TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Close to 90 percent of university students in Taiwan said they are planning to take on part-time jobs in the fall to ease financial burdens inflicted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey by online job bank yes123.

The study, which was published Monday (Sept. 7), finds that 87.1 percent of the respondents are planning to work part-time once the new semester starts, the highest number recorded in seven years. Most respondents said they are facing pressure to handle living costs, pay tuition, or help with family finances, while others said they want to gain work experience.

The respondents on average hope to work 63.4 hours a month and expect their monthly income will reach at least NT$21,135. Over 50 percent also said they want to earn money through tutoring, with an expected monthly income of NT$15,453.

Meanwhile, the study shows that the five most popular part-time jobs for college students are convenience store workers, fast-food servers, tea shop employees, servers, and supermarket workers.

Yes123 spokesman Yang Tsung-bin (楊宗斌) pointed out that more Taiwanese students have been forced to take on part-time jobs this year to diffuse the economic impacts placed on their families by the pandemic. He said it is difficult for students to balance school and work and some might feel they have to quit school to support their families.

Yang advised Taiwanese students to prioritize their studies and not overwhelm themselves. He said part-time jobs are great learning opportunities, but students should not overlook the importance of school, reported CNA.

The poll was conducted via online questionnaires between Aug. 19 and Sept. 1. A total of 1,255 valid responses were gathered. The poll has a 95 percent confidence rating, with a 2.77 percent margin of error.