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International students from outside the UK_
Q: Will my qualifications be enough to get me into a course in the UK?
Admissions tutors for individual courses and institutions may have different opinions on the relevance of your studies and experience so it is a good idea to talk directly to them before applying. Online prospectuses usually include the contact details of the admissions tutor or departmental secretary so you can contact them by telephone or email.
For a comparison of your international qualifications against UK standards, contact The National Recognition Information Centre for the UK (UK NARIC) or telephone
Q: How does the UK education system differ from that in other countries?
For detailed information about the UK education system, visit GoStudyUK.com. The website also offers a course search facility and an advice room. The British Council website is also a useful source of information.
Q: Where can I find a list of institutions/courses in the UK?
If you are planning to study at undergraduate level, you must make your application through an organisation called the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). They have a comprehensive website which lists all the undergraduate courses available in the UK. You can link to the online prospectus of each institution to investigate the course and institution further.
For postgraduate courses, you must apply direct to the institution. A searchable course directory is available on the Hobsons Postgrad website. Prospects Web offers the same service.
Q: If I do this course, what sort of job can I expect to get at the end?
One way to investigate this is to ask the admissions tutors on the courses that interest you where previous students have found employment at the end of the course. This data is often referred to as 'First Destination' data and is collected through a survey conducted approximately 6 months after graduation.
The Online Careers Library has a useful section called 'By Degree Subject Relevance' that might offer some ideas.
Prospects.ac.uk also offers information on your 'options with different subjects'. Choose a subject to access details of common career choices made by graduates in that field. There is also a section on the website called 'What do graduates do?', which provides an overview of the data collected in the survey mentioned above.
If you want to check that a course will help you to obtain a specific career, talk to current practitioners in the job that interests you and find out what qualifications they would be impressed by. You may be able to access their contact details via a company website. Alternatively, the Yellow Pages is a useful telephone directory for the UK, which can be accessed online.
Q: Will I be able to work while I am a student?
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) states that most students on courses of more than 6 months will be given a passport stamp or visa sticker that allows them to work part-time during the term (up to 20 hours a week) and any number of hours during the vacations. For further details, visit the website and choose 'Advice for students'. Alternatively, telephone their advice line on
Q: How do I get a work permit?
In the UK, a work permit is issued for a specific job with a specific employer. You cannot apply for it yourself. An employer has to apply on your behalf, proving that they have advertised the job nationally without success and that you are the most suitable candidate.
If you are a European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national, or the dependant of one, you will not need a work permit. However, if you do not fall into this category you will require a permit to work here.
The regulations surrounding work permits are complicated and each person's case is different. For further advice, visit the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate website or telephone
Q: I have a degree. Will I be allowed to work in the UK and will I be able to get a job?
Whether you are allowed to work in the UK will depend on several complicated issues. For further advice, visit the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate website or telephone
Assuming you can work in the UK, your job prospects will depend on a range of factors, including the standard of your qualifications, the relevance of your personal skills and abilities, and the availability of vacancies in your chosen field.
To access information on the graduate labour market in the UK, visit Prospects.ac.uk.
Q: I want to work in the UK, can you tell me the best place to look for a job?
Typical places to look for advertised vacancies include newspapers (many of which are available online, e.g. Guardian Unlimited Jobs and jobs.telegraph.co.uk), specialist trade publications, the Internet and recruitment consultancies (visit The Recruitment & Employment Confederation site for a searchable database of consultancies).
Depending on the area of work that interests you, you may also find speculative applications effective. If you have a particular skill, such as speaking unusual languages, identify employers who are looking for this and it should give you an advantage over other candidates.
To access the contact details of potential employers, search the Internet using a good search engine, such as Google, or visit the Online Careers Library and choose 'Job Hunting Resources' or 'Employer Websites'. Alternatively, professional bodies or trade associations will often provide lists of members. For more information, access our Online Publications on Job Hunting on the Internet.
Q: I want to work in the UK. Where can I find a list of vacancies in X?
Vacancies in a particular field are often advertised in trade publications or through specialist recruitment consultancies. National newspapers have specific days of the week when certain types of jobs are advertised. Many of them have online jobs pages, for example Guardian Unlimited Jobs.
If there is a particular employer that interests you, contact them and ask where they advertise their vacancies. They may have a recruitment section on their company website.
Talk to current practitioners in the field and find out how they found their jobs. For detailed information on specific occupations, visit the Online Careers Library.
The Careers Group, University of London has developed a vacancy email service for students, graduates and employers. It brings jobs and events which are specially selected to match your preferences directly to you. All you need is a valid email address where you can read the messages. For more information, visit Alert.
Q: I have a degree from the UK, have returned home and cannot get a job. Can you advise me what to do?
Common sense tells you that you are likely to be more of an expert on your own country than a UK-based careers adviser. So have the confidence to use your knowledge and take the initiative with the contacts you may have. Don't overlook the information your friends and family may be able to give you.
If your rejections are occurring at application stage, there may be something you can do to improve your application form or CV writing technique. Different countries require different styles of CV, but if you can demonstrate to the employer that you have researched and understood their requirements, this should enhance your applications.
If you are rejected after interview stage it can be useful to ask for feedback. Not all employers will offer this service, but if they do it can give you a vital insight into your interview technique. For further advice on interviews, access our Online publication on Interviews.
However, you may have to accept that you just don't meet the requirements of a particularly competitive industry. If this is the case, you may have to change your strategy and introduce a short-term plan to allow you to gain the experience/skills/maturity that you may be missing at this stage.
For further advice, access our Online publication on Generating Ideas.
The Careers Group, University of London offers competitively priced careers advice via email. For more information visit C2 and choose 'Advice by Email'.
Q: I live outside the UK and have a degree. I cannot decide what career would suit me. Can you advise me as there is nowhere here I can get help?
Choosing a career may seem daunting, but you can feel confident that you have made decisions before. What about your degree course and university, your accommodation, perhaps a holiday? Which decisions were the best, and how did you make them? Some people make decisions by identifying what matters to them, checking availability, ensuring they can meet requirements such as exam grades or cost, and taking action. Others proceed by a process of trial and error, keeping their options open as much as possible. Reputation, peer pressure or parental concerns may also play a part.
For more detailed advice, access our Online publication on Generating Ideas, or visit the Virtual Careers Library and choose 'Your Career'.
There are various publications available that aim to help you through the career choice process. One example is What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles, published by Ten Speed Press.
The Careers Group, University of London offers competitively priced careers advice via email For more information visit C2 and choose 'Advice by Email'.
Q: How can I find out whether my degree from the UK is equivalent to one from my own country?
For a comparison of your international qualifications against UK standards, contact The National Recognition Information Centre for the UK (UK NARIC) or telephone
The answers to the following questions can be found on our other pages for International Students:
- I want to work in the UK. Where can I find a list of organisations that employ graduates?
- Can you advise me whether my resume is in the correct format to apply for a job in the UK?
- I have applied for lots of jobs but so far have been unsuccessful. I need advice on what to do next.
- I live outside the UK and want to work in a different country. How can I find vacancies etc.?
