Wellbeing in society has been subject to increasing discussion, with particular attention to students engaged in higher education. Students in higher education experience stress related to studies and finances in addition to experiencing two major life changes – shifting from school learning to more self-directed learning and becoming more independent and self-reliant. Work placements add further challenges for students, therefore, there is a need to gain new knowledge on the relationship between placements, wellbeing stressors, and support mechanisms to better understand placement challenges and mitigate impacts on students. A total of 146 students who recently completed work placements participated in an anonymous survey and results indicated that students almost unanimously encountered financial stress even if in paid work placements and made lifestyle choices in response to stress that may harm their wellbeing. Students also reported having to actively manage stress but held positive views about life comparable to the general population.