Can university students earn money through Twitch?

Studying abroad can be a costly affair, but for international students who are looking for ways to earn a side income, did you know there are people who are generating an income through live streaming on Twitch?

What is Twitch?

For the uninitiated, Twitch is a streaming platform that people from all walks of life can stream almost anything and everything. This includes hardcore speedrunners achieving world records to risqué “hot tub streamers” that walk along the thin line of getting banned from Twitch. 

In the digital age, people are finding creative ways to earn money via their interests and hobbies. Riding on the waves of today’s latest trends is one of them. So, there shouldn’t be any problems for university students to earn some money with streaming, right?

With a bit of effort and perseverance, it’s possible to earn some bucks with live streaming. Source: Javeed Tanveer/AFP

Can university students earn money online?

Twitch claims to have an average of more than 2.5 million viewers at any given time — that’s plenty of eyeballs that can help international students rake in some money to supplement their scholarship or student loan.

But how much does an average Twitch streamer make? There’s no black and white answer as it differs from streamer to streamer, the type of content they make, their age demographic, and gender they are targeting, among other factors. 

According to Business of Apps, on average, professional streamers can earn around 3,000 US dollars to US$5,000 each month, by streaming around 40 hours a week. This doesn’t include the juicy ad revenue that streamers will gain, which averages around US$250 for every 100 subscribers. 

While the average Twitch streamer is unlikely to make a living through the platform, any income earned through the platform would be a godsend for broke students. Almost anyone with a camera or a webcam can be a streamer. 

Twitch can also be a great platform to take a student’s portfolio to greater heights. Students could use the platform to promote their work, gain followers and — hopefully — boost their employment prospects in the process. 

Having said that, making money on Twitch is not as easy as it sounds. Students will need to invest in a reliable desktop or laptop, in addition to a quality camera and microphone to stream smoothly. 

Despite the challenges that streaming might bring, don’t give up before you’ve even started. If you have an interest, start small. Every Twitch streamer had to start somewhere before growing their presence. 

And don’t worry about buying the best of the best yet — spend wisely on the essentials that would help you get started before moving forward from there.

With Twitch streaming, every student can have the opportunity to take their interests and hobbies to the next level, and (hopefully) earn some money along the way. Apart from serving as a nifty way to generate a side income, Twitch can also serve as a great way for students to expand their horizons.