How we make money

Joining College Life is free. We earn money in three ways, and we want you to know all of them.

Last updated 31 October 2026

  1. Brand partners. Brands pay a yearly fee to be the one partner in their category, and some pay a commission when a member signs up through our link.
  2. Employers. Some employers and job platforms pay us to reach candidates.
  3. Survey panels. On the Surveys tab, panels pay us a commission when you join through our link.

What this means for you

  1. Members never pay. Every deal, job and community is free.
  2. Partners can't buy a better word. Every partner passes the same three checks, paid or not.
  3. We say when it's paid. Articles with partner links open with a "Partner content" line; partner cards carry a "Partner" tag.

How we verify partners

We work with one partner per category, and every partner passes three checks before members see it:

  1. Value proposition. The deal has to be worth it for a young international.
  2. Credibility check. We check the company and its online reputation.
  3. Product testing. We test the product or service.

Who runs College Life

College Life B.V. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Questions? Contact us.