Getting A Job
Finding Work
Staff within our Careers Service are available to help and advise you on all aspects of finding full or part time jobs in Manchester as an international student, including writing a CV, tips on interview techniques and where to search for jobs.
Working for the University
Jobs4Students, part of the Careers Service, can help you find work on campus while you study.
During term time, students can be employed by the university for up to a maximum of 16 hours per week. Students may be permitted to work more than 16 hours per week during vacation periods, subject to your eligibility.
Working Part-Time
As an international student, you can work for several different employers at the same time if you want – but you must be very careful to ensure that you don’t work more than the maximum number of weekly hours permitted on your visa.
Term Dates
Students studying below degree level, undergraduate, or postgraduate taught courses are on holiday during university vacation periods, i.e. during Winter and Spring break.
PhD students and Postgraduate research students (e.g. MRes & MPhil) do not benefit from term-time holidays and should not engage in employment that exceeds more than 20 hours during their studies, unless they have arranged a period of annual leave with their Principle Supervisor and the Graduate School - working more than 20 hours during this period is permitted.
See Manchester Metropolitans term dates.
Placements
Many of our programmes give you the option of a placement or internship, and the Careers Service will provide resources and advice to help you find a paid placement. In the UK, it is customary for employers to select students through a competitive application process, and for option placements you must be paid a fair wage.
If you secure a placement that is an essential and assessed part of your course, for example health and teaching professions, it is not considered work and the hours are unrestricted. Your placement provider will need a copy of your passport, visa, and BRP. You are able to work an addition 20 hours outside of your placement, if you have time.
Meeting employers
Every October, the Careers Service provides the Part-Time Jobs Fair and Graduate Jobs & Placements Fair, where you can meet employers promoting a variety of jobs and career opportunities.
There are a variety of employer events online and on campus throughout the academic year, which you can find on MyCareerHub once you have enrolled.
Information employers will ask for
You can prove your right to work by showing your employer your valid visa or your biometric residence permit (BRP). If they have concerns regarding your enrolment with the University, you can request a student status letter, addressed to yourself, from the student hub.
Volunteering and voluntary work
As an international student, you can take part in voluntary work while you’re studying. Volunteering is a very rewarding way to learn new skills, boost your confidence, meet new people, contribute to the local community – and add some individuality to your CV.
You should be clear on the distinction between volunteering and voluntary work.
Voluntary work
This is unpaid employment and usually has contractual obligations to perform the work; for example, to attend at specific times and carry out specific tasks. The contract does not have to be written.
Student Visa holders can carry out voluntary work, however any voluntary hours worked should be included when calculating the weekly hours permitted under your Student Visa.
Volunteering
Students who are volunteering do not have a contract, are not a substitute for an employee, and are not doing unpaid work or receiving payment of any kind.
Volunteering is not considered unpaid employment, therefore students on short-term study visas are also permitted to volunteer.