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Shaping your future Career

88%
of Durham’s graduates were in work or further study 15 months post graduation - Graduate Outcomes Data 2026 (for students who graduated in 2023-24).
£35,000
median starting salary for Durham's International graduates in a full-time graduate-level role - Graduate Outcomes Data 2026 (for students who graduated in 2023-24).
49th in the world
for employer reputation (QS World University Rankings 2027)
World top 100
QS World University Rankings 2027
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Helping you stand out

Durham’s global perspective, coupled with our academic excellence and transformative wider student experience, will ensure you stand out in the jobs market.

We’ve been named in the top 50 of the World’s most international universities by The Times Higher Education (THE) in 2026. We have a long history of welcoming students from many different countries and preparing them to be global citizens. Durham graduates go on to exciting and fulfilling careers across the world, and are found working in companies such as Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Bank of Shanghai, Ipsos, Bloomberg, Fox Entertainment, PwC, Amazon and many more.
Find out more below
A student smiles while attending the 2023 SEOTY Awards (Student of the year awards)

Careers & Enterprise Centre

Our dedicated Careers & Enterprise Centre is here to support your career planning from the very start of your time at Durham. We offer a range of services to help you explore opportunities, engage with employers, build up valuable experiences, and prepare for the recruitment process. 

We can support you in understanding employer expectations, in the UK and overseas. If English isn't your first language, we can also help you to enhance your language proficiency and professional communication.  

Throughout the year, we host a wide range events such as sector-focussed careers weeks and fairs, giving students the chance to engage directly with graduate recruiters and industry experts. We also deliver focused workshops for international students, through our International Outlook Programme

Work experience and building your networks

We can support you with work experience and work placement opportunities during your studies, helping you plan internships, placement years and other global opportunities. We also offer Durham exclusive work experience opportunities, helping you earn while you study, as well as building up valuable skills and knowledge.

Hazan Venture Lab

The Hazan Venture Lab is Durham University's first purpose-built space for entrepreneurship.

Featuring individual and group working areas, a bookable meeting room, mini-library and kitchen facilities, the Hazan Venture Lab is open to all Durham University students and graduates working on new ventures or enterprising projects.

Through the Venture Lab you can access startup coaching, workshops and events, competitions and funding including the Blueprint Startup Challenge, and Game Changer - our innovation challenge.

Past participants in Venture Lab activity have gone on to feature on Dragon's Den, Forbes 30 Under 30 and have been finalists in the Earthshot Prize.

Lifelong support and a global network

When you graduate, you'll join an inspiring global community of alumni working across the world in a wide range of roles and sectors. Our careers support continues after graduation, with lifelong access to our employer engagement opportunities and digital resources to keep your career moving forward. 

University student
The opportunities provided by Durham helped me have more communication opportunities with employers, which made me more confident in future interviews. In the end, I was fortunate enough to be hired by a law firm in Shanghai. My partner emphasized my experience studying at Durham and the academic reputation of Durham University in law as one of the reasons why he decided to hire me.
Chang Liu
Durham Law School

Staying in the UK, or looking to work overseas? We’ve got you covered

We know many of our international students will be looking to secure positions in the UK after graduation. We subscribe to Student Circus , a job search platform for international students that lists filtered visa job listings, internships, and placement opportunities based in the UK.

Equally, students may wish to pursue global opportunities. We subscribe to Grad Link which features useful resources and vacancy information with highly ranked employers and is aimed at students studying in the UK who want to work overseas after graduation. If you are hoping to return to China after completing your studies you will have access to the Lock in China website to find graduate opportunities. Opportunities are available in a range of sectors with excellent career progression.

Students participating in Summer Congregation

   

University student
With the support and guidance from the Business School’s Employer Engagement and Careers Team, I have successfully secured employment with CBRE as trainee project manager. Their dedication and assistance have significantly enhanced my preparedness for the job market. The skills I have developed and the experiences I have gained through my recruitment process have given me the confidence and tools necessary to succeed in my future career.
Eason Z. Chen
MSc Management
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Making an impact

Durham University graduates bring innovation, leadership and real impact.

Whether you want to turn a bright idea into a great new business or use your talents to work freelance, we provide the support you need.

Watch the video to find out why Stanley Black & Decker values the expertise of our outstanding graduates.

Read our latest graduate news and success stories

   

Explore more

Careers and Enterprise Service

We are here to help you to make career plans and take the next steps towards getting where you want to be.

The exterior of The Palatine Centre, Durham University

Hazan Venture Lab

Unleashing entrepreneurial potential through transformational experiences.

Students at an awards ceremony holding up their certificates and trophies
Students walk along a cobbled road - they are chatting and are dressed in jumpers and long sleeved tops and it is quite overcast. Behind them are red brick buildings with black wooden shutters. Taken in Back Silver Street, also known as Fowler's Yard, in the City centre.

From our Student Blogs: Careers, Enterprise and Employability Support at Durham

Find out more about the many careers, enterprise and employability opportunities which students have during their time at Durham and beyond. Read about careers fairs to part-time jobs, applying for graduate schemes, and setting up your own business venture.

Explore The Durham Student

Latest news

Discover how Durham’s Careers and Enterprise service helps our students thrive beyond graduation, with the latest news and success stories.

Read more