Careers and employability

Find your career advantage at York.

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Study at York and we'll bring together your ambition and potential with our expertise and connections. From day one as a student to long after graduation, we've got everything you need to accelerate your career.

But this isn't just about finding a job; it's about finding a purpose. We'll help you develop the skills and spirit to make a real impact on the world. You bring the ambition. We'll give you the advantage.

International careers support: We offer comprehensive career support from offer-holder to graduate and beyond. Get career-ready with tailored support, events and a range of online tools to help you find work during and after your studies, no matter where you plan to go next.

Supporting your career journey

Our careers support is delivered in three layers: for everyone, for your subject and tailored just for you.

For everyone

Expert careers services

Find your career direction with the help of a dedicated team of careers advisors providing comprehensive information and opportunities.

For your subject

Course connections

Find your specialism with course-specific support that ensures your learning is relevant to careers in your subject of interest.

Just for you

Tailored support

Find your unique guidance and get career-ready with specialist support tailored for international students, postgraduates and other groups.

Targeted by graduate employers

We offer strong industry links both locally and nationally. We're in the top 30 most targeted universities by the UK’s leading graduate employers (High Fliers' The Graduate Market in 2026 report). Around 3,000 employers advertise jobs and opportunities to York students each year.

Excellent support into graduate roles

Your career starts here. 92.5% of York students were in work, further study or another positive destination 15 months after graduation (latest HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/23).

Top 30 for work experience

Get ahead with hands-on experience. We're a top 30 UK university for work experience (HIGHERIN 2026). We offer extensive work experience opportunities to apply your knowledge and boost your career prospects, including a placement year option for almost all undergraduate degrees.

Discover your strengths

Our employer-endorsed York Strengths Professional Skills Framework helps you reflect on your skills and apply them to real-world scenarios. This gives you a clear edge in interviews and career planning.

International careers platform

From as soon as we make you an offer to after you graduate, you'll get free access to Student Circus, a careers platform with job listings, immigration guidance and a toolkit to help you navigate the UK job market.

Support that continues for life

Our experts offer advice on finding work during and after your studies, including on the Graduate Visa. You'll also have ongoing access to a global online network of alumni who are ready to help you succeed.

Expert careers services: Find your direction

Already know where you want your career to take you? Or are you just starting to figure it out? No matter what stage you’re at, we can help you along your career journey.

Careers services at a glance

Information, advice and support

Find your way forward with our dedicated careers team and their expert advice, resources and digital tools to guide you. From exploring your options to preparing for interviews or setting up your own business, we’re with you every step of the way.

Placements and real-world experience

Find your edge by gaining practical experience that boosts your employability, including a placement year option for most undergraduate degrees. Take advantage of diverse opportunities to fast-track your path to a graduate job, and even earn while you learn through part-time roles.

Skills and development opportunities

Find your best self and develop the professional skills valued by top graduate employers. Our leadership and development programmes, such as York Strengths, will enhance your competencies and prepare you for success on a career path that is right for you.

Events, networking and mentorship

Find a lifelong network among your fellow students and alumni. We'll give you direct access to employers, alumni mentors and diverse graduate opportunities. As a Russell Group university, we're a popular choice for top recruiters.

Careers services in detail

Information, advice and support: more details

Explore your career path

Drop-in advice and guidance: Have a question about your options or want to get started? Our team is here to help. Discover your career options: Find out what you could do with your degree and gain detailed sector information with our online resources. Find job opportunities: Access our comprehensive job listings to see the types of roles available. Events and webinars: Our wide range of events help you gather information, make career choices and meet employers. Discover your entrepreneurial spark: Find your idea and launch a business. We provide the skills, space and funding to help you tap into our culture of innovation.

Prepare for success

CV reviews: Get a professional review from our careers team and use our AI CV checker to craft your perfect CV. Job application support: Receive one-to-one help to refine your job and internship applications. Master interviews and presentations: Practice with our digital tools and get expert feedback in a mock interview. Practice for tests and assessment centres: Our practice tools will help you feel confident for assessment centres and psychometric tests.

