As well as ensuring you graduate with excellent career prospects, there are several ways that you may be able to gain experience outside of the University while you study, some of which may allow you to earn money. The type of Visa you hold may affect your ability to take paid or voluntary work while in the UK.
Volunteering/paid work
International students should have access to sufficient funds to support themselves in the UK without working. However, some Visas may allow part-time work or voluntary work. Some students find this type of work useful to gain experience but it should not exceed 20 hours a week. Your Visa may also allow you to work in the UK over the summer.
Visit the Careers Centre to find out more about working while studying
How can Edge Hill help?
Regular Graduate Recruitment Careers Fairs give students a chance to grow their professional network by meeting professionals from everything from large companies to Small and Medium Enterprises. 40 business attended the Careers Fair in 2016.
Some Departments (for example, Computing) also run subject specific Careers Fairs with businesses of interest to certain career paths or degrees.
Application and interview support
The Careers Centre offer services to all Edge Hill students. The Careers Centre website is full of lots of useful information on writing applications or students can make an appointment to see an adviser in person.
Some of the things the Careers Centre can help students with are:
What employers look for
CVs and Covering Letters
Applications
Online forms
Online tests
Assessment centres
Interviews
Subject specific resources
Application for further study
Work placements
In course placements
Some courses involve compulsory or optional short term placement opportunities integrated within the course. An example may be a teaching degree.
Sandwich placements
Sandwich placements are year long work placements taken after two years of study. Students then return to Edge Hill to complete their final year. Taking a sandwich placement would therefore extend your degree from 3 years to 4 years. Research shows that students that have taken a sandwich placement year are more likely to gain graduate level employment after finishing their course.
Restrictions
Some placements may result in an extra year of study. There may also be restrictions due to Visa status, or changes to your Visa may be needed to facilitate placements.
Students interested in courses with placement opportunities should in the first instance contact the relevant faculty for information on what is available to students, or the International Office for information on visas
