One of the hottest and most preferred study-abroad destinations, the UK owes its reputation to some of its centuries-old, prestigious institutions that provide the best education and career opportunities to students worldwide.
Studying in the UK paves the way for lucrative and rewarding career opportunities in the country and around the world. International students can now explore career opportunities and get employed in the UK since it now provides post-study work visas for a period of 2 years for overseas graduates.
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How Long Can International Students Stay in the UK After Graduation?
After completing your graduate studies or masters, you can stay and explore career opportunities for up to 2 years while PhD and doctoral graduates can stay upto 3 years
Eligibility:
You can apply for a Post-study Work Visa if you satisfy the following conditions:
- you're in the UK with a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- you studied a UK bachelor's degree, postgraduate degree or another eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- your education provider (such as your university or college) has informed the Home Office you've successfully completed your course
Can You Extend Your Post-Work Study Visa?
You cannot extend your Graduate Visa after completing 2 years but you can apply for a different visa, like a Skilled Worker Visa to continue your employment in the UK.
Post Study Work Opportunities in the UK
Now, let's dive right into the top 5 post-study work opportunities available for international students in the UK and how to choose the right career choice based on your core strengths!
1. Data Scientist
As a data scientist, your responsibility lies in collecting, analysing and interpreting large amounts of unstructured data and identifying meaningful patterns in them
- With investments of £45 million for higher education courses in AI, data science and related disciplines, these government initiatives have given rise to multiple career opportunities across the globe, especially in the UK.
- The UK is home to several reputed Big Data and AI firms, including Benevolent AI, DeepMind, and FiveAI, which have a constant need for data scientists and machine-learning specialists.
2. Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals, including physicians, clinical psychologists, neurologists, paediatricians, optometrists, and nurses are in demand in the UK, making healthcare one of the most lucrative sectors to explore for employment opportunities post-graduation.- One of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK, the National Health Sector (NHS) has over 1.4 million employees, making it one of the largest employers in the country.
- Within the NHS, pursuing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is highly valued and encouraged which enables graduates to constantly upskill and enhance their career progression.
- Top Recruiters: NHS, HCA Healthcare, Bupa, Abbott, and BE Healthcare.
3. Engineering
One of the most millennial-preferred courses, engineering is one of the best courses to study in the UK because of its state-of-the-art research and advanced training facilities. With extensive practical and industry-relevant training, universities in the UK make engineering professionals market-ready.
- Engineering accounts for 18% of UK employment, with 5.5 million of its population working in the engineering and manufacturing sector.
- The UK has customisable engineering courses with a variety of choices in specialisation to help international students make the most of studying abroad and availing of the best career opportunities in the industry.
- Top Recruiters: Airbus, Aston Martin, BMW Group, Rolls Royce, and Siemens.
4. Human Resource Specialists
Recruitment, dispute management, grievance redressal - everything related to human resources are in high demand and the UK in particular, holds high value for human resource professionals.
- The UK is home to some of the top universities in the world for human resources with exemplary teaching and research facilities, facilitating a global learning experience for international students and helping them achieve their career objectives.
- Most universities in the UK have partnerships with leading corporates that conduct campus interviews and select talented graduates with a passion to learn and evolve in a competitive environment.
- Top Recruiters: Amazon, Capegemini, NHS, Barclays, and GSK.
5. Project Manager
To plan, strategize, implement, kick start and monitor a project from start to end requires specialisation. UK universities offer advanced courses to help students gain expert knowledge in all aspects related to project management.
- A survey by the LeapScholar puts Project Manager in the top 10 most in-demand careers in the UK. Rightfully so, because over 2 million people are employed full-time in project-based roles, contributing more to the economy than marketing or financial services.
- Problem-solving, cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment and management are skills that are in demand across all types of industries, and according to the Association for Project Management's (APM) Salary and Market Trends Survey 2022, the average annual income for a professional working in project management is GBP 47,500.
- Top Recruiters: IBM, Deloitte, AT&T, Honeywell, and JP Morgan.
Architecture, Design, Law, Finance, Management or Marketing, whatever the specialisation course is, the UK provides rewarding career opportunities for graduates worldwide.
All you need to do is understand your core strengths and pursue a course that aligns with your desired career path. If you're desirous of pursuing a course in the UK and wish to know more, here's a golden opportunity for you.