Graduate FAQs

There are several differences between a GBP and the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme; The GBP scheme is aimed at providing enhanced employment opportunities to recent Graduates at the University of Exeter, these positions are usually at grade C. The GBP team works with employers across the Southwest to place Graduates in various job opportunities with businesses for up to 23 months.

Whereas the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme is a programme where you will gain experience in a variety of departments across Professional Services at the University of Exeter. The Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme is 2 years in length, and you will be supported in obtaining a permanent position towards the end of the programme. The Future Leaders & Innovators will carry out work at grade D and will enable you to have autonomy of projects or processes whilst being in a supported environment.

The Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme has 4 available positions each year.

Find out more about Graduate Business Partnerships.

The starting salary will be from £27,344 on Grade D.

You will be employed on a permanent contract at the University of Exeter, and we will work with you to identify the next step of your journey following the completion of the Future Leaders and Innovators Graduate Scheme.

The main stream will have five placements across all nine divisions in Professional Services, whilst the IT & Digital stream will have five placements specifically within Digital and IT Services.

The University of Exeter supports hybrid working when it is suitable. You may find that there will be certain placements within the Future Leaders and Innovators Graduate Scheme that you will be required to be in person more than others. In your induction and in further training that you have you will also be required to come onto campus.

The majority of roles will offer hybrid working as 2-3 days working in the office, depending on the responsibilities you have within your team.

The University of Exeter has four different campuses: Streatham, St Lukes, Penryn, and Truro.

As the Future Leaders and Innovators Graduate Scheme is composed of rotational placements around Professional Services, we will try to ensure the placements you have are on campus where you are closest to. Streatham is the biggest campus and where many of the Professional Services directorates are situated, and so this will be the base for the two-year duration of this scheme.

Please ensure that you will be able to live locally or available to commute to the Streatham campus if you are successful in your application.

You can find all information on the application process here.

We want the recruitment process and Graduate Scheme to be as accessible and inclusive as possible so will support in any reasonable adjustments necessary. You can contact us directly at graduate-scheme@exeter.ac.uk and we will endeavour to remove any blockers for you.

All placements are dependent on demand within the nine different divisions of Professional Services. These include: Exeter Innovation – Digital - HR Services - Education and Academic Services - External Engagement and Global – IT Services - Finance, Infrastructure and Commercial Services - Research services - University Corporate Services. We connect our Graduates to the best placements for individual growth and interest, with an aim to place you where your skills can grow the most. As there are multiple placements in a singular year, we will work with you to understand in what environment you feel you could grow your skillset best after developmental feedback.

You can find the full benefits of working at the University of Exeter here!

You will gain a Management accreditation through our dedicated learning and development programme, for more information please click here. You will not gain any further degrees. This is a paid employment through the University.

There is no dress code for staff or students at the University of Exeter, except where requirements are necessitated by health and safety or professional standards deemed by the University to be necessary to the performance of duties and studies associated with the role.

We welcome the diversity of appearance resulting from individual choices and style, including the wearing of items which reflect particular religious and/or cultural norms, and all staff and students may dress in accordance with their gender identity and gender expression. 

The University of Exeter is a great place to work - but what is it like to live in the area? Check out our guide to your new life in the South West for all the tips and details.

Please be advised that due to the minimum salary thresholds imposed by the UKVI, this post will not qualify for university sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If you are a migrant worker, you will need to ensure you have a visa which permits the right to work in the UK. Further details can be found on the Home Office website - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas. If you are an existing Skilled Worker visa holder, we may be able to sponsor and will review the transitional arrangements - https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/certificate-of-sponsorship-before-4-april-2024.

You can apply to this Graduate Scheme if you will have a Graduate Visa by September 2025.

Please note: we do not shortlist based on visa status.