We are also part of a 'Midlands International Group,' where Career Representatives from 15 University Careers Services work together to support International Students. We work together to provide the best advice, events and resources possible to help you explore options, develop new ideas and access key information to help secure future roles. The Midlands International Group Website  had lots of useful information about CVs, understanding Graduate options and visas, and much more. 

The Working Abroad page also has information about finding jobs in different countries, including where to find vacancies.

We are running a series of events and workshops during the Autumn Term to support you as an International student in your career journey.  Topics being covered will include: Information about our useful resources to help you prepare and apply for jobs, how to improve your success in finding work opportunities in the UK and globally, the best job vacancy platforms to use and visa guidance for Graduate and Skilled worker visas.

You can also sign up for our Autumn Careers Fair PLUS - at the top of this page - see the PDF list of of employers that sponsor international students, or who are looking for Placement or Internship students.

Additional events will also run in the Spring Term, so keep an eye out here for further details to come.

For a full list of Autumn Term events and links to sign up, see below:

Working part-time whilst at university is a great way to develop your skills and experience as well as developing confidence and cultural awareness. For advice on preparing yourself for employment and finding work see our guidance below.

For practical advice on setting up a bank account, National Insurance, paying tax and graduate visas, get in touch with the Student Advice & Support Service. 

Undergraduate Studies

An undergraduate course gives you plenty of time to combine studies with work and other activities to develop into a great candidate for graduate employment. 

• Attend careers events such as careers fairs and employer presentations to speak directly to employers about current opportunities and recruitment practices, attend presentations and workshops to help you develop your employability skills such as CV and cover letter writing, application forms and interviews. There are also events specifically for International Students.
• Attend Careers Network presentations scheduled in your timetable each year.
• Search and apply for vacancies on Target Connect which is updated regularly.

First year students

• Get involved in activities that bring you in contact with UK students and the local community in order to practice your English and become familiar with the culture.
• Sign up for English language support during term time to develop your language skills.
• Start to explore your interests and skills to determine your career direction. Our Explore career options section has lots of resources to help with this.
• Prepare your CV - Make Applications page has guidance on this, while the Applying for graduate jobs" section below has examples specifically for international students.
• Find opportunities to gain experience. The Get a placement page has advice on this, including one year placements and the Find jobs and opportunities pages provide advice on how to get vacation work, internships, insight days, spring weeks, work shadowing, mentoring, Part time work, volunteering and student leadership roles.
• Read the information about visas on our Student Advice Suport services pages to learn about permission to work during your studies, with a link for applying for a National Insurance number which you will need to work in the UK.

Second/penultimate year students

• Research what sort of graduate roles you might like and arrange a Career Consultation with a Careers Consultant to analyse more specifically which roles you might be suited to. This can be arranged at phoning 01509 222039, booking online or visiting the Information Desk in the Bridgeman Building.
• Find opportunities to gain experience the Find jobs and opportunities pages provide advice on how to get vacation work, internships, graduate roles, insight days, work shadowing, mentoring, Part time work‌, volunteering and student leadership roles.
• Take part in Careers Network sessions as part of your scheduled timetable to learn about CVs, application forms and interviews.
• Ensure you understand your permission to work in the UK during your studies which you can find on our our Student Advice Suport services pages.

Master's Students

A one-year master's course is very intensive. Preparation before you arrive will give you the best chance of ensuring you have the skills and experience you need to compete successfully for graduate jobs.

Before you arrive

• Prepare your CV so that you can start networking with employers as soon as you arrive in the UK. The 'Applying for graduate jobs' section below has examples of CVs you can use as a guide. 
• Set up a LinkedIn account from your home country to establish and maintain contacts with your home university, alumni networks and recruitment consultants in your home country if you are looking to return home after your studies. The Find Jobs and Opportunities page has advice on Networking to find opportunities, including Using Social Media for Job Hunting and Career Research.
• Investigate part-time working at Loughborough – see the Find Jobs and Opportunities page for advice on different ways to find opportunities.  PLUS We run an exclusive Talent Match Master's Internship programme which provides short-term paid internships - to find out more Register onto the Target Connect Master's Pathway so you can apply for roles.
• Read Visa & Immigration Advice for more details on permission to work and refer to the UK Government website for information on getting a National Insurance Number.
• Familiarise yourself with the services offered to postgraduates by Careers Network.

If you are in your final year of study and need support, whether you are an undergraduate or a Master's student, help is at hand. There's loads of information on this page, and elsewhere on our website, and the Careers Network team provides expert careers advice and guidance.

• Access careers help in applying for graduate roles such as CVs, applications, assessment centres and interviews.
• Attend careers events - presentations and workshops to help you develop your employability skills such as CV and cover letter writing, application forms and interviews.
• Use the eCareersGrad tool to identify companies who employ international students - see more information in the 'Applying for graduate jobs in the UK’ section below for the link to eCareersGrad.
• Access Student Circus to explore opportunities available in the UK with employers who sponsor international students - see more information in the 'Applying for graduate jobs in the UK’ section below for the link to Student Circus. NOTE: If you have already graduated, and do ot have a Student Circus account with a Loughborough email, please contact the Careers Network team for information on how to access this resource. 
• Identify companies who are on the list of organisations licensed to sponsor workers on the Worker and Temporary Worker immigration routes.
• View the Student Advice Support Services pages for further guidance on visa requirements once you graduate, and the UKCISA website.
• Prepare documentation and ensure you are ready to meet the requirements of your visa application e.g. have appropriate finances in your bank account over a specified time-frame.

For information on rights to work during your studies and vacation times please refer to the Loughborough University Student Advice and Support Service webpage Working during your studies.

There are various visa options available for working in the UK after graduation. The UK Government website and UKCISA website provide more information on the different visa options:

• UKCISA(United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs) – Working after studies
• UK Government work visas

Two of the popular options for students post gradation are the:

• Skilled Worker Route (formerly Tier 2)
• Graduate Route (post-study work)

The Student Advice and Support Service ran a Graduate Visa webinar for current Loughborough University students – January 2022. This will also provide you with some further advice on the Graduate Visa Route.

Employers will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship which will enable you to apply for your Skilled Worker route, switching from a Tier 4 Student Visa. If accepted, this visa will give you ‘leave to remain’ in the UK for the period of your Skilled Worker Visa.

Further information

For advice relating to your individual circumstances we recommend that you contact:

• Student Advice and Support Service - for support with student visa enquiries, including post-doctoral extensions and general immigration advice.

• Loughborough Enterprise Network - for Tier 1/Start Up visa enquiries and advice on self employment.

• Careers Network - for any careers related matter and advice on employment in the UK during your studies.

• United Kingdom Council for International Student Affairs - for advice, guidance and information about all aspects of the international student experience.

Innovator Founder Visa

Have an innovative business idea that you want to establish in the UK?

The Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN) can help you along the way! Follow this link to find more information on  the Innovator Founder Visa and its endorsing bodies (please note Loughborough University is not an endorsing body but can support you with Business refinement in advance of applications): https://www.gov.uk/innovator-founder-visa

As a Loughborough student, there are resources that can help you find opportunities in your home country, including Careers Online which has opportunities from many employers internationally. For more information, read the PDF below:

• Marketing yourself to employers in your home country

For our Loughborough University London students, the Future Space team offer an extensive range of support activities from careers development and business support to networking and employer engagement.