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The Royal Exchange and the streets meeting at Bank junction in the City of London

For American students at UK universities

Bank junction and the Royal Exchange, City of London, March. Photograph: Rcsprinter123, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, cropped

UK graduate hiring when your degree is British: the calendar, the CV, the money and the routes open to US citizens.

3,439 US nationals were granted a Graduate visa in the year to June 2026. Source: Home Office.

By the Get a job in the UK desk

Updated

Checked against gov.uk on

The Season

I graduate in
  1. Graduate scheme applications From August 2026 to January 2027 Most open September or October, banks from August; many deadlines fall in November and December.
  2. Spring weeks and insight programmes September 2026 to January 2027 For first-years, and second-years on four-year courses; most applications fall in autumn, programmes run around Easter.
  3. Summer internship applications (summer 2027) From August 2026 to January 2027 For penultimate-year students; many review applications as they arrive and close early.
  4. Assessment centre season November 2026 to April 2027 First rounds follow deadlines; final assessment days run from November into spring.
  5. Graduate visa lengths A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.
Today, 9 October

Full calendar

This edition is for American students and graduates of UK universities, and Americans weighing a British degree. Four more communities have their own editions.

The UK calendar runs early, so start in autumn

Big UK graduate schemes take applications a year before the job starts, and investment banking moves first. On a one-year master’s, that means applying in the first weeks of the course.

When What happens Source
August Investment banking schemes often open targetjobs
September and October First-years apply for bank spring weeks Lancaster University careers
As early as October Some investment banking schemes close targetjobs
January and February First-round interviews, after a November or December deadline targetjobs
March and April Assessment centres targetjobs
Easter break Bank spring weeks run Lancaster University careers
April to June Offers targetjobs
Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October.
targetjobs, when to apply for graduate jobs
More on jobs outside the scheme calendarLess on jobs outside the scheme calendar

On a three- or four-year degree, targetjobs points to the autumn of your final year for roles that start the following autumn.

Not every job runs on that clock. LSE Careers notes that other graduate jobs are advertised throughout the year and filled closer to the start date, which suits a search that continues after your course.

The spring week calendar holds this year’s dates for first-years.

Swap the GPA for a degree class

In the UK we do not use GPA’s
University of California, Berkeley, London resume guide

UK recruiters read degree classes, not grade point averages, and many set one as the entry bar: put the class you expect near the top.

On the page US resume UK CV
Grades GPA Degree class: “predicted result 2:1”, as LSE Careers suggests
Paper Letter A4
Length One page Two pages, though LSE’s finance department says banks prefer one

From US resume to UK CV takes the switch line by line.

More on US school gradesLess on US school grades

If your schooling before university was in the US, say what those grades mean here, as the University of Manchester’s careers service asks of students educated outside the UK before university.

Three routes after a UK degree

The Graduate visa comes first; its length depends on when you apply.

A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months. After a PhD it lasts 3 years.
Graduate visa Rule
Applying You apply from inside the UK before your Student visa ends, once your university has told the Home Office you have finished your course
Skilled Worker visa Rule
The job offer A Skilled Worker visa needs a job offer from an employer with an A-rated sponsor licence
Salary floor for new entrants £33,400
New entrants’ share of the going rate 70%
Who counts as a new entrant If you are on a Graduate visa, or were in the last 2 years, you count as a new entrant for the salary rules
From Graduate to Skilled Worker A Graduate visa cannot be extended, but you may switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK

The third route is the High Potential Individual visa. A degree from a UK university does not qualify for the High Potential Individual visa.

£41,700 general salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa

Source: GOV.UK, Skilled Worker visa

If you also hold a degree from a US university on the High Potential Individual list, ukvisasponsorguide.com sets out HPI or Graduate visa (opens ukvisasponsorguide.com) side by side; you can apply for an HPI visa once, and an HPI visa cannot be granted to anyone who has already held a Graduate visa.

US tax follows you to a London payslip

Who taxes your first UK salary The rule
HMRC UK wages are taxed in the UK
HMRC, for UK residents Tax normally falls on all their income, from the UK or abroad
The IRS, for US citizens Tax falls on their worldwide income, wherever they live
The IRS, as relief A foreign earned income exclusion, up to the figure below

$132,900 maximum foreign earned income exclusion for tax year 2026

Source: Internal Revenue Service
On a payslip in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, 2026 to 2027 Figure
Personal Allowance, before income tax starts £12,570
Basic rate of income tax 20%
Higher rate, from £50,271
National Insurance, main rate 8%

General information, not tax advice: read the IRS page for citizens abroad (opens irs.gov), then ask an adviser who prepares both US and UK returns.

Law in London runs through vacation schemes

For a City law firm, start with the vacation scheme: White & Case says it recruits the majority of its London trainees that way, up to 25 people an intake.

To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, pass SQE1 and SQE2

Source: Solicitors Regulation Authority
Firm The way in Dates
White & Case Spring vacation scheme, 5 to 16 April 2027 Applications from 24 September to 6 December 2026
Greenberg Traurig Direct application for 2029 training contracts Applications close on 30 November 2026

White & Case takes final-year students of other subjects and graduates of any discipline, which matters if your first degree was not in law.

