Internships for international students

I am an international student and will be starting my studies in the uk this September. I wanted to get any paid internship jobs that can help me look after my expenses here in the uk. Can I get any suggestions? If it helps I am a master's student in English literature foraying into business with a master's in management degree

Reply 1

University of Strathclyde

Official Rep

Original post by harsh-17

Hey there! That's exciting that you're starting your studies soon 😀 Where will you be based?

As an International student looking for work you may be restricted by your visa requirements during term time, often you're only permitted to work 20hrs a week. Internships from my experience tend to have a bigger workload than 20hrs per week so this might restrict your options a little. You could search on Indeed (job website) to see if there's anything that suits.

A lot of our Postgraduate students work part time in retail or hospitality to top up their finances as a student. You could also look in to working at your University - either in areas like the Students Union or as a Student Ambassador. These tend to be flexible work contracts. Working on a part time basis allows you to prioritise your studies and find a nice balance between work and study rather than potentially overworking yourself with a full internship.

You could also get in touch with the University's careers team - they might have some good tips or connections for you to make the most of 🙂

Good luck!

Caitlin 🎓️
Official University of Strathclyde Rep

Reply 2

LSBU Student Rep

Official Rep

Hi there,

Congratulations on your offer! I hope you'll be enjoying your studies.

Finding an internship in the UK as an international student can be challenging due to several factors; such as, visa requirements, application deadlines, eligibility criteria and availability of opportunities. But it is not impossible.

Make sure to check your visa status and work rights. This will tell you if you are allowed to work during your studies and how many hours. You can find this on the UK government website or reach out to your university's international team.

Additionally, make sure to check out the internship programmes offered by your university as some UK unis provide paid and unpaid intership opportunities to international students. You can ask you career counsellor or academic advisor for advice and support.

Moreover, remember to explore online platforms like the Intern Group, Go Overseas and Interships UK to join professional networks.

Lastly, once you find something, try to apply early with a polished application. The competition for internships in the UK is high, especially for international students so start your research process as soon as possible and remain open-minded. Remember to not give up and not fear rejection.

I hope I managed to help!

Best of luck,
Melanie
LSBU Rep