Placements and real-world experience: more details

These opportunities are delivered and supported by dedicated teams who can help you find and make the most of everything we have to offer.

Placements: Almost all of our undergraduate degrees offer a placement year option to gain work experience. These structured opportunities are integrated into your studies and recognised in your degree title. Some degrees have a built-in 'Year in Industry' option. For others you can arrange a ‘Placement Year’ with support from our Careers and Placements team, which includes a range of sessions and support to help you find, apply and successfully interview for a placement. Our top-rated placements are quality-checked to ensure they meet criteria for graduate-level roles, and you'll have a dedicated supervisor to help ensure everything runs smoothly. York internships and opportunities: Get essential experience for your CV. Boost your personal and professional development through paid, project-based internships. Study or work abroad: We aim to provide every student with an opportunity to gain an international experience. Add an enriching dimension to your studies, enhance your CV and explore a different part of the world. Volunteering: Connect to a cause you care about with a wide range of opportunities in York, working with schools, charities and communities. We'll support you in making the most of these experiences to support your employability. Part-time jobs: Many students work around their studies to earn extra money and develop new and transferable skills. We’ll help you access part-time work, including on-campus roles like student ambassador, student fundraiser, or student content creator. The city of York also offers lots of opportunities for part-time work in sectors like tourism, hospitality and retail.

Skills and development opportunities: more details

Play to your strengths

Skills

We’ll help you develop the core skills employers are looking for through our employer-endorsed York Strengths Professional Skills Framework. Via an online programme, you’ll reflect on nine core professional skills, such as problem-solving, innovative thinking and authentic communication. For each, you’ll reflect on and capture your:

Realised strengths: Skills you use, enjoy and are energised by. Emerging strengths: Skills you enjoy but are still developing. Learned behaviours: Things you do well, but they don't energise you. Weaknesses: Areas you perform less well in and tend to avoid.

You'll then apply these skills to real-world scenarios set by a graduate employer. This self-evaluation gives you a clear understanding of what you enjoy most and where you need to grow, providing powerful evidence and talking points for interviews and career planning.

Most undergraduate students also receive an additional two-hour workshop in the first year to help you apply these findings directly to your subject area.

More development opportunities

Hone leadership skills: Develop your leadership potential and find your voice through interdisciplinary modules and extracurricular activities such as societies, sports, colleges and volunteering. You’ll uncover what it means to be a leader and find your leadership style. Whether you already have leadership experience or don't yet see yourself as a leader, these experiences will help you understand and develop your capabilities alongside peers and professionals. Show employers you're proactive: Our York Award helps you document your accomplishments within and outside your course. This formal award, assessed by a panel, can be added to your CV to set you apart in job applications and interviews. Studying beyond your degree: There are options to study topics outside your subject as part of your degree through elective modules. Choose a module from another discipline (such as sustainability, tech, health and more) or learn a language to give your skills a boost and broaden your horizons.

Events, networking and mentorship: more details

Graduate careers fairs: Meet future colleagues and explore opportunities with leading employers. Sector panel events: Gain insights from industry experts and find your inspiration at focused panel discussions. LinkedIn support: Learn how to effectively use LinkedIn to find your professional community. We also help you make a great first impression with a professional LinkedIn headshot from our photographer at careers fairs. York for Life, our online global community: Your connection to York doesn't end at graduation; it just grows. York for Life provides a lifelong connection to the University and a powerful network of support, opportunities and shared experiences that span continents. Students: From day one, you’ll get access to the York for Life platform, giving you opportunities to browse alumni profiles and find out what graduates from your subject have gone on to do. You can also link up with alumni mentors who are keen to see you succeed too. Graduates: The spirit of York stays with you long after graduation. Reconnect with your former classmates and access exclusive career support and opportunities tailored for York alumni.

Working with leading recruiters

Find your connections with top employers through placements, internships and at graduate fairs. We work with leading recruiters across all sectors, and here are just a few of them.

Course connections

Find your specialism

All our courses make connections between your academic studies and the world of work, ensuring your learning is relevant to careers related to your subject.