The Gherkin and the Heron Tower rising beyond Bishops Square in Spitalfields
30 St Mary Axe and 110 Bishopsgate from Bishops Square, SpitalfieldsPhotograph: Acabashi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

The SRA also asks for two years' full-time (or equivalent) qualifying work experience. Winning a training contract sets out the whole timeline, firm by firm.

3,439 Graduate visas for US nationals in the year to June 2026

Graduate route grants to US main applicants, by year ending June: 2022, 2,441; 2023, 3,412; 2024, 2,891; 2025, 3,017; 2026, 3,439.

Source: Home Office, Immigration System Statistics, table Data_Exe_D01, main applicants granted an extension on the Graduate route. Download the figures (CSV)

View as a tableHide the table
Graduate visas for US nationals, by year ending June
Year ending JuneGraduate visas granted
20222,441
20233,412
20242,891
20253,017
20263,439

US firms with London graduate programmes

  • Goldman Sachs Final-year students and graduates as new analysts Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • J.P. Morgan Analysts in markets, banking and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • Morgan Stanley Analysts in banking, trading, research and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • Latham & Watkins Trainee solicitors and vacation scheme students Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • Kirkland & Ellis A small yearly intake of trainee solicitors Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • McKinsey & Company Business analysts for client service teams Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked

Logos identify each employer. A listing here is a fact about the employer, not an endorsement, and implies no affiliation.

This week

  1. Rewrite your resume as a two-page UK CV on A4 paper
  2. Put your predicted degree class at the top of your education section
  3. Note three closing dates from the graduate scheme calendar
  4. Book an hour with a tax adviser who prepares both US and UK returns

