How to Find Internships in the UK as an International Student
Internships occupy an essential part of a student’s university life. Be it engaging yourself in part-time chores or delivering meaningful tasks in a local company; many students take internships as a pathfinder for their career. They help give a grounding in many aspects of a company and offer pre-hand knowledge about various industries and sectors.
For an international student, the UK is one of the most exclusive countries to find internships and job offers. The country boasts multicultural education goodwill and offers a welcoming environment that makes it fun for many students to find an internship. Every year, we receive hundreds of emails from international students regarding help to find suitable internships in the UK.
That’s why, to help our readers out, we bring you our student self-help guide on finding internships in the UK as an international student. Let’s start with the most common query of all.
Can international Students do internships in the UK?
For many students, internships aid as a necessity to hone their professional and communication skills. That’s why many UK universities offer part-time job schedules for students studying in undergraduate courses besides study timetable. For starters, you are eligible to enjoy the chance of internships only if it takes up not more than a third of your studies.
Are There Any Paid Internships?
This is, by far, the second most common queries asked by international students. And the answer is: Absolutely. Many international students are engaged in part-time jobs or internships that pay them on an hourly basis. While there can be both unpaid internships and paid positions in the UK, you should always have an open mind towards both.
In fact, many famous UK universities such as UCL and Imperial College London offer the best deals when it comes to internship openings. Students who aim to find a suitable job offer can find nearby amenities, including student help desks, or book affordable off-campus accommodation near UCL to make sure they aren’t left out of the opportunity.
How to find potential companies?
Every international student is bound to get this question in their mind. However, with simple solutions, each student can land a great company to intern and earn a respectful position. To get started, every student should keep in mind the following websites when finding internships in the UK as an international student.
1. Milkround
One of the most popular job search engines in the UK, Milkround is a well known amongst students in the UK. Milkround helps students achieve a better professional image by providing simple ready-to-go CV and resume templates, cover letters and job applications. So if you’re trying for the very first time, Milkround is a must-see platform.
2. GOV.UK
Supported by the UK council, GOV.UK is an official website that offers students various job opportunities, including permanent jobs, part-time, apprenticeship and internships in all parts of the UK.
3. Student Circus
At Student Circus, you’ll find tremendous support from your peer group that will help you achieve better job offers from established UK employers. In addition, many of these employers are willing to sponsor work visas to graduates from the UK that allows you to land internships outside the country or far before reaching the UK.
4. Target Jobs
Target Jobs is a similar platform to Facebook, where you’ll find thousands of threads related to a job opening, discussions, online workshops and many more. With the platform, you can surf various industry job offers and increase your network to accommodate better career prospects for yourself.
5. Rate My Placement
Rate My Placement is an easy filter website to add your portfolio and experience and generate traction amongst hundreds of UK employers. Moreover, students can also explore numerous perks of Rate My Placement such as employer reviews, company credentials and advice pages to read all the information related to career and personal development.
Conclusion
Having a role as an intern helps students get a taste of what it is like to work in their preferred sector. In addition, it gives you a competitive advantage while applying for graduate jobs. You may even be able to earn a little extra income while interning at a company. Most students in the UK usually use the holiday period to do their internships. So, make sure you also aim towards choosing the best internships at the best possible time.
Article submitted AmberStudent