International students

How can I find a graduate or professional job in the UK? 

Employers really like students and graduates who get involved in activities which develop their employability skills as well as having good grades. Our career-focused courses offer lots of opportunities to develop skills such as teamwork and presentation skills. You can also enhance your CV by taking up activities that may set you apart from other candidates, such as acting as a Student Ambassador, representing your classmates as an Academic Representative or completing a virtual work experience challenge.  

It’s worth being aware that many graduate jobs with larger employers are advertised early in the Autumn Term and may have application deadlines in December, with roles beginning the following September. This means you need to look out for vacancies and ideally be ready to apply from September if you want to start the following autumn. 

Larger companies tend to have a long recruitment process with several stages including video interviews, online tests and other assessments. To find out more about graduate schemes and alternative routes into professional careers, have a look at Save the student  

You can find graduate opportunities on the University’s Job Advertisement Portal JobShop (MyCareer) and other sites such as Gradcracker. To get support with your job applications, or to practice video interviews and online tests visit our Careers and Employability Service pages. 

You can find information about visa options for working in the UK after your studies on the University’s Visa and Immigration pages.  

For further visa-related questions contact the University's Visa and Immigration team.  

I heard that graduate jobs in the UK are very competitive. What can I do to increase my chances of securing one? 

It’s likely you’ll be able to apply for a wide range of career opportunities after your course - your career will not be limited by the subject that you study. For example, employers will often consider applicants without science or technology qualifications for technology positions if they can demonstrate an interest in technology. So, spending time researching typical graduate vacancies and the requirements for them, and deciding on areas of work to apply for, will help you appear focussed and impress employers when you apply for vacancies.  

Employers look for evidence of strong academic ability (often stipulating a 2:1 or equivalent in your undergraduate degree). Evidence of employability skills, as well as an alignment in your attitude and ethos to the company’s work culture can be just as important as academic ability within the recruitment process within the UK. 

Here are several ways to increase your chances of securing a graduate job:. 

• Gain employability skills through involvement in extracurricular activities: complete virtual work experience, volunteer for a committee role with the Students’ Union or join a one of the University’s Global societies whilst you are studying at the University.  
• Research potential employers and typical recruitment processes well in advance so you’re ready to apply as soon as the application process opens (often at the start of the Autumn term). 
• Attend our employer webinars and events as early as possible, so you can hear from potential employers and understand their perspective. This will help you to find out what employers look for when recruiting for graduate roles and to decide on the types of vacancies you want to apply for, so you’re in a great position to apply for vacancies as soon as they’re advertised.  
• Prepare your CV and practice online tests and video interviews in advance so you’re ready to take a test or have an interview the minute the employer asks you to.  
• Use LinkedIn to follow the companies you want to work for and to connect with our University of Huddersfield Alumni Network. LinkedIn is a great tool for researching career options and expanding your network.   
• Book an appointment with one of our Careers Advisers if you’d like to discuss anything regarding your job search or preparation.  

Can I work in the UK? Visas and the Graduate Immigration route. 

Working in the UK during your studies (for example. through part-time work, voluntary or unpaid work or via a placement)

As an international student, there are various restrictions on working in the UK during your studies. Find out more on the University's Visa and immigration pages. If you are unsure about anything or have any questions, contact the Immigration and Compliance Team before you start work. 

Working in the UK after your studies

On 1 July 2021 the new two-year Graduate Immigration route opened. You can find some answers to frequently asked questions here.

The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) have created a FAQ for International Students wanting to work in the UK.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) have also published some really useful information about working after your studies.

What is a National Insurance number and how do I get mine?  

A National Insurance Number (NINO) is a number unique to you to help your employer pay your National Insurance contributions; no one else can use this number and it is not related to health insurance. Your National Insurance Number is free to apply for, please do not pay an online service to generate a number for you. It is required when you get paid employment in the UK to record your national insurance contributions and is your personal account number.  

You may need to apply for a National Insurance number as an international student, but you may start work before you do this and apply for a national insurance number when the service resumes. For confirmation for this, see Apply for a National Insurance number. 

Please read UKCISA pages for latest guidelines. 

You can start work before your National Insurance number arrives if you can prove you can work in the UK. You should tell your employer that you’ve applied for one and tell them your National Insurance Number once this is available. 

How do I find part-time work or internships? 

We regularly advertise part-time jobs, voluntary work and internships on the University’s Job Portal JobShop. Occasionally jobs are also advertised on the University’s International social media accounts such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

If you’d like support with finding part-time work, we are able to help you with constructing or enhancing your CV and offer appointments where you can get advice on finding and applying for vacancies.  

We also offer online sessions on finding part-time employment, you can search for these in Jobshop under the heading ‘events’. 

The UKCISA site explains the difference between volunteering and unpaid work. Volunteering and unpaid work are viewed very differently within the visa rules.  

If you have any visa-related questions about an opportunity, it is very important you check your employment status prior to applying or starting work. Feel free to contact the Immigration & Compliance team or attend one of the Immigration Drop-in Sessions (term-time only) for advice. 

I’m currently outside the UK, can I still get help from your service?

Yes, all students, graduates and postgraduates can use our services for free during your studies and throughout your working life. Most of our services can be accessed via MyCareer including our workshops and events, one-to-one appointments, our CV support service and JobShop job portal.