What Do Graduates Do?
What Do Graduates Do?
If you're wondering what your current course, or the course you are considering applying for, might lead to, finding out what our graduates do could help.
Like every other UK higher education institution, we collect information from graduates after they leave university, to find out more about what they are doing. Previously, this data was collected 6 months after graduation, using a survey called the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. Data will now instead be collected 15 months after graduation using the new Graduate Outcomes survey.
You can find out more about the survey and what happens to the data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and on the Graduate Outcomes website.
What Newcastle University graduates do
In the meantime, you can see the data for Newcastle University’s last DLHE survey (2016/17) on our Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education site. You can explore the information by faculty, school and individual course – provided we have a sufficient sample size. Where the sample size was too small, we can’t provide data to protect students’ confidentiality.
If you have any questions about the survey or the DLHE site, please contact us.

Comparing graduate destinations
The Graduate Outcomes data provided by HESA is used to compile some of the national press league tables. The methodology used to create each league table is different, so take care in drawing conclusions from them. However, individually, the league tables do provide some comparison between different institutions, usually on a subject basis.
National league tables include:
- The Guardian University Guide
- The Complete University Guide
- The Times Good University Guide (subscription required).
There are other publications which may provide information or destinations and the national graduate labour market:
- What do graduates do provides a summary of the latest national destination data across different subject areas
- What do researchers do? (Vitae) provides national data on the trends and first destinations of UK doctoral graduates working in all sectors
- High Fliers: The Graduate Market in 2022 - review of graduate vacancies, starting salaries and paid work experience opportunities in the UK's 100 best known employers
You can find more student and graduate labour market information on Prospects Luminate.