A number of the world’s largest companies were founded by ambitious and determined university students who weren’t afraid to dream.
Most people know that Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in his Harvard dorm room, but were you aware that FedEx, the global courier service, was first imagined by Frederick W. Smith in an undergraduate paper while he was studying at Yale?
In fact, many companies we encounter on a daily basis, like Google and Microsoft, were founded by university students who decided to run with their business ideas.
So if you’re a student at university and feeling entrepreneurial, here are 10 practical tips to help you launch a successful business while you study.
1. Take advantage of your spare time
While you’re at university, you have more free time than you’ll have until you reach retirement. Yet, if you’re anything like I was at university, you’ll struggle to channel the spare time you have between work and lectures into anything productive.
Resisting the urge to go to the pub or play Call of Duty, however, will definitely pay off in the long run. After all, if it were easy, everyone would do it.
So, put your spare time to good use and set yourself apart from the majority of your fellow students. It’s a small price to pay when you get to run your own business.
2. Pay attention to those around you
Take an interest in the things the people around you are doing and buying. What do students need or want? If you can set up a business that appeals to them while you’re at university, you’ll be on to a winner by the time you leave.
When starting out, we sold as much as we could to our friends at university. This gave us a customer base we wouldn’t otherwise have had access to. More and more people started to hear about what we were doing, and as a result, we began receiving requests for items like printed T-shirts and caps.
We weren’t always sure how to make it happen. We’d only started out selling badges. However, we never said no and always found a way to deliver.
This kind of informal market research really helped to steer the business, as we learned how to supply what was in demand. At university, you’re around a huge number of people every day, and they can teach you a lot.
Talk to people about the products or services you offer, and they could take an interest. Or, if people don’t seem excited about your ideas, this could be a sign that you need to rethink your plan. It’s all part of the learning process.
3. Work with other ambitious students
Most people go to university for one main reason: to get ahead. Therefore, you’re likely to be surrounded by similarly intelligent and ambitious people who are also looking for opportunities to use and develop their skills.
There will be business students, people studying marketing and others who spend all day in an art lab.
If your business plan requires skills you don’t possess yourself, use it as an opportunity to build connections and work with others. You might just bag yourself the ideal business partner.
90% off Xero Accounting Software for 6 months + £50 Amazon voucher!
Fully compatible with Making Tax Digital (MTD) for sole traders from April 2026.
4. Spread the word far and wide
University is a place where young people from different cities, countries and even continents come together to learn, but most people return home once summer rolls around.
If you connect with these people, tell them about your products or services and show them why your business deserves attention, they might go home and tell their family or friends about it.
You will still want to use social platforms and online marketing, but word of mouth remains powerful. Students talk, and that can work strongly in your favour.
5. Use your university as a resource
If you need information, equipment or guidance, ask your university for help. They want their students to look employable after graduation, and many now have dedicated enterprise teams.
If you’re starting a project alongside your studies, let them know. They may offer space, mentoring or point you towards someone who can help.
6. Provide something for your university
Can you provide your university with a product or service? It is a strong story for them to say that a former student now supplies them.
This makes universities more willing to support student-run businesses and sometimes promote them publicly.
7. Don’t be afraid to fail
If you’re at university, you’re unlikely to ever have fewer responsibilities than you do right now. You probably do not have children, a mortgage or a permanent job tying you down.
That freedom gives you space to experiment. If it doesn’t work out, you still gain experience. If it does, it could shape your entire career.
8. Don’t forget why you’re at university
Starting a business while studying is about using spare time wisely. You still need to meet deadlines and pass your course.
Unless, of course, you know for a fact you’ve created the next big platform. Then you can make your own rules.
9. Get a website
Your business will struggle without a website. It is often the first place people go to check that you are legitimate.
Today, it is possible to build a site yourself using simple tools. You can also find students looking to build portfolios, which helps both sides.
If you are selling or invoicing, you should also understand the basics of business accounting and invoicing rules early on.
10. Enjoy yourself
Running a business alongside your studies should not feel like a chore. It should give you energy, not drain it.
If you enjoy what you’re doing, you are far more likely to stick with it long enough to succeed.
Setting up a business at university is not easy, but for those with the right mindset, it can pay off long after graduation.
This article was written by John Armstrong, who owns Custom Planet, a company that produces customised clothing and promotional products. He co-founded Custom Planet whilst at university, and it is now one of the UK’s leading custom clothing providers.
