Placement And Career Information

Aberystwyth University supports student employability through its Careers and Employability Service, ABERcareers portal, Year in Employment Scheme, International Futures programme and work experience guidance.

Placement structure depends on the course. Some degrees include an integrated year in industry, some offer a year abroad, and students on eligible three-year undergraduate courses may be able to use the Year in Employment Scheme.

How Placements Usually Work

Students should check the exact course page for:

• Whether a year in industry is included
• Whether the Year in Employment Scheme is available
• Whether a year abroad is possible
• Whether placement is compulsory or optional
• Whether it is paid or unpaid
• Whether it is assessed or appears on the degree record
• Whether students need to find the role themselves
• Visa and Student route implications
• Additional fees for year in industry or year abroad

Aberystwyth's 2026 fee information lists a year in industry fee of GBP 1,958 and a year abroad fee of GBP 1,465 for international students.

Year In Employment Scheme

The Year in Employment Scheme, known as YES, gives eligible students the chance to take a paid year in employment between the second and final year of undergraduate study.

Benefits can include:

• Building workplace skills
• Testing career ideas
• Gaining confidence
• Earning a salary
• Developing professional contacts
• Improving final-year focus
• Strengthening graduate job applications
• Potentially receiving a graduate job offer from the placement employer

Students on integrated degree courses with a Year in Industry should speak with their academic department about arrangements.

Career Support At Aberystwyth

Students can use:

• ABERcareers portal
• Vacancy database
• Drop-in careers advice
• One-to-one careers appointments
• Employer events
• Careers webinars and workshops
• CV and application guidance
• Interview support
• Self-employment and freelancing advice
• International Futures for international students
• Professional Pathways Internship Programme, where eligible

International students are entitled to use all Careers Service facilities, but they should also check UKCISA and university visa support for work entitlement questions.

Graduate Career Routes

Career outcomes depend on the course, but Aberystwyth students commonly explore:

• International relations and policy
• Civil service and public sector
• Business, management and finance
• Computing and software roles
• Environmental and rural sectors
• Agriculture and food-related industries
• Law and criminology-related routes
• Education and teaching
• Media, theatre, film and communications
• Research and postgraduate study
• Tourism, hospitality and local enterprise

Important Planning Advice

For the September 2026 intake, students should start career planning early. If they want a placement, year in employment or internship, they should use ABERcareers in first year, attend workshops and research employers well before deadlines.

International students should also confirm how placement activity affects visa conditions, course length, fees and Graduate visa planning.