Jobs and careers
How many hours should I work during term?
Most universities and student visa conditions recommend a maximum of 15–20 hours per week during term time. Above this, academic performance typically suffers. In vacations, full-time hours are fine. The sweet spot for most students is 10–15 hours — enough to supplement your loan without derailing your degree.
When should I start applying for grad schemes?
Most major graduate schemes open in September–October of your final year and close well before Christmas. Some close as early as November — often before the end of Michaelmas term. You need to start preparing in the summer before final year, not when the portals open.
Do I need experience to get my first job?
Not as much as you think. Employers hiring students and recent graduates understand that experience is limited. What matters more is evidence of skills — through part-time work, societies, volunteering, projects, and university activities — than a specific job title. The key is framing what you've done in terms employers recognise.
What's the difference between an internship and a placement year?
An internship is typically 6–12 weeks, usually over summer, and is paid. A placement year (also called a sandwich year or year in industry) is a full 12-month period embedded in your degree, usually between second and final year. Placements give much deeper experience and significantly improve graduate job prospects — especially for competitive sectors.
In this guide
- Work and study — the basics
- Best part-time jobs for students
- Tax, National Insurance & your payslip
- Building your experience year by year
- Internships & placement years
- Writing a student CV
- Cover letters that work
- Graduate schemes explained
- Interviews & assessment centres
- Career myths — busted
- Frequently asked questions
Work and study — the basics
The majority of UK students work during their degree. Some do it out of financial necessity; others to build experience; many for both reasons. Done well, working alongside your studies doesn't just plug a gap in your maintenance loan — it builds skills, contacts, and a CV track record that makes you significantly more employable when you graduate.
The challenge is balance. There's strong evidence that working up to around 15 hours per week has no negative effect on academic performance — and may even improve it through better structure and time management. Beyond 20 hours per week, the evidence tilts the other way. The goal is to work smarter, not longer.
This guide covers everything: finding flexible part-time work, understanding your pay and tax, building experience strategically across your three or four years, writing applications that get results, and navigating the graduate job market when you leave.
Best part-time jobs for students
Not all part-time work is created equal. Some jobs offer better pay, more flexibility around your timetable, or more transferable experience than others. Below are the most common options, with honest assessments of each.
| Job type | Typical pay | Flexibility | CV value | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campus jobs (library, IT help desk, student union, admin) | £12–£15/hr | Very high | Medium–High | Everyone — especially first years. Employers understand your schedule and won't book you during exam periods. |
| Bar & hospitality | £11.44–£13/hr + tips | High | Low–Medium | Those who need flexible weekend/evening shifts. Builds genuine customer service and communication skills. |
| Retail | £11.44–£12.50/hr | Medium | Low–Medium | Consistent shifts and structured rotas. Good for those who prefer predictability over late-night flexibility. |
| Tutoring (private or platform) | £20–£50/hr | Very high | High | Strong students in maths, sciences, or languages. Excellent pay and demonstrable expertise. Use platforms like Tutorful, MyTutor, or direct referrals. |
| Freelance / digital work (social media, design, copywriting) | £15–£40/hr (varies widely) | Very high | Very high | Creative, marketing, or tech students. Work is often portfolio-building and directly relevant to career goals. |
| Care & support work | £12–£14/hr | High | High | Healthcare, social work, or psychology students. Paid, directly relevant experience that's hard to get otherwise. |
| Food delivery / gig work | £10–£13/hr effective (after costs) | Very high | Low | Those needing maximum schedule freedom. Be aware of self-employed tax implications and mileage costs eroding earnings. |
| Brand ambassador / promo work | £12–£20/hr | Medium | Low–Medium | Outgoing students. Often irregular — don't rely on it as a primary income. Useful for event or marketing career interest. |
How to find part-time work
University jobs board first
Your university careers service and student union will list roles specifically designed for students. These employers understand exam pressure, term dates, and flexible needs — they won't expect you to work Christmas shifts if you've gone home.
Walk in before applying online
For local bars, cafés, and shops near campus, going in person with a printed CV during a quiet period (mid-afternoon, mid-week) is often more effective than applying through their website. Managers hire people they've met.
Use the right platforms
Indeed, Totaljobs, and StudentJob.co.uk for general roles. Tutorful, MyTutor, and Superprof for tutoring. PeoplePerHour or Fiverr for freelance work. Bark.com for local services. Set job alerts so you're notified when relevant roles are posted.
