Degrees Which Can Help You Settle Down in the UK

What Courses Get You Settled in the UK? Every year, thousands of students across the UK graduate at different academic levels, ready to join the corporate world and get settled into their professional careers. Most recent statistics show that there are currently over 2.3 million students enrolled in higher education institutes doing professional courses in the UK. Approximately 485,645 of these students come from countries outside of the UK. While this number has increased the percentage of international students in the UK, it is bound to increase in the future with relaxed post-study work visa regulations.

Previous regulations allowed international graduates from UK universities only 4 months to look for a job. The time permitted was an additional 2 months for graduates of elite schools such as Cambridge and Imperial. However, international students studying remotely due to the pandemic will be eligible to apply for a PSW visa under the new guidance. This means that eligible students will be able to stay in the UK for up to 24 months (2 years) if they are graduating in 2021.

The time limit for PhD candidates is 3 years. This only means that there will be a sharp increase in the number of international students in the UK job market. More people will be vying for the same jobs, making the overall market the hub of fierce competition post-pandemic.

What Courses Get You Settled in the UK?

This means that simply seeking academic opportunities in popular subjects such as law wouldn’t be enough to get you settled in the UK. Nor will he attend a relatively lower-ranked university. What you require is an education in courses in the UK that will lead to quick employment. International students should shift their focus to courses in fields where opportunities are burgeoning. To give you some suggestions, we’ve created a list of subjects international students can find in UK universities.

This list is based on an analysis of the Shortage Occupations list published by UK Visas and Immigration on December 1st, 2020. This publication lists jobs that are facing a shortage of eligible candidates in the UK. For those who are already working in a field mentioned on the list, they will be liable to be paid 80% of the going salary rate. Also, this will be effective for them qualifying for the Skilled Worker Visa in the future. With that said, let’s discuss the courses that will get you settled in the UK.

Biomedical Sciences

Biological studies are an umbrella term for various other subjects including biomedical sciences or pharmacology. As the UK is still dealing with the coronavirus and a new variant, jobs in this field are going to be in demand for the next couple of years. UK university graduates will not only have opportunities in the industry but also in academia and research, especially during and after the COVID pandemic. According to the Guardian’s league table, St. Andrews, Cambridge, Oxford, Portsmouth, and Ulster come out as the top 5 for bioscience programmes.

Bioinformatics

Having been in the Shortage Occupation list since the 2016–2017 period, the demand for graduates specialising in bioinformatics is only increasing. In fact, the median salary for biomedical scientists or bioinformaticians has increased to approximately £100,000, with the upper end of the threshold above £130,000.

Computer and Data Sciences and Analytics

In fact, the Royal Society reported a 231% increase in demand for data scientists between 2013 and 2019. Business analysts specializing in data analytics and business intelligence, along with computer scientists in the following fields, have a high graduate employment rate as well. The modern wave of digital transformation is a continuously evolving field with opportunities in existing and emerging fields. Currently, data science and analytics are reigning in the lead as one of the most in-demand fields.

• Software engineers
• Programmers
• IT architects and design engineers
• Data scientists
• Cybersecurity experts

Several UK universities offer undergrad, graduate and post-graduate programmes in these domains, with further opportunities to specialize in particular niches.

Earth Sciences and Renewable Energy

The imminent threat of increasing global warming and climate change has led governments in the UK and in other countries to enforce elaborate policies. Similarly, research around these subjects has increased tenfold as scientists look for ways to prevent catastrophe. Geologists, engineering geologists, geophysicists, technical services managers, and geoscientists, among other related professionals, are very numerous. One of the main reasons for that is the wide-ranging applicability of geology and renewable energy, from mining and quarrying to civil engineering, architecture, and research.

Nuclear Energy

While various other engineering fields are included in the Shortage Occupation List, nuclear energy specialists are the most in demand. The UK government has set a mission to develop and expand the workforce in this field to 8,000+ by the end of 2021. Graduating engineers with specialization in nuclear energy are going to be coveted in the coming years as the government and energy firms move towards sustainable energy.

Engineering Courses in the UK

Shortage Occupation list reports a serious shortage of engineers in various fields across the UK. According to the list, all jobs in the following engineering disciplines are in need of graduates:

• Chemical
• Civil
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Electronic
• Design and Development
• Production and Process

Engineers with degrees in any of the abovementioned fields are sought after for both industry and research settings, as they are critical for the design, production and maintenance needs of numerous industries. According to the Times Higher Education, the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Warwick, and the University of Manchester are held in high esteem for their engineering programmes.

Healthcare

According to a separate shortage occupation list for healthcare, there is a scarcity of:

• Radiographers
• Psychologists
• Medical practitioners
• Occupational therapists
• Nurses
• Paramedics
• Social workers

With the NHS already maxing out while the pandemic continues to rage throughout the UK, these healthcare professionals will be in high demand. The courses in the UK mentioned above are high in demand due as they are essential and impacts the public and various other industries in the UK. In addition to these, degrees in the following subjects may also allow international students to get settled in the UK:

Archaeology

Actuarial Sciences, Statistics and Economics

Web design and development

Visual Arts

Architecture

Graphic design, animation, VFX, etc.

To reiterate, simply getting a degree from a low-ranking university will not suffice when you’re looking to acquire a well-paying job in the UK. Occupations in the Shortage list call for graduates and workers that demonstrate stellar capability and a track record of proven skills in the respective field. If you’re looking to study in the UK and later plan to settle in the UK after graduating, we can help you sort and shortlist universities offering the best programmes and courses in the UK .

We can also help you through the application process. As AHZ works only for UK Universities and has affiliation with 130+ UK Universities, our dedicated team can support you on the way to your dream.

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