Throughout Your Studies, You'll Find Your Tutors Help Make Links Between Your Course And Careers Connected To Your Subject. This Can Take Many Forms, Such As

Professional skills reflection: Find your strengths and develop key skills as part of your academic modules through our York Strengths programme: Online programme: You’ll reflect on your strengths in core professional skills (such as problem-solving and innovative thinking) and then apply these skills to real-world scenarios set by a graduate employer. Subject-specific workshop: Most undergraduate students also receive an additional two-hour workshop in the first year to help you apply these findings directly to your subject area.

Work-related learning

Most of our undergraduate courses provide opportunities for work-related learning. Opportunities include guest lectures, modules where students are given project briefs by external organisations, and community-engaged learning projects. Some of our courses also include practicals and fieldwork to help you apply the theory and knowledge learned on your course to real-world problems. Year in industry: Offered for many undergraduate courses to gain in-depth professional experience.

Explore our academic departments and subjects

Find your course

Undergraduate Postgraduate taught Research

Tailored support: Find your unique guidance

Receive extra support that addresses your unique needs, including specialist support and events for international students.

We develop specific career support for diverse audiences, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to achieve their ambitions. No matter what your background or circumstances, we're here to help you succeed.

You can find details below of some of the tailored support we offer to students with varying needs.

International students

We provide a range of specialist support and events to help you get career-ready:

Free, unlimited access to a careers platform tailored for international students (Student Circus). It provides job listings, immigration guidance, a job seeker’s toolkit and online learning to help you learn about the UK job market, work visas, the hiring process, how to start building your network, and more. You'll get access from being an offer-holder and you can access it as a graduate. Expert advice on finding work during and after studies in the UK, plus tailored events covering UK job search strategies and post-study visa options. Our careers support doesn't end at graduation, it continues for life. This includes support on how to find work on the Graduate Visa.

The British Council And UK Council For International Student Affairs (UKCISA) Also Provide Guidance On Working In The UK After You Graduate

British Council Student Guide - Working in the UK after you graduate (PDF , 356kb) UK Council for International Student Affairs (ukcisa.org)

Specific widening participation groups

We offer dedicated programmes and scholarships to help you thrive, such as

Our employability programme, OnTrack - designed specifically for home students who receive a York Bursary or Care Leavers and Estranged Students Bursary. It includes professional development workshops, networking opportunities, one-to-one coaching and more. Access to York Futures Scholarships, which provides financial and practical support for undergraduate home students to access employability experiences, such as funding travel expenses to a networking event.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students

Achieve your ambitions and overcome barriers in the job market through a range of specialist support, such as:

Access to external programmes designed to help you navigate your career path and secure graduate jobs and internships. These include sector-specific programmes and initiatives designed to improve diversity and support those from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background. Our Black Access Scheme - offers current York students part-time work opportunities. The student-led initiative supports prospective Black students in UK sixth forms and colleges in their journey to university through guidance and encouragement. Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education, which promotes access to doctoral studies for graduates from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Disabled students including neurodiverse students and students with a long-term health condition

We’ll help you plan your career journey and navigate the workplace with confidence through:

Supported career planning, including tailored resources and six hours of coaching. Access to services and support for reasonable adjustments in the workplace and during the job application process.

Masters students

What comes after your Masters degree? We can help you plan what’s next

Career planning support from our professional careers advisors. Access to a range of work-related opportunities. Events to help you explore a range of career options, and connect with employers and alumni working across sectors. Interested in a career in research, industry or academia? We offer focus events to explore these options in depth.

Postgraduate researchers

Interested In An Academic Career Or Exploring Other Sectors? We Can Help You Explore Your Options With a Range Of Support, Including

Internships and work experience designed specifically for researchers. Support with your job search, offering feedback on your CV and applications, as well as interview technique. Training and development to equip you with the skills, attributes and knowledge to thrive as an independent researcher.

Learn more about careers support for postgraduate researchers

Online and distance learning students

We Know That Balancing Your Studies, Work And Personal Life Can Be a Challenge. That's Why We Offer Tailored Career Guidance And Resources Specific To Your Study Mode And Career Stage, To Help You Navigate Your Unique Path

Book a telephone or online appointment for careers support and advice. Get feedback on CVs, applications and supporting statements. Access all our networking tools - from alumni mentors via York for Life to our networking toolkit.