Ask your network
Fellow students, flatmates, and course peers are a surprisingly effective source of job leads. Many part-time roles fill through word of mouth — a colleague leaving creates an opening that gets passed on before it's ever advertised. Make it known you're looking.
Tax, National Insurance & your payslip
Most students are confused about tax — and many end up either overpaying or unknowingly underpaying. Here's what you actually need to know.
Income tax
The Personal Allowance is £12,570 per tax year (April to April). This means you pay no income tax on the first £12,570 you earn in a year. Most students working part-time will earn well below this — so most students pay no income tax at all.
The problem arises with tax codes. If your employer is given the wrong tax code (e.g. if you have multiple jobs, or if HMRC defaults to an emergency code), you may be taxed incorrectly from the start. Check your payslip — if it shows deductions that seem too large, you may be on an emergency tax code (usually shown as "W1/M1" or "0T"). Contact HMRC to fix it, and claim back any overpaid tax.
| Annual earnings | Income tax paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £12,570 | £0 | Below Personal Allowance — no tax owed |
| £12,571–£50,270 | 20% of amount above £12,570 | Basic rate. Very few students reach this working part-time. |
| £50,271–£125,140 | 40% of amount above £50,270 | Higher rate. Not relevant for most students. |
National Insurance
National Insurance (NI) is separate from income tax. You pay NI contributions on earnings above the Primary Threshold — currently £12,570/year (£242/week). The NI rate for employees is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270. Again, most part-time students won't reach this threshold.
Understanding your payslip
Your earnings before deductions
This is your hourly rate multiplied by hours worked, before any tax or NI is taken off. Always check this against your own calculation — payroll errors happen more often than employers admit.
What hits your bank account
Gross pay minus income tax, National Insurance, and any pension contributions. If you're below the Personal Allowance, your net pay should equal your gross pay (minus any voluntary pension contribution).
Tells HMRC how much to tax you
The standard code is 1257L (reflecting the £12,570 allowance). Emergency codes like W1, M1, or 0T suggest you may be overtaxed. If you see these, contact HMRC via their online portal or helpline.
You may be auto-enrolled
If you're over 22 and earn above £10,000/year from one employer, you'll be automatically enrolled in their pension scheme. You can opt out, but for any work lasting more than a few months, the employer contribution makes staying in financially worthwhile — even as a student.
Building your experience year by year
The students who find it hardest to get jobs after graduation are usually the ones who left career planning until final year. The ones who walk into good opportunities tend to have been quietly building their profile since year one — not necessarily through grand gestures, but through consistent, deliberate choices about how they spend their time.
Here's a realistic roadmap for a three-year degree.
Build the foundations
- Join 2–3 societies relevant to your interests or career
- Take on a small committee role if possible
- Find part-time work — any work counts
- Attend at least one careers fair, even just to look around
- Set up a LinkedIn profile and connect with coursemates
- Explore what different careers in your field actually look like
Go deeper & apply for summer internships
- Apply for summer internships — applications open in autumn
- Take on leadership roles in societies
- Attend employer events on campus
- Start building a portfolio or project evidence if relevant
- Consider a placement year (apply in autumn/spring)
- Do a practice CV review at the careers service
Apply for graduate roles
- Grad scheme applications open September — apply early
- Prepare for interviews and assessment centres
- Leverage internship contacts and referrals
- Apply to SMEs and startups too, not just big schemes
- Use your careers service for mock interviews
- Don't neglect your degree — you need a good result
Experience beyond employment
Paid work isn't the only thing employers value. Volunteering, society leadership, sports captaincy, student journalism, running events, representing your cohort as a student rep, or founding a student project all demonstrate real skills. The key is being able to articulate what you did, what the outcome was, and what you learned — using the same framework you'd use for a job.
Internships & placement years
A summer internship or placement year is the single most effective thing most students can do to improve their graduate job prospects. The research is consistent: students who complete a relevant internship are significantly more likely to receive a graduate offer — and often more likely to receive one from the employer they interned with.
