General information & guidance about studying in the UK

• British Council: Find practical information and insight on UK education for overseas students.

 

• UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA): UKCISA is the UK’s national advisory body serving the interests of international students and those who work with them.

 

• Videos with advice about studying in the UK: Links to a selection of video playlists with helpful advice – Why Study in the UK; Study Abroad (Top Tips); UK Student Experience.

Advice about choosing universities & courses

• The Essential Guide on UK Universities and Careers – This book is loaded with advice and practical tips, and covers everything students need to know about university choice and careers. It is ideal for students planning to go to university or already at university. It is also an invaluable reference guide for international education agents, career advisers and counsellors.

 

• HEAP 2019: University Degree Course Offers – This is a well-established guide for university and college applicants. As a reference book, it lists the target offers and admissions details for degree subjects at all universities and colleges.

 

• UCAS: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is an independent charity providing information, advice, and admissions services. It operates the undergraduate application process for UK universities.  All students planning to study for an undergraduate degree in the UK must apply through UCAS.

 

• Videos on choosing universities & courses – Links to a selection of video playlists with helpful advice. Which University;  UK Degree Courses; Postgraduate Study.

 

• University Admissions Guide – A handy guide with information about the admissions process.

Funding & scholarships

• Commonwealth Scholarships and fellowships: Scholarships and Fellowships are aimed at talented students who have the potential to make change. The CSC offers around 800 awards for postgraduate study and professional development each year.

 

• Chevening Scholarships: The UK government’s global scholarship programme funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The scholarships are awarded to outstanding scholars with leadership potential.

 

• Marshall Scholarship: Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom.

 

• Great scholarships: British Council scholarships for Indian nationals studying undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

 

• Funding for EU students studying in Scotland: Information about funding for EU students in Scotland.

 

• Funding for EU students in Wales: Information about funding for EU students in Wales.

 

• Funding for EU students studying in England: Information about funding for EU students in England.

 

• Funding for EU students studying in N.Ireland: Information about funding for EU students in Northern Ireland.

 

• Videos with advice about funding & Scholarships: Links to a playlist with helpful advice – Funding & Scholarships.

 

Budgeting & living costs

• International student calculator: Information to help students prepare for the financial side of UK higher education. This site provides international students with an interactive guide to living costs, as well as useful info and student profiles.

 

Visas and Immigration

• The UK Government Visas and Immigration website: Up-to-date information and guidance about visa requirements and immigration rules.

Internships & work experience placements

• Graduate Talent Pool: Graduate Talent Pool is a government-backed initiative designed to help students and graduates to gain work experience. You can find paid internships on their website.

 

• Prospects Work experience and Internships: Prospects UK provides guidance for students and graduates in relation to graduate careers. Their website provides a useful starting point when searching for work experience and internships.

 

• Target Jobs Internships: Target Jobs is another useful source of information when searching for work experience.

 

• Milkround Internships: Milkround is student resource for searching for internships and work placements. You can also find useful guidance and career advice.

Preparing for job interviews & assessment centres

• Assessment Day: Get access to practice tests and exercises in preparation for the internship or graduate selection process. I have used Assessment Day resources in the past and found them very useful.  You can practise real tests and exercises including: numerical tests, verbal tests, logic tests, reasoning tests, and much more.

 

• Saville Assessment Practice Tests: Find a free sample of online psychometric tests to practice. These include analysis, comprehension and technical aptitude tests that can be taken under timed conditions.

 

• Practice Aptitude-free-tests: Find sample tests including: verbal, numerical and diagrammatic tests that you can practice. You can also find company profiles and information about the graduate schemes of leading employers – Top Employer Profiles.

Searching for graduate schemes 

• Milkround Graduate Jobs: Milkround is student resource for searching for graduate schemes. You can also find useful guidance and career advice.

 

• Prospects Graduate Jobs: Prospects UK provides guidance for students and graduates in relation to graduate careers. Their website provides a useful starting point when searching for graduate jobs.

 

• Target Jobs Graduate Schemes: Target Jobs is a good online tool for searching for graduate jobs. You can also find career related advice and guidance.

 

• Register of Sponsors: Find the list of list of organisations licensed by the Home Office to sponsor work visas. This includes migrants under: (a) Tier 2 (skilled workers with long-term job offers) and; (b) Tier 5 (skilled temporary workers) of the Points-Based System.

Career Resources for Students from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic Backgrounds

Recruitment agencies  

• BAME Recruitment: BAME Recruitment is a Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy firm. Their focus is delivering diverse recruitment and consultancy process for recruiting diverse candidates and growing talent within organisations.