Filed in October

Sources

  1. GOV.UK: When to apply for a Graduate visa You must apply before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires. Checked
  2. GOV.UK: Sponsor rating needed SW 5.3. The sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless the applicant was last granted permission as a Skilled Worker and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission. Checked
  3. GOV.UK: Skilled Worker new-entrant salary floor You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if your salary will be at least £33,400 per year and one of the following applies: Checked
  4. GOV.UK: Share of the going rate a new entrant must be paid The applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career and their salary equals or exceeds both: • £33,400 per year and • 70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code. Checked
  5. GOV.UK: Who counts as a new entrant you’re currently in the UK on a Graduate visa (or you have been in the last 2 years, and a Graduate or visit visa was your most recent visa) Checked
  6. GOV.UK: Switching from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker You cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa. Checked
  7. GOV.UK: UK degrees and the HPI visa UK universities are not eligible. If you’re already in the UK on a student visa you may be able to apply for a Graduate visa. Checked
  8. GOV.UK: Skilled Worker general salary threshold You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher. Checked
  9. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or before 31 December 2026) 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 Checked
  10. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or after 1 January 2027) 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 Checked
  11. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length after a PhD or other doctorate If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Checked
  12. GOV.UK: How many times someone can apply for an HPI visa You can only apply for an HPI visa once. Checked
  13. GOV.UK: HPI after a Graduate visa HPI 1.6. The applicant must not have been previously granted permission under the Student Doctorate Extension Scheme, as a Graduate or as a High Potential Individual. Checked
  14. HM Revenue and Customs: Tax on your UK income if you live abroad (GOV.UK) You usually have to pay tax on your UK income even if you're not a UK resident. Income includes things like: pension; rental income; savings interest; wages Read
  15. HM Revenue and Customs: Tax on foreign income: UK residence and tax (GOV.UK) Residents normally pay UK tax on all their income, whether it's from the UK or abroad. Read
  16. Internal Revenue Service: U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad (page last reviewed 28 September 2026) If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, the rules for filing income, estate, and gift tax returns and paying estimated tax are generally the same whether you are in the United States or abroad. You are subject to tax on worldwide income from all sources and must report all taxable income and pay taxes according to the Internal Revenue Code. Read
  17. Internal Revenue Service: Figuring the foreign earned income exclusion (page last reviewed 14 March 2026) For tax year 2026, the maximum exclusion is $132,900 per person. Read
  18. HM Revenue and Customs: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances (GOV.UK) The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570, which is the amount of income you do not have to pay tax on.Basic rate; £12,571 to £50,270; 20%Higher rate; £50,271 to £125,140; 40% Read
  19. HM Revenue and Customs: National Insurance: how much you pay (GOV.UK) The Class 1 National Insurance rates for most people for the 2026 to 2027 tax year are: £242 to £967 a week (£1,048 to £4,189 a month) 8%; Over £967 a week (£4,189 a month) 2% Read
  20. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route You will need to pass both parts, SQE1 and SQE2 Read
  21. Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (updated 26 January 2024) All candidates looking to qualify through the SQE route will need to complete two years' full-time (or equivalent) qualifying work experience (QWE). Read
  22. targetjobs: When to apply for graduate jobs Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October. ... Applications for graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October.Those recruiters who set deadlines in November and December typically hold first-round interviews and assessments in January and February. Assessment centres are usually held in March and April and job offers made in April, May and June.For graduate roles that recruit annually to start the following autumn, the best time to apply is generally the autumn of your final year, though some roles are advertised year round Read
  23. LSE Department of Finance: Careers advice (MSc Finance and Economics offer holders) Prepare early: most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November (your course begins in early September).Banks prefer CVs to be one page only. Read
  24. Lancaster University Management School Careers: Investment banking spring weeks They generally take place during the Easter break in your first spring term. They, therefore, require applications in September and October in your first year at university! Note: Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-year students can also apply. ... Some schemes will open in July and August! Read
  25. University of California, Berkeley, Global Internships: London resume guide In the UK, resumes are called CVs (short for Curriculum Vitae). ... In the UK we do not use GPA's Read
  26. LSE Careers: CVs, cover letters and application forms (guide, 2021) In most situations this is more important for undergraduates than postgraduates as many employers specify a certain class of degree as an entry requirement. ... You can use a phrase such as “predicted result 2:1”. Read
  27. University of Manchester Careers Service: CVs for international students You will need to explain your education and grades if you did not do your pre-university education in the UK. What is it equvalent to in the UK educational system? Read
  28. University of Oxford Careers Service: CVs A curriculum vitae (CV), or résumé in North America, is a concise summary of your skills, experience, achievements, and education. ... Default page size, A4 (21 cm x 29.7 cm) is replaced by Letter (8.5″ x 11″ or 21.59 cm x 27.94 cm) Read
  29. Prospects (Jisc): How to write a CV 'We recommend CVs are no longer than two A4 pages,' says the careers service team at the University of Chester. Read
  30. LSE Careers: Graduate job market You will also find there is more flexibility on when to apply for graduate jobs; opportunities will tend to be advertised throughout the year, recruitment will often take place closer to the time of hire Read
  31. White & Case: Vacation schemes (UK) We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with up to 25 participants in each intake. ... Spring vacation scheme 5 to 16 April 2027 Who can apply? penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students, and graduates from any discipline. When can I apply 24 September 2026 to 6 December 2026 Summer vacation scheme 28 June to 9 July 2027 Read
  32. Greenberg Traurig: London Trainee Recruiting Apply: September to November 2026 ... Applications for our 2029 training contract are now open. To apply, please click here. Applications will close on Monday 30th November 2026 at 23:59. ... We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only. Read
  33. GOV.UK: High Potential Individual (HPI) visa, eligibility To be eligible for a High Potential Individual ( HPI ) visa, you must have been awarded a qualification by an eligible university. ... The list of eligible universities is based on rankings of universities from around the world. Read
  34. LSE Careers: Graduate scheme applications Recruitment Timeframes August to January Graduate schemes open, some fixed date, some rolling Formal internship schemes open including parliamentary internships October to April Assessments & offers Traineeship applications June to September Internships, grad schemes begin Smaller organisations in public and private sector hire throughout the year Read
  35. targetjobs: Graduate scheme applications Many employers set application deadlines in November and December. ... Some employers do not set a deadline and keep their graduate programmes ‘open’ all year or have ‘ongoing recruitment’, but they still expect to receive most of their applications by Christmas. Read
  36. Piper Sandler: Spring weeks and insight programmes For those that are successful on the Spring Week programme, you may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship. Applicants should be either in the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029. ... Applications open from midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026. ... The confirmed dates for Spring Week are April 2027. Read
  37. LSE Department of Finance: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) They are paid positions, and in many cases can lead to an offer of a full-time position by the employer. These are offered by most investment banks, strategy consulting firms, and other financial and tech institutions. The application process is similar to that for full time positions, although deadlines are usually later in the autumn or January Read
  38. Goldman Sachs: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The Summer Analyst role is for candidates currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters university degree and in their penultimate or final year of study. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Read
  39. Barclays: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Please note that this vacancy may close ahead of the advertised date due to application volumes, and we therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible. ... To be considered for this opportunity, you must be in your penultimate year of university. You must be graduating in 2028. ... Please also note that, during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme. Read
  40. KPMG UK: Assessment centre season The dates of our Launch Pad events can be found below: Tuesday 17th November 2026: London Oval ... Wednesday 5th May 2027: Leeds New Dock Hall ... If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days! Read
  41. University of Warwick: Degree results Postgraduate Taught Students (awards only), Friday 26th June 2026 ... Undergraduate Finalist students, Thursday 9th July 2026 Read
  42. University of Kent: Degree results Exam results for finalists and Year In students will be published throughout the day on KentVision, Monday 20 July. Read
  43. Linklaters: Law vacation scheme applications Our Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are the best route to securing a Training Contract with us. ... Final Training Contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a Training Contract with a Partner and Managing Associate. ... Closing Date 03/12/2026 Read

This page is about the UK job hunt and is not immigration advice. For your own situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or an immigration solicitor, and check the current rules on gov.uk.

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