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Working during your studies

The Careers Service at Roehampton offers advice on career prospects and CVs and provides access to part-time job vacancies off campus for students who wish to work during their programme of study. For more information see the Careers Service webpages.

Most students who come to study a full-time programme in the UK for more than six months are allowed to work part-time. These students:

• can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during university vacations
• can take a work placement as part of their programme
• can take an internship with an employer
• must obtain a National Insurance number if they are working in the UK.

Working after you have completed your studies

The International Graduate Scheme (IGS) is a ‘staying on’ scheme that enables international students who have acquired a bachelor degree or higher qualification in any subject from a recognised UK higher education institution to apply to stay on to work in the UK for up to one year.

Key features of the IGS

• Applicants have to apply within one year of successfully completing the programme.
• Any degree class (except fail) is eligible.
• Eligible graduates are offered a permit granting them to stay in the UK for 12 months to seek work.
• The IGS is a transitional route from studying in the UK into skilled work. Extensions of the leave in this category are not permitted and the leave in itself is not a route to settlement.
• As the IGS has been set up to allow students to transfer into highly skilled and skilled work, in-country switching into the temporary workers or exchange migrant routes will not be allowed.

Useful websites

Careers Europe – a useful general careers site for work and related issues in the UK and Europe.

Department for Children, Schools and Families – a UK government website on the rules and regulations for part-time working.

Education UK – a British Council website (navigate to the ‘Working in the UK’ section).

UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs – advice for international students on working in the UK.