International Careers Support

Careers Network is here to help you explore your career options, gain skills and experience, and find and apply for jobs. We support you whilst you are studying at the University of Birmingham and after you graduate.

Read the sections below to find out about the specialist careers support available to international students and graduates. You will also find information on our other wide-ranging support services designed to support all students and graduates.

Pre-Arrival Careers Connect registration guidance

Careers Connect is the University of Birmingham’s platform for booking onto careers events and pathways. Please register for a Careers Connect account to view our pre-arrival careers pathway ‘Pre-Arrival Pathway: An Introduction to UK Careers and Employability for International Students’ by following the instructions below.

If you have any questions please email careersenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Visit Careers Connect and select the ‘Pre-arrival students’ button. For first time users, click ‘Register’. (Please note: After your registration has been approved, you will be able to login with the username and password set during registration).
Fill out the registration form, making sure you include your application ID which can be found in email correspondence from the University of Birmingham.
Set-up your username and password. Keep these details safe as they will be what you use to login in the future. Once you’ve added these details, click ‘Create User’.
Once you have submitted this registration request, it will be checked by the Careers Network team. This can take up to 5 working days. If after 5 days you do not have access please contact careersenquires@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Once you receive an email saying your registration is approved, you can use your login details to access the pre-arrival pathway in Careers Connect. To access the pathway:

i) login to Careers Connect

ii) click ‘pathways’ from the banner across the top of the page

iii) select Pre-Arrival Pathway: An Introduction to UK Careers and Employability for International Students

Please be aware that after you arrive and enrol at the University of Birmingham, you will need to use your student details to access Careers Connect instead, not the username and password you set up when registering as a pre-arrival student.

Online learning

Our 5 online career courses for international students and graduates are a fantastic way to learn about career opportunities in the UK and internationally. They cover a range of topics including:

The UK labour market
Finding UK work experience
Applying and interviewing for UK jobs
Talking to UK employers about visas and sponsorship
Returning home after your studies
Researching global work opportunities

You can work through the courses at your own pace. If you don't have time to complete them all, just select the topics that are most relevant to you.

Click here to get started.

If you have any difficulties accessing these courses, please email careersenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Events

Our events programme for international students and graduates is designed to equip you with essential knowledge for planning your future career in the UK or internationally.

Career Education Workshops

Develop practical skills and knowledge through our interactive online workshops, which cover topics including:

- The UK labour market
- Finding UK work experience
- Applying and interviewing for UK jobs
- Talking to UK employers about visas and sponsorship
- Returning home after your studies
- Researching global work opportunities
Global Connections:

Learn from University of Birmingham International Alumni who have gone onto develop careers in the UK and internationally. Network and gain insights on:

- Developing skills and experience during your degree
- Job searching in the UK and globally
- Talking to UK employers about visas

We’d love you to join our events and look forward to meeting you. View our events programme here.

CV, application and interview support

Careers Network provide support with all stages of a job application process including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.

Application support for UK jobs

Step 1: Complete the online course: Apply and Interview for UK Jobs
Step 2: Find out about our additional CV, Application & Interview Support workshops and resources

Application support for jobs outside the UK

If you are applying for jobs outside of the UK, the following resources will help you understand application processes and CV formats for a range of countries.

Step 1: Complete the online course: Return Home or Work Globally which includes advice on impressing employers with your UK study experience, networking and searching for global work opportunities
Step 2: Research countries and their application processes using the following resources: Country Guides, Student Circus Country Guides, Prospects Country Guides and Target Jobs Country Guides. You can also read our guide to Tailoring Your CV for the Chinese Labour Market.

Work experience, mentoring and part-time work

Work Experience

Gaining work experience during your degree puts you in a stronger position for finding graduate work. Careers Network can support you to find and apply for work experience opportunities in the UK.

Step 1: Complete the online course: Get UK Work Experience
Step 2: Visit our Work Experience and Internships pages to read about types of work experience in the UK, where to search for work experience and our exclusive B-Experienced Internship Programme.

You can email your work experience questions to careersenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Important considerations

International students who hold a Student Route Visa to study in the UK are subject to working restrictions imposed by UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration). However, most international students should still be able to undertake work experience. We recommend you read the guidance written by the International Student Team before applying for any work experience. If you have any questions about working rights and visas, please contact the International Student Team.

Mentoring

Careers Network offer mentoring programmes to connect you with industry professionals that can support you with your career development. Our mentors are from a wide range of sectors and job roles, and are based in the UK and internationally.

Find out more about our mentoring programmes here.

Part-time work

Working part-time alongside your studies is a fantastic way to gain new skills, develop your English language skills and learn about UK working culture.

Step 1: Complete the online course: Get UK Work Experience for tips on searching for part-time work.

Search for part-time work on campus:

Worklink: The University of Birmingham’s recruitment agency, dedicated to helping students find flexible, part-time work on campus.
Guild of Students: Student Work Opportunities: Student part-time work opportunities at the University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students.

We recommend you read the ‘Working during your studies‘ guidance by the International Student Team before applying for part-time work. If you have any questions about working rights and visas, please contact the International Student Team.

Finding graduate jobs

International students have a great skillset to offer employers. Careers Network provides advice, events and resources to help you search for graduate jobs in the UK and internationally.

Step 1: Complete the online course: Get Ready for Your Future to learn about UK graduate opportunities or Return Home or Work Globally to learn about international graduate opportunities.
Step 2: Get involved in our programme of Employer events and resources:
- Visit the University of Birmingham Career Fairs run throughout the academic year to meet employers and find out about their graduate roles
- Attend Employer events to gain insights into UK job sectors and employers
- Search for Jobs & Opportunities
- Gain an insight into job sectors

Student Circus

Student Circus is a fantastic careers resource for international students and graduates. The platform enables you to:

Search for jobs with Skilled Worker Visa employers in the UK
Search for jobs with handpicked employers in 30+ countries that value the global experience of international students
Access a range of employability resources including country guides and career blogs.

Using Student Circus is easy and it’s available to University of Birmingham students and graduates any time of the day from a mobile or desktop device.

Visa information

Careers Network is not authorised to give advice on work permit or visa applications. Please contact the services and resources below for support.

Complete our online course: Talk to UK Employers about Visas and Sponsorship which provides an overview of working visas and advice on talking to UK employers about visas.

The UoB International Student Team (IST) provide support and advice for prospective and current international students. Their expertise covers immigration, visas and how to adapt to life in the UK.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provide information and advice for international students studying in the UK through online resources and a telephone advice line.

We strongly recommend you consult UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and ensure you understand the government visa regulations before you start to apply for jobs in the UK.