University of Bedfordshire Placements

University of Bedfordshire stands out for international students because placement is baked into almost every course, not just an afterthought. The university runs a dedicated three-year sandwich degree option for most undergraduate programmes, students spend the entire third year in full-time paid industry placement with companies like Amazon, Barclays, NHS, Fujitsu, and local councils.

These aren’t unpaid internships; average salary during placement year sits around £19,000-£22,000, and many Indian students clear £25,000+ in computing, business, and engineering streams. The Careers and Employability team literally finds the placement for the student, interviews are arranged by the university, and acceptance rate into placement year is above 90 % even for international students.

For postgraduate students, almost every master’s has a compulsory or optional Professional Practice year. MSc Project Management, MSc Computer Science, MSc International Business with placement routes have 90 %+ success rate, and students get roles at Deloitte, PwC, Capgemini, and Jaguar Land Rover. The university also has a guaranteed interview scheme with over 200 partner employers who specifically recruit Bedfordshire students because the curriculum is designed around their skill requirements.

Living costs in Luton and Bedford are among the lowest near London (rent £450-£550 per month), so whatever students earn during placement stays in their pocket. Overseas Education Consultants in India see consistent feedback that Bedfordshire students get their first UK job offer during or straight after the placement year, which is why the university quietly became one of the top choices for middle-band students who want real UK work experience, not just a degree certificate.