Summer internships
Most paid summer internships last 6–10 weeks, running from late June to August. They're competitive — particularly in investment banking, law, consulting, and tech — and often feed directly into graduate scheme offers. Applications typically open in September and October of the preceding academic year, with many closing before Christmas.
| Sector | Typical internship pay | Application window | Conversion to grad offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment banking / finance | £800–£1,600+/week | Sept–Nov (year before) | ~80–90% |
| Management consulting | £500–£900/week | Sept–Dec | ~70–80% |
| Technology (big tech / SWE) | £400–£900/week | Sept–Jan | ~60–75% |
| Law (vacation schemes) | £500–£650/week | Oct–Jan | ~60–70% |
| Marketing / media / PR | £300–£500/week (or NMW) | Jan–April | ~30–50% |
| Charity / public sector | NMW or voluntary | Rolling / spring | Variable |
| SMEs & startups | NMW–£500/week | Rolling throughout year | Variable — often high |
All paid internships must pay at least the National Minimum Wage for your age. Unpaid internships (other than in very specific circumstances) are illegal. If you're offered an unpaid internship that involves doing real work, you are entitled to be paid. Report unpaid internship offers to HMRC.
Placement years
A placement year (also called a sandwich year or industrial year) is a 12-month period spent working in industry, typically between your second and final year. Many degree programmes support or require them. The evidence for their impact is significant: placement students typically graduate with higher grades, better soft skills, clearer career direction, and — crucially — a substantial professional network before they've even finished their degree.
£18,000–£30,000+ for the year
Placement salaries vary widely by sector. Engineering, finance, and technology placements typically pay well. Marketing and creative placements pay more modestly. Even a lower placement salary usually exceeds what you'd earn from part-time work across the same period.
Loan continues at a reduced rate
You remain registered as a student during your placement year, so you're still entitled to student finance — but at a reduced rate (typically 50% of the standard maintenance loan). Your placement salary will more than compensate for this in most cases.
Your careers service + RateMyPlacement
Your university careers service will have a placement coordinator for your department. Also use RateMyPlacement.co.uk, Prospects, and LinkedIn. Apply in your second year autumn term — many placement applications close before Christmas in the year before the placement starts.
Significantly stronger job prospects
Placement students are much more likely to walk into a graduate job quickly after finishing their degree. Many receive a return offer from their placement employer. Even when they don't, the experience and network are hard to replicate any other way in the same time period.
Writing a student CV
A good student CV does one thing: it makes it easy for a recruiter to quickly understand who you are, what you've done, and why you're worth interviewing. Most student CVs fail because they're either too sparse (leaving too much out) or too padded (filling space with irrelevant content and verbose descriptions). Here's the structure that works.
CV structure for students and recent graduates
1. Contact details & headline Top of page 1
Full name (large, prominent), phone number, professional email address, LinkedIn URL, and optionally GitHub or portfolio link if relevant. No photo, no home address (city is fine), no date of birth. A one-line professional headline ("Second-year Economics student at the University of Edinburgh | Seeking summer finance internship") can help, but only if it's specific.
2. Education For students, this comes first
List your current degree first: university, degree title, expected grade (if 2:1 or above), graduation year, and 2–3 bullet points on relevant modules, dissertation, or academic projects. Then your A-levels (or equivalent): school name, subjects, grades. No need to list GCSEs individually — "10 GCSEs A*–B including Maths and English" is sufficient unless specifically requested.
3. Work experience Reverse chronological order
Include everything — part-time jobs, internships, voluntary work. For each role: job title, employer name, dates (month and year), and 3–4 bullet points starting with action verbs. Focus on what you did, quantify outcomes where possible, and link skills to the role you're applying for. Don't write a job description — write what you specifically achieved.
4. Skills & activities Societies, sports, projects
Society memberships, especially with committee roles. Sports teams, especially with captaincy or coaching. Volunteering. Student journalism or media. Hackathons or competitions. Language skills (indicate level: conversational / professional / fluent). Technical skills (software, coding languages, tools). Be specific — "proficient in Excel" is vague; "financial modelling in Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, scenario analysis)" is useful.
5. Interests Optional — keep it brief
One to three sentences maximum. Only include if they're genuinely interesting, unusual, or relevant — or if you can connect them to a real skill. "I enjoy reading, cooking, and socialising with friends" adds nothing. "I've run two half-marathons and I'm training for my first marathon" says something about discipline. An interviewer might ask about anything you include here.
Cover letters that work
Most cover letters are poor — generic, padded, and employer-centred rather than candidate-specific. A good cover letter answers three questions: why this role, why this company, and why you specifically. It should be no more than one A4 page and should feel like it was written for one employer, not copy-pasted from a template.
Structure
Opening paragraph — what you're applying for and why
State the role you're applying for and give a specific, genuine reason you want it — not "I am excited by this opportunity" (everyone says this) but a concrete reason tied to the company, its work, or the role itself. One sentence on who you are.
