Helping you get to where you want to be when you graduate
Having explored whether postgraduate study is an option for you, and weighed up the pros and cons, you’re now ready to submit your application… but where do you start?!
We often meet students and graduates that find making a start to this process overwhelming. This blog gives you a checklist to inspire you to make a start and provide you with resources that can help you to complete your application. (more…)
It is an exciting time for international students! If you are graduating from this summer, you will be able to apply for the new Graduate visa, to stay in the UK and work or look for work for two years, or three years if you have a PhD.
The main benefit of this route over the Skilled Worker visa is that you do not need an employer to sponsor you. Here are 3 steps you can take now to make the most of this opportunity.
Do you want to work in the UK for the longer term, say 5 years, perhaps more? Or do you prefer to get some shorter-term experience here, before returning to your home country, or working elsewhere in the world?
Staying short-term
If you only want to work in the UK for a couple of years, you don’t need to worry about sponsorship anymore – you can simply apply for the Graduate visa!
Visit the Student Visas page to access information on the Graduate visa application process.
Staying long-term
If you want to stay in the UK long-term, look for a sponsored job through the skilled worker visa. Register for Student Circus – the UK graduate schemes and jobs on this website are all ones that employers have confirmed they will sponsor.
The Graduate visa gives you more time
Remember, some employers may not be fully familiar with the Graduate visa, or the Skilled Worker visa. For the Skilled Worker visa, employers need a licence to sponsor, and the job you are applying to needs to fulfil certain criteria to be one they are able to sponsor. It’s important to educate yourself so that you can explain these rules to employers if necessary.
💡Access more information by taking a look at AGCAS – Working in the UK FAQ.
As an international student you have a lot to offer UK employers. You have gained subject-specialist knowledge from your degree(s), and important skills from work experience (including volunteering) in your home country, and hopefully the UK. If you haven’t got UK work experience yet, it’s helpful if you can gain some. View our Intro: Finding work experience and internships in the UK and find out about our SME internship scheme.
Most importantly, you will have a global mindset, cultural knowledge and often language skills such as Mandarin or Arabic, that are in high demand. This can help you stand out. Watch our Intro: Communicating your value to Home and UK employers and reflect on the skills, knowledge and experience you have as an international student who has studied in the UK.
Research employers who will value what you have to offer
Consider this story for example: an Indian student taking an MEng in Aerospace Engineering focuses on contacting aerospace employers who see India as an important strategic partner. She discovers that the UK India Business Council has published Advocating Business Success in 2020, which highlights the founding members of a new Aerospace and Defence Industry Group, launched to “support and build on the huge opportunities for collaboration that exist between the defence industries of the UK and India”. This gives her a target list of employers as well as important commercial context she can reference, to stand out in her applications and at interview.
To find UK employers who are likely to value your home country knowledge, start with finding the membership organisations relevant to you. Search the name of your home country, or wider region, and add “UK” and “business membership” or “Chamber of Commerce” to find their website(s). Then, familiarise yourself with their membership lists and sector reports.
Don’t just limit yourself to well-known, larger employers – in the UK, over 99% of employers are SMEs (small or medium sized enterprises employing fewer than 250 people). SMEs are often able to recruit more flexibly and may give you a greater range of experience and responsibility than a larger employer.
Find advertised jobs – or access the hidden job market
You may find your target employers are advertising roles through Student Circus or on their websites. If they aren’t, consider approaching them speculatively: this can lead to employers hiring you in what is known as “the hidden job market”. Send a cover letter and tailored CV demonstrating the value you believe you can bring, and follow up with a phone call to see if you can arrange an exploratory meeting.
💡Find out more in our speculative applications guide.
If you follow these 3 steps, you will greatly increase your chances of securing high skilled work in the UK, in the career direction you are most inspired to pursue.
Further information and support
The pandemic has impacted so much, including the world of work. The ongoing uncertainty can feel de-motivating; it may feel easier to avoid thinking about careers right now and to put it off until later. However, it could be an ideal time for career thinking and looking at what the Faculty of Arts Careers Series has to offer, (more…)
Eveline has written about her recent internship at Tumelo, which was supported by our COVID-19 SME Internship Fund. The aim of this fund was to support local SMEs including charities, social enterprises and start-ups who are operating at maximum capacity as they respond to the challenges of Coronavirus, while giving students valuable and meaningful work experiences in a difficult economic climate. (more…)
Rosie, who was studying Biochemistry, has written about her recent Digital Marketing internship which was supported by our COVID-19 SME Internship Fund. The aim of this fund was to support local SMEs including charities, social enterprises and start-up who are operating at maximum capacity as they respond to the challenges of Coronavirus, while giving students valuable and meaningful work experience in a difficult economic climate.
Introduction
As part of the University of Bristol’s COVID-19 SME Internship Fund, I completed a placement with Airway Medical Ltd (AML), a Bristol-based, medical device start–up. The company produces Suction and Oxygen Therapy equipment such as the Airway Medical Suction Unit (AMSU™) for clearing blocked airways in emergency and chronic conditions. (more…)
Hi, I’m Joe. 
I did an SME Internship at Scribeless, a tech start-up company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced printing technology to create handwritten letters that are indiscernible from those written by the human hand. Enterprise giants and start-ups alike, companies all around the world use Scribeless’ letters to bring a personalised feel to their marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to an improvement in their acquisition and retention of customers. (more…)
With restrictions still imposed upon much of society, some of you may be wondering just how achievable the Bristol PLUS Award will be for you this year?
Well, fear not! There are still loads of opportunities out there for you to develop skills and experience to use towards your Award (and your future!)
Restructured format to support you
In September 2020, in response to Covid-19 and the new blended student experience, the Bristol PLUS Award was restructured. Meaning we now recognise a wide range of online and virtual experiences – making gaining evidence for your Award totally achievable! (more…)
Hi, I’m Joshua – a third year Anthropology with Innovation student. 
I came to university as a mature student in 2016 and applied with the intention of immersing myself in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and building a strong network of peers who are curious, passionate about discovering new ideas and dedicated to working on challenging problems. I quickly found this community on campus and I have greatly enjoyed meeting so many interesting people. (more…)
The Bristol PLUS Award is the University’s employability Award, open to students across all years of study – including Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs). In fact, PGR achievers speak so highly of the Award process, we thought we’d share highlights from their feedback: (more…)
Here at the Careers Service we have a team of Career Peer Support Assistants who are current students and help us with helping you. We asked some of the team to introduce themselves and share their top careers tips:
I have a particular interest in the supernatural on the Victorian stage, and I’m really looking forward to working with the Careers Service this academic year! My Careers Service top tip is to attend as many online events, workshops and presentations as possible – they can open your eyes to job pathways that you may never have known about!