As an international student, you have access to ALL the support and advice available to home students, both now and after you graduate. In addition, we offer a range of activities and advice just for you:
- Apply for our annual Hallam Achieve Programme, enhancing the employability of international students
- Get advice about starting your own business in the UK from our Enterprise Team
- Participate in any of our workshops during the academic year, especially the ones just for international students. We also run events in partnership with the International Experience Team for you to learn more about specific visas and jobs across the world
- See our information for Hallam students on National Insurance and tax
- Find out more on opportunities for Part-time and Campus jobs
- You can also apply for Ice Club, which enables you to work as an ambassador for the International Experience Team
Advice for international students on applying for jobs
There are two main ways of entering a graduate job: by a graduate scheme or direct entry.
Employers use the word ‘graduate’ to mean students finishing an undergraduate OR postgraduate degree.
Graduate schemes are highly competitive and follow a recruitment cycle. They often begin advertising in the autumn term of your final year, some with closing dates as early as October, so prepare early. Direct entry roles can be advertised at any point during the year.
The style and content expected from your CV in the UK may be different from your home country. See our CV pages to get advice on how to write a CV.
- Many UK employers will consider applicants with any degree subject for their roles.
- For some organisations, there will be a requirement for a 2:1 degree classification or above.
- A percentage of employers ask for specific 'A' level grades when applying for placements or graduate schemes. This can be problematic for international students who may not know what the equivalent is from their own country’s qualifications. Ecctis is the only official information provider on the comparability of international qualifications. Individuals can contact them but they do charge a fee. UCAS has a section on its website about how UK and international qualifications compare. This is really useful to show to employers who might wish to know more about your country's education system. You can contact the Careers and Employability Service for advice.
- Make sure you check your applications for any spelling or grammar errors. Many employers will not read applications with errors.
- If you are asked to take a test, and English is not your first language, then check with the company’s HR department for advice. There may be adjustments that can be made if they are not already incorporated into the test.
- Prospects have a section on Working Abroad, with specific information on a number of overseas countries
International students seeking work
If you are an international student who is returning home to find work, you may wish to look at the ‘gradlink’ series of websites. Tailored to different countries these offer case studies, career profiles, insights into the labour markets, and job vacancies for international students currently studying in the UK.
Other useful websites for sources of work/study:
Other help at Hallam
The International Experience Team offers visa support during your studies, and for post-study work routes.
Support outside Hallam
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) have been supporting international students in the UK since 1968. As well as providing advice directly to international students, they provide up to date guidance on immigration, student finance, tuition fees, and student experience.
On the UKCISA website, you can find the most recent information for working on a Student Visa, and information regarding employers, NIS, and tax. You can also find information about working in the UK after your studies, including more information on the Post Study Work Visa.
What else is helpful to know?
- Make use of all of our resources and support on graduate jobs. Regular graduate recruiters will be familiar with dealing with applications from international students.
