The grads ditching the UK for a fresh start abroad

A growing number of UK university graduates are leaving the country for better opportunities abroad, according to a recent survey. Rachel James, a 26-year-old from Surrey, made the decision to move to Sydney without a job lined up or a plan in place. With the worst-case scenario being a flight home, she saw it as a fresh start. Her experience in Sydney has been positive, despite having a lower salary than her previous role in London. Rachel now pays less for rent and enjoys the city's beautiful weather and outdoor activities.

The trend is not limited to Australia. A survey of 15,000 final-year university students found that more than one in ten UK graduates plan to move abroad after graduation, up from 7.8% two years ago. Competition for graduate jobs in the UK has reached a three-decade high, with employers receiving 140 applications per vacancy, a 14% increase from 2025 and a 20-fold rise from 20 years ago.

While there is no specific data on which countries young British adults are moving to, Australia remains the most popular destination for British adults overall who move abroad. The country's visa-friendly policy, under its Working Holiday Maker programme, allows British passport holders aged 18 to 35 to live in Australia for up to three years. Rachel, who graduated from Loughborough University in 2022, found the visa policy attractive and has since secured a job in marketing in Sydney.

Other popular destinations for British graduates include the United States, where Charlie West, a 25-year-old from Cheshire, is pursuing a PhD in medieval studies at Yale University. He chose the US for better pay and opportunities in academia, as obtaining funding for a PhD in the UK is challenging, especially in the humanities. The European Union also remains popular with young Britons looking to move abroad, although visa requirements since Brexit have made it more difficult.