Second paragraph — your most relevant experience
Pick your strongest, most relevant experience — one example, in depth — and explain what you did, what the outcome was, and how it relates to this role. Be specific. Name numbers, outcomes, responsibilities. Don't list everything; go deep on one or two things.
Third paragraph — why this company specifically
Show you've done your homework. Reference something specific about the company — a recent project, a piece of research they've published, a client they work with, their culture or values — and explain why it matters to you. Recruiters can tell immediately when this is generic vs researched.
Closing paragraph — confident, brief, and action-oriented
Reiterate your interest, confirm availability for interview, and sign off professionally. "I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application further" is fine. Don't undersell yourself with excessive hedging — you're making a case for yourself, not apologising for applying.
Never start with "I am writing to apply for..."
Every recruiter has read this opening ten thousand times. Start with something specific and compelling — what drew you to this role, a relevant achievement, a reason you're genuinely interested. The first sentence determines whether the rest gets read.
Research beyond the "About Us" page
Read recent news coverage, the company's annual report or blog, sector publications, and LinkedIn profiles of employees in the team you'd be joining. Referencing something specific and recent signals genuine interest rather than a rushed application.
Keep it to three or four tight paragraphs
Aim for 300–400 words. Recruiters do not read long cover letters more carefully — they read them less carefully. Every sentence should earn its place. If you're struggling to cut it down, it's probably because you're repeating your CV rather than adding to it.
AI can help — but don't outsource it entirely
Using AI tools to draft or refine your cover letter is fine and increasingly common. But AI-generated cover letters that aren't personalised are instantly recognisable — generic, florid, and devoid of specific detail. Use AI to improve your draft, not to write it from scratch with no input from you.
Graduate schemes explained
A graduate scheme is a structured training programme offered by larger employers to recent graduates. They typically last 2–3 years, rotate you across different parts of the business, and combine real responsibility with structured learning — sometimes including sponsored professional qualifications (ACA, CFA, LPC, etc.).
They're competitive and well-paid — but they're not the only route into a good career. Many graduates build equally successful careers through direct hires at SMEs, startups, or the public sector — sometimes with better responsibility earlier and faster progression.
Scheme types by sector
| Sector | Starting salary range | Typical scheme length | Key employers | Qualification? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investment banking | £55,000–£80,000+ | Analyst programme (2–3 yrs) | Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Barclays, HSBC | CFA (optional) |
| Management consulting | £40,000–£55,000 | 2–3 years | McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture | MBA (later) |
| Law (training contract) | £50,000–£120,000+ | 2-year training contract | Magic Circle, Silver Circle, US firms | SQE / LPC |
| Chartered accountancy | £26,000–£38,000 | 3 years | Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) | ACA / ACCA |
| Engineering | £28,000–£40,000 | 2–3 years | Rolls-Royce, BAE, Atkins, Arup | IEng / CEng (route) |
| Civil Service Fast Stream | £30,000–£36,000 | 4 years | HMRC, FCO, DWP, Cabinet Office | — |
| Technology | £35,000–£55,000 | 2 years | Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, GCHQ | Cloud certs (AWS etc.) |
| Marketing / media | £24,000–£32,000 | 1–2 years | Unilever, P&G, Channel 4, ITV, agencies | CIM (optional) |
The graduate scheme application process
Stage 1: Online application form
Typically includes CV upload, covering questions, and academic history. Some employers require a cover letter; others just ask competency questions. Many use automated screening for minimum degree class requirements (usually 2:1, sometimes 2:2). Check this before applying — it wastes everyone's time if you don't meet the minimum.
Stage 2: Online tests
Most large employers use numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and/or situational judgement tests (SJTs). These are timed and completed online. Practice matters significantly — free practice tests are available from test providers like SHL, Talent Q, and Korn Ferry. Aim to practise 10+ tests before your first real application.
Stage 3: Video interview or HireVue
Pre-recorded video interviews (where you answer questions to a camera with no interviewer) are now standard at many firms. You typically get 30–60 seconds to prepare an answer and 2–3 minutes to record it. Practice answering competency questions aloud — the gap between thinking of an answer and articulating it confidently on camera is larger than most people expect.
Stage 4: Assessment centre
The final stage — typically a half or full day at the employer's office. Usually includes a group exercise, individual presentation or case study, written exercise, and a competency-based interview. Assessment centres assess how you work with others, not just how you perform alone. Be collaborative, not just impressive.
