Can students work in the UK/US after their studies?

There are opportunities for international students to work in both the UK and the US after their studies.

In the UK post-study, there are opportunities for international students under The Work Visa (Tier 2) scheme. Please have a look at the information on the following link to find out more: https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/eligibility. Relatively recently the British Government announced that international students graduating from British universities would be offered the ability to remain in the UK for two years.

In the US the Optional Practical Training (OPT) scheme offers the is the opportunity for F-1 international students to participate in professional, temporary employment that is directly related to their major area of study, but not a part of their academic study. International students are eligible for 12 months of full-time OPT with each higher level degree:

Bachelors – 12 months
Masters – 12 months
Ph.D. – 12 months

In addition to this, there is a 24-month extension of OPT for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) Degree holders. OPT is generally issued for 12 months which can be extended by 24 months, offering a total of 36 months for eligible students to work post-study in the US.