Do you have a side business alongside your doctoral studies?

Among the youngest people in the workforce — members of Generation Z, which describes those born between 1997 and 2012 — 57% have side hustles, according to a World Health Organization poll. Harris Poll Reported in September 2025.

For some, earning extra money is a necessity to combat high costs of living and stagnant salaries. A report by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the largest funder of PhD programs in the UK, indicates that more than half of research organizations and training grantees believe current technology PhD stipends do not cover researchers’ living costs. And a survey of Morning consultation It showed that college students’ financial optimism had fallen to its lowest level since tracking began in 2018 — mainly due to concerns about unemployment and layoffs caused by AI. Others pursue creative or entrepreneurial goals.

Is the current economic climate making researchers look for a second income? nature He wants to know if you have, or have had, a side hustle while studying for your PhD.