Warwick students: Availability
Find out the best times to access our students: click through the tabs below to see across the academic year or get an overview here
Access our definitions for work types via our Options section.
Autumn Term
| Type | October - Early December (10 weeks) |
|---|---|
| General access | Take advantage of recruitment focus: Busiest recruitment period, organisations on campus attending events, lots of interest from students as they consider and commit to plans for the year ahead. Larger organisations set application deadlines for the end of the year, so take advantage of the momentum/focus to catch students' attention via myAdvantage, our free vacancies portal. A lot of interest, but also a lot of competition! |
| Internships (outside of studies) | Up to 20 hours per week part-time, within commuting distance of the University or remote working |
| Internships (12 month) | Eligible students (including finalists) researching and applying for 12-month opportunities. The University operates a Voluntary Year Out for Work Experience Scheme, providing undergraduate students without placements options in their degree to take a year away from their studies to gain work experience. |
| Placements (part of degree) | As part of their course students are able to take a credit-bearing placement. Individual departments will have their own timetable for planning, consolidating and undertaking these. If you are interested in offering a placement and looking to target a particular academic department we can connect you effectively through Placement Officers/Academic colleagues. |
| Work shadowing | All students (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) available according to their own Timetables |
| Project Work | New graduates available to begin Knowledge Transfer partnerships. Formal communication with academic departments is difficult as core teaching is at its peak |
| Mentoring | Students are keen to reflect on the summer's experiences with existing mentors, making it an ideal period to capitalise on a recruiting conversation. Students may be open to new mentoring relationships as they start the new year. Warwick Alumni can take part in our eMentoring scheme |
| Casual work | Students (including student visa holders) available up to 20 hours per week, around study and personal commitments, within commuting distance of the University |
| Volunteering | Students (including student visa holders) available part-time up to 20 hours per week, around study and personal commitments, within commuting distance of the University |
Christmas Vacation
| Type | Early December – Early January (3 weeks) |
|---|---|
| General access | Students less likely to be focused on applying for opportunities |
| Internships (outside of studies) | Students tend not to undertake internships |
| Internships (12 month) | Students less likely to engage with adverts and recruitment activities for the Voluntary Year Out for Work Experience Scheme |
| Placements (part of degree) | Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Work shadowing | All students (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) available according to their own Timetables |
| Project Work | Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Mentoring | Students are available around family, travel and other |
| Casual work | Students (including student visa holders) available full-time around family and travel commitments |
| Volunteering | Students (including student visa holders) available full-time around family and travel commitments |
Spring Term
| Type | Mid January – Mid March (10 weeks) |
|---|---|
| General access | Optimise this work experience "prime time": A great time to attract students to work experience opportunities for immediate or delayed start, after the intense Autumn term recruitment period has eased. Use our vacancies portal, myAdvantage, to promote your opportunities. |
| Internships (outside of studies) | Up to 20 hours per week Part time, within commuting distance of the University or remote working |
| Internships (12 month) | Non-finalist students agreeing in-principle absence (Voluntary Year Out for Work Experience Scheme) with academic department |
| Placements (part of degree) | As part of their course students are able to take a credit-bearing placement. Individual departments will have their own timetable for planning, consolidating and undertaking these. If you are interested in offering a placement and looking to target a particular academic department we can connect you effectively through Placement Officers/Academic colleagues. |
| Work shadowing | All students (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) available according to their own Timetables |
| Project Work | Individual departments (including those offering graduate-based Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) will have their own timetable for planning, consolidating and undertaking Student Consultancy project work: speak to us regarding the students/curricula you are looking to engage with |
| Mentoring | Students are keen to begin and maintain mentoring relationships as they start the new year. Warwick Alumni can take part in our eMentoring scheme |
| Casual work | Students (including student visa holders) available part-time up to 20 hours a week, around study and personal commitments, within commuting distance of the University. |
| Volunteering | Students (including student visa holders) available up to 20 hours per week part-time, around study and personal commitments, within commuting distance of the University. |
Easter Vacation
| Type | Mid March – Mid April (5 weeks) |
|---|---|
| General access | Some students may prioritise revision over finding or participating in work experience. |
| Internships (outside of studies) | Students available for internships but may be prioritising revision |
| Internships (12 month) | Non-finalist students agreeing in-principle absence (Voluntary Year Out for Work Experience Scheme) with academic department |
| Placements (part of degree) | Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Work shadowing | All students (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) available according to their own Timetables |
| Project Work | Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Mentoring | Students are likely to prioritise revision |
| Casual work | Students (including student visa holders) available full-time around family, travel and revision commitments |
| Volunteering | Students (including student visa holders) available full-time around family, travel and revision commitments |
Summer Term
| Type | Late April – June (10 weeks): Exam Period |
|---|---|
| General access | It's not too late: This might be the perfect time to engage with students (including finalists) who are only now emerging from a year of intense academic focus and are looking to make plans for the future. As students undertake exams, they start to transition into the summer period and switch identity from student to potential employee - make sure you have a myAdvantage advert ready to catch their eye. |
| Internships (outside of studies) | Exam period: Although students can engage in part-time work and internships for up to 20 hours a week, this will need to be scheduled around exam and study commitments - students may request a different working pattern or not be available during this time. |
