Help available from Career Zone

International Student Support at Exeter

The International Student Support team are regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commission and provide expert immigration advice and guidance to students and their dependants.  Their expertise lies mainly within the Student visa category but they can advise you on the new Graduate visa and other options that may be available to you if you plan to work in the UK after your studies.

If you are thinking about part-time work or internships this section on working during your studies and vacations is important.

You can get help from the team in different ways whether it's by going to a digital drop-in, sending an email or attending one of their webinars. Choose the method that best suits you. The team also co-host webinars with Careers which are bookable via Handshake. 

We have a range of careers workshops jointly delivered with immigration experts from International Student Support which cover topics such as:

• What every international student needs to know about working in the UK after studying
• How to impress UK employers as an international student - excelling at UK job applications
• What every international student needs to know about impressing employers in your home country after your studies
• Maximising your time as an international student in the UK : work experience, internships and other ways to shine in front of employers
• Please sponsor me! Managing employers and visas

These sessions are bookable via Handshake.

What is India Career Ready?

We understand the unique challenges that students from India face when applying for jobs in the UK and when returning to their home country. Our Career Ready programme will help you to gain the skills needed to succeed in both recruitment environments. 

India Career Ready is in two parts:

• A virtual course that you can log into at any time and work through at your own pace
• A series of live / virtual workshops that are bookable via Handshake

Who is India Career Ready for?

India Career Ready contains helpful information about the Indian graduate labour market, application and selection processes used in both countries and information about how to conduct an Indian job search from the UK, it will also be of interest to any other students who wish to work in India during or after their studies. 

What is China Career Ready?

We understand the unique challenges that students from China face when applying for jobs in the UK and when returning to their home country. Our Career Ready programme will help you to gain the skills needed to succeed in both recruitment environments. 

China Career Ready is in two parts:

1. A virtual course that you can log into at any time and work through at your own pace
2. A series of live / virtual workshops that are bookable via Handshake

Who is China Career Ready for?

China Career Ready contains helpful information about the Chinese graduate labour market, application and selection processes used in both countries and information about how to conduct an Chinese job search from the UK, it will also be of interest to any other students who wish to work in China during or after their studies. 

Your Future First is a unique learning experience designed exclusively for postgraduate students in the Business School. Your Future First is not a standard business course on finding jobs, writing job applications and practising interview techniques. Instead, it contains some key concepts that will prepare you for the highly competitive world of work.

Whether your plan is to stay in the UK, return to your home country, or start a career in another part of the world, you will:

• Learn what makes one student more likely to impress employers than another.
• Explore how and when employers recruit postgraduates, so that you can be ready and prepared to apply.
• Discover how to make the most of your time as a student, to make yourself more employable.

We have designed Your Future First for students to access before you start your studies. You can work through it at your own pace, it should take around 6 hours to complete. It is also available once you begin your studies.

Further information on how to access the course via MyCareerZone Digital is sent to offer-holders by email from the Admissions team. 

More about Your Future First

If you are considering starting a business you can find more information about suitable visas as well as advice from International student support.

Career Zone has information and support for entrepreneurs.

Practical help with your business ideas is provided by Student Start-ups.

• Lockin is a Chinese recruiting platform which builds direct connections between Chinese employers and overseas students

• Gradlink GradLink UK is the award-winning specialist careers site for international students and graduates who have or are studying in the UK. GradLink currently includes sections for China, South-East Asia, the Gulf, Canada, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and India

• Student Circus is a job search portal for international students in the UK who are currently on a Student Visa. Student Circus as a service ensures that it only posts full-time jobs from companies that have a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship license

• 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

• FutureLearn is an online platform which you can use to take online courses to build skills and knowledge in particular areas. Some of the courses are free to access, including this module on ‘Preparing for Work’ for international students studying in the UK

• Target Jobs Useful advice on key areas including visas & permits for international students looking to work in the UK and more

You will find lots of useful information on our blog, including a number of articles focussing on international students, such as How to Impress UK Employers as an International Student.

You will find lots of useful information in our Podcast, including an episode outlining our support for international students. Listen on Spotify or iTunes.

GoinGlobal Country Career Guides consisting of country-specific career information, each guide has been developed by a local career specialist, updated annually, and features recommended websites.

At Career Zone we provide a lot of support, advice and practical help for students. However, there are some things that we can't do: 

1. Get a job for you - We can give you lots of support but it is up to you to put the time and effort into finding work. 

2. Make recommendations to employers on your behalf- The UK doesn’t usually rely on “recommendations” for recruitment in the same way as some other countries do. You may hear about jobs or get an insight into a company through your personal or professional network, but you will usually still have to apply in the same way as anyone else. "Recommendations" don't provide any shortcuts or direct routes into a job in the UK.

This is because there are employment laws in the UK that make it fair for everyone to apply, whether they are connected to people in a company or not. This means that we can’t recommend our students to employers or provide a list of employers who favour Exeter students and graduates.

3. Give you a list of employers who will offer you work - In the UK we have many employment laws which aim to give everyone a fair chance to get a job based on their skills and abilities. Employment law stops employers discriminating by things like age, nationality, race, gender or sexuality. These laws mean that employers must provide fair processes for people to apply to work for them. There aren’t any shortcuts that we can provide for you such as lists or recommendations - you will have to apply in the same way as any other applicant.

4. Write your CV for you - As you will need to tailor your CV and other documents for each job you apply for, it is much better for us to teach you how to apply, than to do it for you.

5. Tell you what the best job / best employer / best salary is - “Best” means something different for each one of you. The specific job, employer and salary you want are all parts of your own complicated but wonderful career path. We are happy to discuss this further with you, and help you work out what your “best” might be.