Employment opportunities for postgraduate students in the UK

PTE Author
PTE Author
Image - A man accepting job offer
Reading time: 5 minutes

Studying in the United Kingdom opens doors for international students. With the right to work during your studies, you’ll have the chance to gain valuable work experience before graduation.  

But what if you decide you want to stay and work in the UK after your studies? Now, it’s easier than ever to find graduate jobs in the UK, thanks to recent visa changes.  

Let’s explore what this new UK government initiative means for finding a job after graduating.  

How to work in the UK after graduating

You can start your career off with the Graduate Route. Since July 2021, International students have been allowed to spend an additional two years in the UK after successfully completing their degrees. It’s an unsponsored route: this means you don’t need a job offer or funding to apply. 

You’ll be able to search for a job and get professional experience of the UK job market before returning to your own country.  

If you decide to remain in the UK and pursue your career after your visa expires, you’ll be able to switch from the Graduate route to the Skilled Worker route.  

As long as you meet the relevant requirements, the Skilled Worker route allows you to work in the UK for a further five years. It allows you to stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. This visa also contributes to settlement rights – meaning you may be able to apply to live permanently in the UK.  

Read more about the different types of Visas available in the UK.  

Employment opportunities in the UK 

Now that working in the UK after your degree is easier than ever before, what kind of graduate jobs are available?  

The jobs market in the UK is full of opportunities for international students. After all, the UK economy is the fifth biggest in the world. And, there are certain fields which are crying out for workers.  

It’s certainly helpful to know what’s available for you when it comes to your graduate job search in the UK. Science technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) careers in the UK are in especially high demand.  

Let’s take a look at some of the STEM jobs on the UK Shortage Occupation list:  

Graduate jobs in the sciences 

If you have recently graduated with a degree in the sciences, then you’re in luck. There are lots of science jobs in the UK for graduates. The nuclear industry, the oil and gas industry, and the engineering industry need people in the following roles:  

  • Chemical scientists 

  • Biological scientists and biochemists 

  • Geologists and geophysicists 

  • Hydrogeologists  

  • Geoscientists and geochemists 

It’s good news for students planning to study biology, physics, chemistry, or geology. Your knowledge and skills will be in demand after you graduate!  

Find out more about studying the sciences in the UK.  

Graduate jobs in engineering  

Engineers of all kinds are always in high demand in a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing to construction to retail. Most undergraduate engineering degrees require you to specialize in mechanical engineering, for example, or electronic engineering. But there are some general engineering degrees where you can specialize later in your studies, once you’ve decided where your interests lie.  

Once you graduate, there’s a shortage in the UK of the following:  

  • Civil engineers 

  • Mechanical engineers 

  • Electrical engineers 

  • Electronics engineers 

  • Design and development engineers 

  • Production and process engineers 

Find out more about studying engineering in the UK.  

Graduate jobs in the tech world 

Studying computer science or software engineering is a good choice if you want to future-proof your career. Nowadays, technology is all around us, underpinning our everyday life.  

With a computer science degree, you can work in virtually any sector. The following jobs are in high demand:  

  • IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers 

  •  Programmers and software development professionals 

  • Web design and development professionals 

Learn more about studying computer science in the UK. 

Graduate jobs in the arts   

It’s not just science and technology jobs that are in demand in the UK. The creative industries are also looking for skilled practitioners to work within the UK in the following roles:  

  • Artists 

  • Classical ballet dancers 

  • Contemporary dancers  

  • Orchestral musicians  

  • Arts officers, producers, and directors  

  • Graphic designers 

  • Architects  

If you’re studying in a creative field, you’ll have lots of opportunities to work in the UK after graduating. Learn more about studying the creative arts, design, music, or architecture in the UK.  

Discover 5 more graduate jobs in demand in the UK.  

How PTE Academic can help you study in the UK 

If you want to study at a university in the UK, you’ll need to attend lectures, participate in seminars and tutorials, write essays, and complete assignments — all in English. So, you’ll need to show that you have good language skills.  

PTE Academic is a robust, reliable test of English that’s accepted by 99% of universities in the UK, as well as the UK Home Office. So, you can also use your PTE Academic score to apply for a UK student visa. 

Learn more about studying in the UK with PTE Academic.

Related Content

  • [Asset] Student studying on sofa
    Practice for PTE Academic with this mock-test plan!
    By PTE Author

    We have all been there; it’s normal to be full of nerves before a test, with uncertainty of what to expect, and doubts about how you’re going to perform. 

    However, whilst nerves and anticipation are an unavoidable part of the testing experience, there are ways to reduce this when preparing for your PTE test, so you can grow in confidence before test day and achieve your desired score.

    At PTE, we are all about doing it worry-free!  

    And to do it worry-free, you need to know what’s coming up and familiarise yourself with the PTE test.

    Here are 4 ways you can start your PTE preparation and get the practice in, so you are confident for when test day comes. 

    1. Familiarize yourself with the test and what’s expected:

    A great way to prepare is to know all about what you can expect on test day. We have lots of resources available on our Preparation page. We'd recommend that you explore this section of our site and gather any top tips that you can from our range of free resources, also known as our A-Z of PTE. This includes a run-through of each question type as well as a video of what to expect on test day, which you can also watch below on this page!

  • Image, international student, 800px
    How to book your PTE exam
    By PTE Author

    Are you booking PTE for the first time? Do you know which of our PTE tests is right for you? No worries, we will guide you through the booking process.

  • [Asset] Canada flag man running
    Choosing the right General English test: How PTE Core compares
    By PTE Author

    PTE Core, our brand new general English test, is approved by the Canadian Government (IRCC) for all economic visa categories, including citizenship and permanent residency.  

    Choosing the right English test for you is important. A core factor in your decision will be how the test meets the score requirements set by the IRCC.   

    We have carried out comprehensive research to ensure that PTE Core correlates to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). You can take a closer look in our alignment report (PDF, 833KB).

    However, there are many other things to consider when finding the best test for you. For example, how quickly you need to receive your results? Are you in a rush to take your test? Do you want your speaking skills to be assessed by a human examiner or not?  

    So, to make it easier for you to decide which test is right for you, we have put together a handy summary of how PTE Core compares to IELTS General and CELPIP.  

    Booking a test

    PTE Core is the fastest way to prove your English language skills. Book quickly, up to 24 hours in advance. There are frequent test dates and 475+ test centers around the world.