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Make your CV stand out

For trying new experiences. For growing in confidence. For making a difference.

Being at university is about much more than just your course, and at Newcastle there are plenty of ways to make sure you stand out when you graduate. Extra-curricular activities such as work experience, volunteering and mentoring look great on your CV.

You'll also develop new skills, learn from these experiences, meet like-minded people, achieve goals and really feel part of something.

Work experience

Work experience is a valuable step towards getting a job when you graduate. There's a range of ways to get some work experience alongside your studies.

Almost all of our degrees are available with the opportunity to spend 9 to 12 months in the workplace. If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year.

Find out more about work placements.


ncl+ opportunities

ncl+ provides a full range of social, cultural, sporting and community activities to develop skills and knowledge outside your course.

The award-winning ncl+ initiative brings together activities from across the University. These are designed to help you develop the skills that graduate employers expect. The ncl+ Award helps you to reflect on these skills and articulate them in job applications.

ncl+ opportunities are about meeting new people, trying new experiences, growing in confidence, having fun and enhancing your CV! They include activities such as:

  • improving your language skills
  • coaching a sports team
  • working on a student newspaper
  • leading a student society

Each skill offered through ncl+ is part of the Newcastle Graduate Skills Framework. The Framework was developed with employers to define a set of skills which, when added to your degree, will help you to succeed in your life beyond university.


Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the local community and develop new skills at the same time.

Volunteer experience may also be a pre-requisite for some careers.

There are over 200 activities on offer each year, including working with homeless people, working as a volunteer lifeguard in a local swimming pool and working with animals.

Find out more about volunteering opportunities for Newcastle students.


University-wide Language Programme

In the international job market, graduates with language skills are in demand. You will have the opportunity to learn another language for free while you study with us.

Students of any discipline have the opportunity to study a foreign language for free as part of the University-wide Language Programme. This allows you to enrol on modules in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Find out more about the University-wide Language Programme.


International expeditions

We want to inspire and train the next generation of innovators and aim to challenge and stimulate your intellectual curiosity.

Each year, many of our students embrace the opportunity to undertake a research expedition overseas. The gives you the chance to:

  • conduct research into an area of particular interest to you
  • develop professional level research skills for your future career
  • explore another country and make new friends

They are an excellent way to see the world whilst developing your knowledge and confidence. 

Recently, our students have visited glaciers in Norway to investigate the impact of climate change and national parks in Costa Rica to study environmental changes to wetland and forests.