect for students who are creative and have an idea of what they want to share. Since you do not need a lot of capital to start, it’s best if you only produce content that will be able to bring in some income from advertising or affiliate programs on the side while studying.

If you can’t afford a decent camera, you can start with your phone camera and then buy a good digital one once you start making something.

You can also try posting video content on other platforms like Vine or Instagram.

20. Sell Stock Photos

This side hustle is best for someone who has good knowledge of the stock photo industry or photography. You will need to set up a business account on sites like Shutterstock and sign up as an affiliate to be able to upload your photos there.

21. Become a Photographer

Becoming a photographer is both a side hustle and a full-time profession. It’s the best side hustle for students in Kenya who are studying photography or have some photography skills.

Students love doing photoshoots, especially on special occasions like birthdays and graduation. You can also book other off-campus occasions like weddings or become the official photographer during a campus event.

22. Become a Baby Sitter

Whether you’re at a rural campus or in the bustling big city, it’s likely you will have friends and family who are looking for babysitters. If watching children is up your alley and you want some extra cash on the side, you can become a part-time babysitter.

23. Clean Houses

Cleaning other people’s houses might be a great way to make some side income as a student. You can charge by the hour or by the service – such as a deep clean, then set your rates accordingly.

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What to Consider in the Best Side Hustles for Students in Kenya

When looking for good part-time jobs for students in Kenya, make sure that they:

• Have a flexible schedule
• Easy to do based on your skills
• Well paying
• Have consistent workflow
• Do not require special training
• Do not require expensive equipment
• Do not require huge startup capital

The Bottom Line 

These side hustles for students in Kenya can be a great way to make some side money while you are studying and also give yourself something fun to do when you don’t have classes going on. All these businesses need is space, time, and the willingness to learn more about them before starting out.

You should also take into account your side hustle’s schedule and if it will interfere with your studies too much. Some side hustles like being a boda-boda rider or an Uber driver might be perfect for you while studying business administration but they are not flexible enough to be side jobs when you study demanding courses like engineering, law, or medicine.