Stage 5: Offer (or feedback)
If successful, you'll receive an offer — often conditional on your final degree result (typically 2:1). Don't neglect your degree in final year on the assumption the offer is secure. Conditional offers can be withdrawn. If unsuccessful, ask for feedback — employers at this stage are often willing to provide it, and it's genuinely useful for your next application.
Interviews & assessment centres
Interview performance is a skill, and like all skills it improves with practice. The single most effective preparation tool is mock interviewing — doing it out loud, in real time, with another person. Reading about interview technique helps; practising it is what actually makes a difference.
The STAR method
Competency-based interviews (the most common format for graduate roles) ask you to demonstrate skills by describing past experiences. The STAR framework structures your answers clearly.
Set the scene briefly
Where were you, what was the context, what was your role? Keep this concise — one or two sentences. Interviewers need context, not a full backstory. Don't spend more than 15–20% of your answer on this.
What was your specific challenge?
What were you responsible for doing? What was the problem or goal? Be specific about what was expected of you — not just the general team objective. This clarifies that you're about to describe your contribution, not a group achievement.
What did you specifically do?
This is the bulk of your answer — 50–60% of the time. Describe what you personally did, why you made those choices, and what skills you applied. Use "I" not "we". Be specific about the steps you took. This is where you demonstrate the competency the question is probing.
What happened? Quantify if possible.
What was the outcome of your actions? Quantify where possible (increased membership by 30%, raised £2,000, delivered the project two weeks early). If the result wasn't perfect, you can include what you learned — this shows self-awareness, which interviewers value. End positively.
Common competency questions — and what they're really assessing
| Question | Competency being assessed | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| "Tell me about a time you worked in a team under pressure" | Teamwork, resilience, communication | Saying "we" throughout without identifying your specific role or contribution |
| "Describe a time you had to persuade someone to change their mind" | Influence, communication, stakeholder management | Choosing a trivial example; failing to explain your reasoning process |
| "Give an example of when you failed or made a mistake" | Self-awareness, learning agility, honesty | Choosing a "humble brag" failure; not demonstrating genuine reflection |
| "Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities" | Organisation, time management, decision-making | Describing stress without explaining how you actually managed the situation |
| "Why do you want to work here?" | Motivation, research, cultural fit | Generic answers based on the company's own marketing copy; failure to reference anything specific |
| "Where do you see yourself in five years?" | Ambition, self-awareness, commitment to the role | Either extreme: claiming certainty about a path 5 years out, or having no answer at all |
Career myths — busted
You need a 2:1 or above to get any graduate job worth having.
Many employers — including some major graduate schemes — have removed degree classification requirements entirely, or allow applicants without a 2:1 to demonstrate their suitability through contextual data. SMEs, startups, and most employers outside finance and law rarely filter on degree class. A strong internship or placement year routinely outweighs a grade.
Your degree subject determines your career path.
The majority of UK graduates work in jobs unrelated to their degree subject. Most graduate employers are interested in transferable skills — analytical thinking, communication, collaboration — not subject-specific content. Medicine, law, and architecture are the clearest exceptions. For most careers, your degree subject is one input, not a destiny.
Networking is only for confident, extroverted people.
Networking is asking people questions about their experience — something that can be done by email, LinkedIn, or a ten-minute conversation at a careers fair. The most effective networking is genuinely curious, not transactional. Most professionals are willing to help students who ask thoughtful questions. A single good LinkedIn message to an alumni contact can open more doors than a dozen cold applications.
Graduate schemes are the best way into a good career for everyone.
Graduate schemes offer structure and brand name recognition, but they're not the best fit for everyone. Joining an early-stage company, a niche agency, or a fast-growing SME can offer faster skill development, greater responsibility, and better long-term prospects — depending on what you value. The "prestige" hierarchy of graduate employment reflects convention more than quality of experience.
You should have your whole career figured out by the time you graduate.
Most people change career direction multiple times. The average person in the UK changes jobs every 4–5 years. The goal at graduation isn't to have everything mapped out — it's to take a good first step in a direction that interests you and gives you skills and options. Uncertainty at graduation is normal, not a failure of planning.
Frequently asked questions
Does working part-time affect my student finance or student loan?
Can international students work in the UK during their studies?
What is the National Minimum Wage for students?
What is a spring week / insight week?
Should I include A-level results on my CV after first year?
What is a training contract and how is it different from a graduate scheme?
My degree isn't from a Russell Group university — does that put me at a disadvantage?
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