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Prospective Students

Find out about the support on offer, and opportunities that you can access, to help you plan ahead.

Introduction

As you are considering Newcastle University as a potential higher education destination, one important step is to look at the opportunities and activities on offer. This includes support from our student services.

We have outlined below how Newcastle University Careers Service can support you.

We've also answered some of our most often asked questions from prospective students.

If you can’t find the answers you are looking for, you can connect with our team.

What does the careers service do?

We provide a wide range of services for our students. We also offer these for up to three years after you graduate.

We aim to enhance your understanding of your strengths. We also provide opportunities to develop your skills, experience, and contacts.

We do this by supporting you to do the following:

  • explore your career path
  • find work
  • start a business or independent career
  • pursue further study
  • develop your skills and experience

We do this through our tailored support and fantastic opportunities and initiatives.

Our service provides:  

 

You can access the Careers Service online from anywhere in the world. This can be done via our bespoke portal MyCareer.

What can I do with the degree I'm interested in?

You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do after your degree when you chose your subject. A degree can open a range of opportunities, and the subject that you choose doesn’t limit you to one sector or role.

As well as subject specific knowledge your degree will give you transferable skills for a range of graduate professions.  

Picking a subject you are passionate about and enjoy is a good starting point.

We also suggest you build an awareness of some of the options available with your subject. You can start your research into this using the tools below. These resources explore common job roles that relate to your degree.  

The roles listed on these resources are not exhaustive. There are many potential options based on your own skills, strengths, and interests. 

Newcastle University's Careers Consultants can help you explore and plan your next steps. We provide this through 1-2-1 support.

We also offer opportunities to build your work experience and contacts.

What options are there after university?

You will have a range of career options after having completed your degree. The route you choose will depend on your interests and your career goals. Our careers team is here to help you explore the different paths that you could take.  

Common next steps for graduates include: 

  • graduate training scheme 
  • graduate job 
  • further study 
  • work experience 
  • business start up 
  • freelancing 
  • volunteering 
  • travelling 

Explore your options

How can I gain work experience at university?

Gaining experience outside of your degree is key. This will enhance your career prospects after graduation.

It is also a great way to get involved in university life and make new friends.

'Work experience' is an umbrella term. It covers most positions of responsibility or experience of a working environment.

Work experience can include many types of activities, including: 

  • volunteering 
  • internships 
  • insight days 
  • part-time work 
  • work shadowing 
  • placement year 

Some of these are possible alongside your studies. You can also do them during vacations or in the case of a placement year, by adding an extra year to your degree.

Can I do a placement year with my degree?

You can choose to do a placement year on most of our undergraduate degree programmes. This is possible even if you didn't apply for a degree with a placement year through UCAS.

Your placement would start after your second year of study. You would extend your degree programme by one year.  

You would complete an assessed module that reflects on your placement experience. You would also have a Placement Adviser who will support you during your placement year.

See placement years to find out more. 

Will the university help me secure a placement year?

While it’s your responsibility to search and apply for placements, you’ll receive plenty of support from the Careers Service.

We can help you find opportunities and make effective applications. We encourage you to search for placements yourself as this will introduce you to the graduate labour market and help prepare you for your next steps after university.

What type of placements do students undertake from the course I am interested in?

Our NU Work Experience Directory shows where Newcastle University students have been on placement.

Select ‘placement’ in the ‘type of experience’ box and then pick your school from the drop-down menu.

The data is from Newcastle University placement and internship students from the last five years.

Use it to find out :

  • the types of placements our students have had
  • the employers they’ve worked for

Part-time jobs 

Part-time work is a great way to gain experience, develop valuable skills, meet new people and earn money. We support you to access part-time roles both on and off campus.  

There are a range of paid opportunities available on campus every year. For example, the Careers Service recruits for a team of CV Advisers on an annual basis. You could also join our Jobs on Campus team and apply for short term opportunities in a variety of roles including administration, events and catering.  

You will find vacancies for part-time jobs being advertised throughout the year on MyCareer. This includes campus roles, and opportunities with external employers.  

Find part-time jobs - /careers/find-jobs/part-time-jobs

Business start up support  

Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:  

  • support with idea generation
  • provide tailored advice
  • help you develop your skills
  • introduce you to like-minded peers
  • refer you to further support from mentors
  • award grant funding up to £3,000  

Connect with our team

Before starting your course, you can meet with our team. You can find out more about our careers and employability support.  

Careers Service representatives are available at our virtual and on campus open days

Keep up to date with Careers Service news and events on our social media - @nclcareers and @nclstartup

You can also use our Unibuddy service. 

Through Unibuddy you can ask questions about studying at Newcastle University. You can talk to a current student, admissions tutor or a careers consultant.

We aim to respond within 5 working days (outside vacation periods).

If you have a query related to a specific course, you can contact the University.