Accessing the phenomenon of incompatibility in working students’ experience of university life

Abstract University students in paid employment have less time for studying, report more stress, and participate fewer extracurricular activities than non-employed students. These negative outcomes that result from combining work study can cause employed to experience the domains of work, study, social life as practically incompatible, but also a sense identity incompatibility. Therefore, we used insights previous quantitative qualitative data on incompatibility generate two research questions (RQs): RQ1. What type(s) (practical, or other) do experience? RQ2. strategies they adopted reduce experienced incompatibility? In order answer these questions, performed thematic analysis with deductive approach transcripts 21 UK university who interviewed. The reported types incompatibilities: practical incompatibility, which stems lack time, energy, contact associated study; emanates status differences between one’s own others’ perception oneself. resolve incompatibilities, developed (e.g. taking leave) cognitive compartmentalising contexts) strategies. Finally, noted how reaffirm their values hard productivity make them resilient learners.