Hear from our students and graduates: Find your inspiration

See what a York degree can truly unlock. Our graduates go on to achieve incredible things. It all starts with the experiences you have while you're here. Here are just a few stories from our students and graduates.

Video

Placement experiences at York

Hear from five York students as they share their work placement experiences at companies like Couchbase, Dojo and Rapita Systems.

Video

Boosting my career prospects

Lucas, a first-year Business of the Creative Industries student, shares his personal journey and insights into making the most of our careers support.

Video

What careers support is available?

Second-year Psychology student Sharanya from India tells us all about the different careers support we have available at York.

Video

Earn while you learn

Navin shares his advice on getting part-time work at university.

Video

My postgraduate placement experience

MPA Public Administration student Minji Kim talks about what it's been like undertaking a placement during her Masters.

Video

Working during your studies

Melena shares her experience of balancing work and study.

Blog post

Working my dream part-time job in York as an international student

Posted by Sara on 26 March 2026

Long before coming to York, I was pining for a part-time job there. There was one place in particular I was set on working…

Blog post

My Placement Year at Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Posted by Megan on 16 March 2026

I’m Megan, a third-year BA Politics student at the University of York. I had an unconventional placement experience as I chose a role unrelated…

Blog post

My internship at CoSTAR Live Lab

Posted by Emily on 10 February 2026

Hello everyone! My name is Emily and I am a student on the Bsc Interactive Media course in the School of Arts and Creative…

Blog post

Joining University after a Gap Year

Posted by Rosie on 22 January 2026

Hi! My name is Rosie (she/her), and I am a second-year undergraduate studying English at the University of York! I was a bit anxious…

I realised that I wanted to start my own business and that I had a niche idea, so the Careers and Placements team helped me with setting up; they helped me to get Incubator space through Phase One and set me up with a mentor

Bethany, MA Archaeology of Buildings (now Historic Buildings). Hear Bethany's story on YouTube.

Careers and employability in pictures

See for yourself how a York degree can help you find your career advantage, through dedicated support, events, real-world projects and exciting placements.

Our Careers Hub is located at the heart of Campus West, so you can drop by for quick advice and to ask questions whenever you need to.

Our qualified careers advisors can talk you through your career options during a one-to-one session.

Access our extensive online resources from anywhere, giving you the flexibility to learn about careers at home or on the go.

Chat with employers like the NHS at our careers fairs and get first-hand advice on graduate schemes and placements.

Meet with a variety of employers at our on-campus careers fairs. They are a great opportunity to find out about placement and graduate positions.

Network with employers at our careers fairs. It's a chance to build rapport, chat about projects you've worked on and find out what they're looking for.

Make a great first impression with a professional LinkedIn headshot from our photographer at careers fairs. We also provide advice on writing your CV and perfecting your online profiles.

Through hands-on activities and workshops, York Strengths helps you assess your current skills and develop a clear career plan.

During York Strengths workshops, you can take part in activities that help you articulate your skills to others and develop your career goals.

Placements offer valuable work experience. Our students have previously helped on a film shoot at Beningbrough Hall, a National Trust property.

Our students get hands-on experience in the real world of work. Find a placement that takes you from the classroom to the heart of the industry, gaining unique skills and valuable connections for your future career.

Get a taste of corporate life by participating in board meetings and presentations as part of your industry placement year.

Students on a placement at Reckitt get hands-on experience by analysing samples and working with pharmaceuticals in a lab.

History of Art students on placement at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) get real-world experience handling assets for an exhibition.

Gain practical experience out in the field. Here, our students get up close with a beehive to understand more about its delicate ecosystem.

You can get involved with community projects like Make It Wild, a Yorkshire-based initiative that gives back to nature.

Assist with research field trips, like this one to the Isle of Arran, where students worked with the local community to track the recovery of marine life.

Students are recognised for their exceptional achievement with the Intern of the Year award for their internships with local businesses.

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Careers and employability

Earn while you learn