Advice and information for international students about working during and after your studies.
Most international students are legally permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during vacations on their student visa. This does differ for postgraduate students who are not permitted to work more than 20 hours during the summer time as this is classed as term time for these students. Please note in addition to limited work hours there are certain types of work you are not permitted to do on your student visa such as working for yourself.
It is your responsibility to check any restrictions on your student visa before undertaking any employment. Please note, not all courses have defined term times or vacation periods. For more information or support with your student visa, please contact Lancaster's Visa and Immigration Team
The following sources provide information on working in the UK as an international student:
The UK has set national minimum wage rates. If you work in the UK you will usually have to pay income tax and national insurance. You will need to obtain a National Insurance number if you wish to work.
There are various part-time opportunities available on campus and in the local area. Please visit our Employment and Recruitment Service for further information on what the service offers and how to register. You can also find additional information on the Job Search section of our website.
For more information on part-time jobs, see our Frequently asked questions about part-time employment. Please note that the hours permitted for work do not relate to international students. Ensure you conform with visa regulations, and see the start of this page for information and guidance.
The term ‘internships’ is not always used in the UK and may be called other things by some employers. Internship opportunities are generally aimed at second-year students and take place during the summer vacation at the end of the second year.
Opportunities for first-years and graduates do exist, but these may not be as easy to find. These opportunities can be known as: insight days, insight weeks, and consultancy projects and are often structured formalised programmes which give you your own projects to work on or an opportunity to spend a short period of time in an organisation.
Many employers use internships to ‘fast-track’ promising students onto their graduate schemes. Consequently, the application process is very competitive and follows the process used for graduate schemes.
You should start looking for internships from around October onwards and apply in the autumn (in the first term) or spring (early in the second term). In general, you should not consider an unpaid internship since the employer may be breaking the law if they do not pay the national minimum wage; however, there are some exceptions to this, such as charities. These opportunities can be found on CareersConnect.
For more information on finding work in the UK, see our international student job search FAQs.
Getting a job is competitive in the UK at graduate level, particularly for international students. However, if you start your job search early enough and expand your experience, it is possible. With the introduction of the Graduate Route, opportunities have expanded for students, especially for short-term and project work.
If you are looking to stay in the UK after graduation, then you need to understand your visa options and how they affect you. The more you understand about your visa options, the more empowered you are when being questioned by potential employers, especially those interested in hiring you but with little knowledge of the visa process. You can find out everything you need to know regarding visas and working in the UK after study on the UKCISA website.
UKCISA is a great site created specifically for international students and explains the various visa rules clearly. In addition, the UK Government website has more information.
Employers typically set deadlines for applications, usually between October and December, for graduate roles starting the following summer/September. You will need to start applying at the beginning of your final year if you are an undergraduate or as soon as you arrive on campus if you are on a Master's programme. Remember, even if there is a later closing date it is always worth applying as early as possible, as many employers will close deadlines early if they meet application quotas. Some employers take applications all year round and may not have a deadline.
To understand the process, you must research your target employers and understand their recruitment timelines. For larger organisations, especially international firms, the recruitment process from application to job offer can take up to 6 months due to the number of vacancies. Smaller or medium-sized employers may not operate fixed recruitment cycles, and their recruitment timelines from application to job offer can be 6-8 weeks on average. Smaller companies are most likely to recruit as and when vacancies arise.
Graduate Schemes are entry-level positions for graduates. These are permanent jobs that usually involve a period of training and can include working towards professional qualifications.
Companies may offer different training schemes for different jobs within the same company, so it is important to consider which route you might apply for. Most large companies will require you to apply in the autumn (Michaelmas) term between August and December to begin work with the company when you graduate. Some companies, especially in finance and banking, will advise you to apply as soon as you can after August.
These are paid jobs suitable for someone who has undertaken a degree or postgraduate study. You are given any training or support that you need. Most small to medium-sized firms advertise graduate-level roles throughout the year. Once you have received a job offer, you can start work once you have successfully completed your course and have no outstanding exams or assignments. You can start working full-time for an employer after you have completed your course on your student visa, and then you can switch into the Graduate Route Visa or the Skilled Worker Visa. You should begin searching for a graduate-level role six months in advance of your student visa expiring to maximise your chances of securing a sponsored job.
In order to understand the visa processes, see the links above to the two main visas international students pursue. The more informed you are of your visa options, the better your chances of being employed are!
It may be useful to help potential employers understand how to sponsor an international student; Recruiting International Graduates: A Guide For Employers by the International Student Employability Group can help employers understand the process of hiring international talent.
Understanding the recruitment process for employers can empower you to have confident conversations with an employer about the visa process. Explaining the process to a potential employer unfamiliar with recruiting international talent can increase your chances of being recruited. This would apply to small to medium-sized organisations, as large companies have internal immigration specialists.
The following sources provide information related to working in the UK as a graduate:
We can provide basic information and signposting to visa options to work in the UK after study, but we are not legally authorised to give guidance on visas or support visa applications.
If you have an enquiry or issue concerning your student visa, please contact the “University's Student Immigration Team”.
If you need specialist advice on visas, you can search for an immigration solicitor by location and legal issue you need help with on the Law Society’s website.
If you have an issue concerning your immigration status, appointments are available with Latitude Law, a specialist immigration law firm based in Manchester.
Consultations are available to all students who are experiencing immigration concerns or who need advice with future immigration applications. These sessions are held via Zoom.
Please note that if your enquiry relates to your Student visa application or another route which requires the support of Lancaster University (eg Start-Up visa), you should contact the University's Student Immigration Team instead.
Latitude Law's full privacy and data policy is available online.
If you need further help the solicitor will be able to discuss fees for ongoing services.
If you need to speak with a solicitor urgently, contact Latitude Law at lancasterenquiries@latitudelaw.com or by calling +44 (0)161 234 6800.
Lancaster University is not responsible for the legal advice provided by the law firm Latitude Law Limited, nor does it endorse or recommend any of its services or legal advice. Any student who uses the services of Latitude Law Limited does so at their own risk. Other law firms in the UK offer similar immigration services to Latitude Law Limited, and such firms can be found on the Law Society’s website.
Many international students return to their home country or a third country to start or continue their careers. The following information will help you in your job search.
Your first step when searching for a job outside the UK is to understand the job market, whether you are returning home or looking for work as an international applicant.
There are opportunities available specifically for international students returning to their home countries, for example:
