Which degree should I pursue to stand out in a competitive job market abroad in the UK?

When I speak with Indian students planning to study abroad, one concern has become more constant in recent years. 

Will I get a job that can let me pay back the loan quickly?

The latest trend in global labour-market competition explains why they feel this way. 

Let’s take an example of a traditionally top study abroad destination for Indian students. 

Graduates still earn more than non-graduates in the UK, and this “graduate premium” in the country is about £6,500-£10,500 a year.

So a graduation in the UK is worth it. 

But there are huge gaps in post-study opportunities and pay for international and UK students. 

Subject and degree discipline matter greatly, particularly for international students. 

Science and other technical subjects give international students a higher probability of ending up in a high-skilled job than many non-science degrees. 

• In 2022-23, 75% of international science graduates were in highly skilled roles, compared to just 55% of non-science graduates.
• Medicine and dentistry graduates also earned about £37,900 on average, nearly £10,000 more than the overall graduate average of £28,500.

So, it’s clear that Indian students are still drawn to the UK but also that job uncertainty and high costs are making them nervous.

Why are international students anxious about jobs in the UK right now?

Unemployment has ticked up and competition for each entry-level role has increased sharply in most countries, and the UK is no exception. Let’s see why it is an especially tough job market for international students in the UK.

1. Graduate job listings have cooled: UK vacancies are overall below pre-pandemic levels in recent years. Job listings for graduates have dropped about 33-40%, making this (2025) the toughest market since 2018.
2. International graduates face higher unemployment: The overall graduate unemployment rate has increased in the UK. But more so for international graduates. For the 2022/23 class, non-UK postgraduate-taught graduates had around 13% unemployment, versus about 3% for comparable UK graduates.

“International graduates are less likely to be in further study and more likely to be unemployed and seeking work. … They earn less overall than their UK counterparts,” 

                — Dr Gosia Turner, Head of Surveys at Jisc

We sit right in the middle of this anxiety at GradRight. We see students asking if there is a guaranteed path to good ROI in the current job market, when the job market will improve in the UK, and why companies are not hiring international students?

The easy solution to these issues is to look beyond brand names and start with course relevance and job data before committing to a degree. #

How your choice of degree can change your chances in a tight job market

The fact is that not all foreign degrees are equal in today’s labour market. And let’s face it, most Indian students want to settle abroad after graduation. 

So, for international students who have to clear visa salary thresholds and sponsorship hurdles, the degree you choose can make or break your prospects.

UK Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) and Graduate Labour Market Statistics show three consistent patterns:

• Subject choice changes both salary and sponsorship viability

Medicine, dentistry, some engineering and economics degrees often see median earnings 50-80% higher than arts and some media programmes five years after graduation.

It can also decide whether you meet the Skilled Worker visa salary thresholds or not.

• Science and skill shortage subjects are more likely to lead to highly skilled roles

UKCISA’s analysis of Graduate Outcomes data shows 64% of international grads overall are in highly skilled jobs. But that jumps to 75% for science subjects and drops to 55% for non-science subjects.

In a tight UK job market for international students where AI and offshoring are squeezing mid-skill office roles, research has warned that growth is “concentrated in professional and managerial roles.”

In other words, degrees tied to skill shortages are structurally better positioned than broad degrees that feed the already crowded job pools. They include roles in:

• Healthcare
• Advanced engineering
• Data
• Cybersecurity
• Green-energy roles

University brand also helps, but course design can matter more

Some mid-tier universities with strong industry links, co-ops and embedded placements are beating more famous names on graduate pay and high-skill employment.

For example, Aston University (non-Russell Group institution) sits in the UK top 20 for median graduate salary three and five years after graduation according to the government’s latest LEO data.

The University of Bath also reported that 89% of its full-time graduates are in high-skilled jobs and 72% earn £30,000 plus just 15 months after graduating in the UK. In comparison, graduates from the Russell Group’s University of Liverpool earn about £25,600 after a year of graduation. 

This is where data-driven tools help. Because we work with thousands of students comparing offers, we see how different combinations play out.

One of our students, Toula Poulopoulos, put it simply:

“The team went above and beyond to ensure I had all the necessary resources and guidance to succeed. Their website was intuitive and easy to use.”

Next, we will list which degrees can help you stand out in a competitive job market abroad.

Which types of degrees actually give international students an edge in 2026?

The UK’s Skilled Worker visa eligible occupations list shows which jobs are considered “Higher Skilled” for sponsorship. Many of them sit squarely in classic STEM and professional fields. 

However, the newer Skilled Worker visa temporary shortage list (TSL) has added new categories for 2025-26. It focuses on medium skill jobs where the UK still needs overseas workers.

• Degrees that map well to roles that are relevant for Skilled Worker visa 

These are the classic higher-skilled paths the UK system is set up to sponsor.

• Medium-skilled temporary shortage list (TSL)  roles for 2026

TSL focuses on medium-skilled jobs where the UK needs overseas workers. 

These include roles like engineering technicians, electrical/electronics technicians, civil/structural technicians, CAD and architectural technicians and construction supervisors.

Most of these roles have salary floors in roughly the £33k-£45k+ range, which is what Skilled Worker visas key off.

So, degrees that feed directly into these occupations give you a much firmer base for sponsorship than generic, non-technical degrees till 2026.

Keep in mind that this new shortage list is temporary and will change after December 31, 2026. 

What makes your profile stand out beyond the degree?

Once your degree is roughly in the right zone, the next question is, what actually makes you stand out in that pile of applications? How do Indian students get jobs in the UK? 

Can you convince a UK employer to sponsor you at the going rate for that SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code?

Here are some ways you can stand out and prepare a competitive application abroad.

• Prioritise experience that UK employers take seriously

Local experience helps you clear salary floors. Many of these roles have minimum salary thresholds (sometimes in the £33k–£40k+ range).

On-campus roles can help international students land better roles in a job market decline. These may include:

• data assistant in a lab,
• IT support for university systems,
• research assistant on a UK-focused project.

This kind of experience can help you step up from trainee into a £33k–£40k Skilled Worker role within 12-24 months.

• Build networks that understand UK immigration 

Talk to people who have actually done it. You can use social media sites like LinkedIn to find:

• Indian alumni in your department,
• people on Skilled Worker visas in your target codes.

• Shortlist codes

You can also start with SOC codes and work backwards. Pick 5-10 codes from Skilled Worker eligible occupations and the Temporary Shortage List that match your degree.

Some examples:

Now every project, internship, and part-time role should point to those codes.

So the takeaway from the recent slump in the job market in the UK for international students is:

• Don’t pick a degree because an agent said the campus is nice, and
• Don’t ignore hard data on subject-wise outcomes, shortages and salary floors in the countries you’re targeting.

“Students around the world are using data to decide where to study, looking beyond traditional student hubs and elite institutions. … This trend is forcing universities to publish more transparent data.” 

            — Economic Times.

GradRight has helped thousands of students pick the right university and course from the comfort of their homes with several tools to filter options, check alumni outcomes, and talk to former students.