Advice for international students staying on in the UK

Coming to the end of your course as an international student and hoping to stay on in the UK? Here are our top tips for international students wanting to stay in the country, from visas to language skills.  

Get your visa sorted

First things first, you’ll want to make sure your paperwork is in good shape. Thanks to recent updates, international students now get a further two years’ right to remain in the UK under the Graduate Route, but you will need to have the correct paperwork to back this up. Ensure your application for the Graduate Route vis is submitted as soon as you’ve received your final course results.

Choose your next adventure

From high quality of life to a rich and diverse cultural landscape, there are lots of reasons to choose the UK as home for the next couple of years. But how do you want to spend your time while you’re here? If you’d like to continue studying, many universities offer postgraduate studies that come with loans and support if you know where to look – speak to your university and explore their online resources to uncover more information about your options. If you’d prefer to start making career progress straight away, graduate programmes are an excellent place to start. Many professional services firms offer such schemes, as do organisations in the technology, healthcare and creative industries. One benefit of this career route is that you’ll be coached through entry into the job market in a more structured way, making it potentially less overwhelming than the open job market if you’re also dealing with English as a second language and other cultural adjustments.

Fine-tune your language skills

Speaking of cultural adjustments, if you’ve been studying in the UK for a few years your English is probably well developed by now. But with new professional settings comes a whole new style of language, complete with its own idioms (“let’s circle back”) and jargon (“can you ideate some more CTAs?”). If you’d like to develop your professional English skills, there are tailormade courses that do that. Or if budget’s an issue, there are some pretty good videos on YouTube and TikTok that can give you a head start.

Consider work experience

Even if you’re not quite ready to put yourself forward for a permanent job or graduate placement, there are lots of other options out there for work experience. Internships, part-time roles or volunteer positions in your field of interest can give you invaluable insights into working life and generate material for your cv. These experiences will not only help you understand the UK workplace culture but expand your professional network, which can be crucial in finding future opportunities.

Stay connected

As your university life potentially comes to a close, you’ll no longer be surrounded by the huge community you’ve been used to – but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own now. Far from it! Your university alumni network could be one way of staying in touch as you move on, but there are so many other ways to find community as you continue life in the UK, from group living arrangements to mentorship programmes. Joining local clubs, societies or groups aligned with your interests or career aspirations can also offer a sense of belonging and open up opportunities for personal and professional growth. Social media and online forums dedicated to expats and international graduates in the UK are another fantastic resource for advice, networking and making friends in similar situations.

To check room availability in our beautiful building, or to find out more, contact us or give us a call on +44 (0)203 195 3214.