 

• Rare Recruitment: Rare Recruitment matches outstanding people from diverse backgrounds with jobs in top organisations. They specialise in helping ethnic minority candidates and place a particular emphasis on those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

• Ethnic Jobsite: This site provides a database of employers committed to fair and diverse recruitment as well as career tips.

 

Graduate schemes and work placement programmes 

• SEO London: SEO London focuses on helping students from under represented and under-served communities to secure places on internship and graduate programmes in the UK and internationally.

 

• Windsor Fellowship: The Windsor Fellowship is an educational charity which runs a number of programmes including the Leadership Programme for Undergraduates aimed at high achievers from Black and Asian communities in the first year of a full-time degree (or second year if it is a four year programme) and The Bank of England Programme which provides financial support to students from a black or mixed African/Caribbean background.

 

• Taylor Bennett Foundation Programme: The Taylor Bennett Foundation work-based PR training programme is a ten week full-time training course in public relations and is designed to equip participants with relevant skills to work in the PR and corporate communications industry. There are a number of programmes each year, each sponsored by a different PR or communications agency.

 

• Law Society Diversity Access Scheme: The scheme aims to increase social diversity in the legal profession, supporting promising entrants from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who face exceptional obstacles to qualification. The scheme is a scholarship that provides awardees with: funding for vocational studies, mentors and professional contacts and work experience opportunities.

 

• Civil Service Fast Stream Summer Diversity Internship Programme: This is open to ethnic minority students and graduates of all disciplines who are UK nationals and who have, or expect to achieve, a minimum 2:2 degree.

 

• Positive action scheme for people from ethnic minority backgrounds: The Guardian offers each summer up to 12 two-week placements for students or graduates from ethnic minority backgrounds.

 

• The Press Association Bursary Scheme: The Press Association (PA) offers training and paid work placements to budding journalists from socially and ethnically diverse groups. The PA’s bursary scheme is designed to enable more people from financially disadvantaged, and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to enter the profession.

 

• Fastlaners Youth Employment Programme: UpRising is a UK-wide youth leadership development organisation. Their mission is to open pathways for talented young people from diverse and under-represented backgrounds by equipping them with the knowledge, networks, skills, and confidence to fulfil their leadership potential. One of the ways they support young people is through Fastlaners, a 2 week programme designed to equip participants with the knowledge, networks, skills, and confidence to improve their job prospects and find meaningful employment.

 

• Parliamentary Press Gallery and the Stephen Lawrence Trust Internship: In 2014 the Parliamentary Press Gallery and the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust joined forces to offer enthusiastic, talented and committed young people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to gain valuable work experience within the Parliamentary Press Gallery at the House of Commons. The scheme is aimed at candidates with an interest in journalism, politics and current affairs

 

Professional networks

• Elevation Networks: Elevation Networks (EN) is a youth employment charity which aims to develop the leadership potential in talented young people. EN focuses on those groups that are traditionally underrepresented within the labour market and in certain industries.

 

• Future Leaders: This organisation runs a programme of workshops for students and graduates with the focus on diversity.

 

• The Diversity Group: The Diversity Group was set up with the aim of eliminating barriers within employment, education & training for diverse groups throughout the UK. The group organises its own recruitment fairs across the country.

 

• Creative Access: Creative Access supports talented young people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to fill paid internship places at many of the UK’s top media organisations.

 

• Black Solicitors Network: This is the primary body in England and Wales representing the interests of existing and aspiring black solicitors.

 

• Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship: The Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship (LCF) exists to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ within the legal world. Christianity has brought enormous historical benefit within the British legal system. LCF, with its former patrons Lord Mackay and Lord Denning, continues in that tradition. In an age of scandals and corruption, the LCF encourages an uncompromising commitment to integrity among everyone involved in the law.

 

• Society of Asian Lawyers: The Society of Asian Lawyers is an organisation primarily for ethnic minority legal professionals and students with the aim of enhancing diversity and equality of opportunity within the legal profession and the judiciary. The society provides opportunities and events for members and supporters to meet, exchange views and ideas and socialise. Membership to the society is free.

 

• Association of Muslim Lawyers: The Association of Muslim Lawyers was officially launched in 1995 and its membership has been steadily growing. They hold talks, seminars, conferences and careers workshops.

 

Information on equality and diversity

• Equality and Human Rights Commission: The primary aim of the Equality and Human Rights Commission is to promote and protect everyone’s right to equal opportunities in the workplace as laid down in the Equality Act 2010.

 

• Target Jobs information on equality and diversity: Target Jobs has a section on equal opportunities, including race and diversity, with information and links.