| Internships (12 month) | Non-finalist students finalise (Voluntary Year Out for Work Experience Scheme) details with University |
| Placements (part of degree) | Exam period: Students and Academic Departments are usually very focused on exams and exam marking, rather than looking ahead |
| Work shadowing | All students (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) available according to their own Timetables |
| Project Work | Exam period: Students and Academic Departments are usually very focused on exams and exam marking |
| Mentoring | Exam period: not usually available Finalists and first years finish first, with second year/penultimate year students timetabled to finish last. |
| Casual work | Exam period: Students (including student visa holders) available part-time up to 20 hours per week, around study and personal commitments, within commuting distance of the University. During this time, students may request a different working pattern. Finalists and first years finish first, second year/penultimate year students timetabled to finish last. |
| Volunteering | Exam period: Students (including student visa holders) available part-time up to 20 hours per week, around study and personal commitments, withing commuting distance of the University. During this time, students may request a different volunteering pattern. Finalists and first years finish first, with second year/penultimate year students timetabled to finish last. |
Summer Vacation
| Type | July-September (approx. 14 weeks) |
|---|---|
| General access | Enable access and plan ahead: Start planning potential work experience projects and resource for the upcoming year. Student are less likely to interact with myAdvantage, however your website and Linkedin profiles may be targeted as they research career plans (often with parental encouragement). Students may take an interest in your company or sector as they reflect on work experience or career aspirations, and may even contact you with last-minute work shadowing or work experience requests. Ask students who are with you for work experience to write a blog or publish a profile on your website, to encourage the "right" speculative applications in future. |
| Internships (outside of studies) | All students (including student visa holders and new graduates) are available full-time. |
| Internships (12 month) | Students and new Graduates available to begin 12-month internship (students returning for start of Autumn Term in following year) |
| Placements (part of degree) | Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Work shadowing | Undergraduate students will be available depending on their personal commitments. Masters and PhD students will be available according to their own study commitments. |
| Project Work | New graduates available to begin Knowledge Transfer partnerships. Formal communication with academic departments difficult |
| Mentoring | Student and new graduates will either be embarking on new experiences, or seeking new opportunities. If your own resourcing allows, this can be a fruitful period for a mentoring relationship. Are you a Warwick graduate? If you would like to find out more about being a Warwick alumni mentor to support Warwick students and recent graduates please see the e-mentoring. |
| Casual work | Available full-time, including student visa holders. Students tend to prioritise their time to get the best value, e.g. longer, more relevant, paid opportunities. Some students are limited to their home area. |
| Volunteering | Available full-time, including student visa holders. However, students tend to prioritise their time around longer, more relevant, paid opportunities, unless it offers comparable development. Some students are limited to their home area. See our vacancy advertising code of practice regarding fee-paying positions. |
Our diverse student population
Warwick’s student population includes around 30% International students, who can bring diversity and a global perspective to your business, together with in-depth knowledge of different cultures and languages and the opportunity to develop understanding of international markets and new opportunities.
Limits on working hours during studies
Student visa holders have visa restrictions that differ from UK students, for example a limit on working hours during studies – it is the student’s responsibility to abide by their visa, and your responsibility as an employer to check you understand any restrictions as part of checking potential employees’ right to work in the UK. To see the advice we give these students about working hours etc. please see our student-facing Immigration Service webpages about working on a student visa. Even though non-student visa holders have no working hour restrictions, we would still recommend that those students also do not work more than 20 hours per week.
Postgraduate students
Postgraduate students' (Masters and PhD) study commitments - such as writing a dissertation, attending conferences, teaching and development and training - will affect when students are available. You can only employ them for a maximum of 20 hours per week during the full length of the course. They can start full-time after the course end date, or if the work they are doing with you is an assessed and integral part of their course (better known as placement).
University Term Dates & Graduation Dates
All University Term Dates can be found at www.warwick.ac.uk/study/termdates with graduation ceremonies taking place in January and July. Please note that the term dates are only relevant to undergraduate students. All other students are considered “term-time” from course start to end date.
Avoiding discrimination
Please note that it is illegal for employers to discriminate against international students: whilst the law requires employers to only employ individuals with a right to work in the UK it is unlawful not to accept applications from, or employ someone, based on their nationality. Some exemptions apply (for example roles relating to national security), but in general employers that refuse to accept applications from people just because they may need a visa could be open to claims of discrimination. Please always refer to the government’s guidance on discrimination and avoid possible claims of indirect race discrimination by instead:
- accepting and considering applications from any candidates with suitable skills and experience, irrespective of their nationality
- using statements such as: “the successful candidate must by the start of their employment have permission to work in the UK” in vacancy advertisements/person specifications.
If your vacancy is open to international students, you can highlight this in the vacancy list category as ‘Opportunity for international students’ via the myAdvantage jobs portal.
Non-UK employers
If you are a non-UK employer, you may need to consult with your equivalent to the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) to ensure that you are meeting any legal requirements around hosting international students.
The Graduate Route
For information on working with student visa holders before they graduate and the UK’s new post-study work visa the ‘Graduate Route’, please visit the compliance page of this toolkit.