This work aims to analyze the reasons and impacts of the simultaneity between work and study in higher education, with a focus on students at the Federal University of ABC. To achieve this, the study is grounded in theoretical concepts of transition, trajectory, and symbolic challenges, as well as empirical data obtained through literature research and semi-structured interviews. The work is divided into three chapters: the first chapter introduces the concepts that enable an understanding of the relationships between work and study, as well as the expectations and life projects of these students, who face various transitions between different educational levels and between work and the university. The second chapter discusses the expansion of higher education in Brazil and the challenges of student retention, and the third chapter analyzes the profiles, motivations, and consequences of the simultaneity between work and study in the university experience of UFABC students. The work seeks to contribute to the debate on the democratization of higher education and university management in Brazil.