There’s a lot more to the student experience than just following a course and gaining a qualification. From accommodation to mental health counselling, universities must provide a comprehensive network of services and support to help students get the best out of higher education.
Student Services comprises a huge range of HE departments and offices which ensure every student’s university career runs smoothly, from admission to graduation. With around 2.5 million people studying in UK Higher Education each year, this is no small task for the dedicated teams of administrators who work on the front line.
Working in any area of Student Services offers a rewarding, people-facing career. Most roles require a high level of administrative and customer service skills and suit candidates from a diverse range of professional backgrounds.
The structure of Student Services varies between universities. However, you will always find the following areas of service and support:
Here we take a detailed look at these areas of Student Services, the jobs on offer and what professional backgrounds can cross over to land you an exciting career in university administration.
Accommodation Office
The accommodation office allocates and manages the university’s halls of residence, off-campus rooms and private student rentals. The team also offer advice and guidance about accommodation to current and prospective students.
Roles:
- Accommodation Officer
- Hall Officer
- Customer Service Advisor
- Head of Accommodation/Residences
Your background:
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- High-level administrative roles
- Customer services
- Estates/Property sector
- Hospitality and management
Alumni Relations
The Alumni Relations office keeps in touch with a vast network of students who have graduated from the university. The team’s main functions are organising events and activities and producing communications which help alumni to keep in contact. Alumni Relations is closely linked to university marketing and business development.
Roles:
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- Events Officer/Assistant
- Alumni Liaison/Research Officer
- Communications and Engagement Officer/Assistant
- Administrative Officer/Assistant
- Widening Participation Officer
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Your background:
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- Events management
- Marketing and communications
- Administration, information and data management
- Business development
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Careers Service
The Careers Service provides careers advice, guidance, development and planning to students. The team also assists with CVs and applications and finding a job, work placement or internship.
Roles:
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- Careers Advisor/Officer/Manager/Consultant
- Information and Enquiries Officer (Careers help desk)
- Careers Engagement Officer
- Work Placement Coordinator
- Progression Coach/Mentor
- Employability Advisor
- Business and Enterprise Advisor
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Your background:
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- Career Information and Advice (qualifications and experience)
- HR and Recruitment
- Education
- Customer services
- Counselling, mentoring and youth work
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Examinations Office
The Examinations Office is responsible for organising and overseeing the thousands of exams taking place in universities each year. This includes liaising with all departments to build complex exam timetables, as well as booking spaces and invigilators.
The team also advises students and staff about resits, exam protocol, alternative exam arrangements, assessed work and appeals. They also keep students informed about exam dates, times and arrangements via the university website.
Roles:
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- Examinations Officer/Administrator/Assistant
- Exams Advisor
- Invigilator
- Student Records Officer
- Timetabling Manager/Assistant
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Your background:
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- High-level administrative and clerical roles
- Complex data management
- IT support
- Customer services
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International Student Office/Student Immigration Service
Not to be confused with International Recruitment (who market the university to prospective students around the world), the International Student Office provides advice, guidance and support to the thousands of international students arriving in the UK each year.
Often based within the Admissions Office, the team offers advice about visas and immigration, applying to study, accommodation, student life in the UK and fees, funding and scholarships.
Roles:
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- International Student Advisor/Officer/Assistant
- Visa Compliance Officer/Assistant
- International Admissions Officer
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Your background:
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- Immigration and Visa advice and guidance
- Database management
- Student admissions
- International education sector
- Events management
- Global charity sector
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Library Services and Information Management
The Library is the central hub of the university and provides a wide range of services to students, staff and visitors. Functions of the library include printed books, journals, archives and e-resources, library accounts and cards, IT and customer support, study spaces workshops and events and printing.
As well as the central university library, most universities house smaller, departmental libraries according to areas of study.
Roles:
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- Academic Librarian
- Assistant Librarian
- Customer services/Library Help Desk,
- IT support
- Data and Information Manager/Assistant
- Administrative Officer/Assistant
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Your background:
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- Libraries, Archives and Information
- Record management
- IT support
- Customer services
- Administration and clerical
- Data management and input
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Student Recruitment, Admissions and Enrolment
These areas of Student Services can be found within separate departments and in a centralised department, depending on the structure of the university. They all involve providing students with an efficient administrative service, from the moment they apply through UCAS to when they arrive on campus.
Most universities have a central Admissions and Recruitment Team who support the academic Admissions Tutors based within each subject area. Similarly, there is usually a team of administrators across the university who help to enrol and register students, organise arrival and induction events and ensure their records are correctly inputted.
Roles:
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- Admissions Officer/Manager/Administrator
- International Admissions Officer
- Student Recruitment Officer
- Events Officer
- Widening Participation Officer
- Student Records Officer
- Data Coordinator
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Your background:
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- Administration
- Marketing and communications
- Customer Services
- Community and youth outreach
- Education
- Events management
- IT support and development
- Data management and input
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Student Finance, Funding and Fees
Student Finance provides advice to students about tuition fees, hardship funds, cost of living, bursaries, grants and money management.
Roles:
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- Student Funding Manager/Officer/Advisor/Assistant
- Administrative Officer/Assistant
- Student Funding Outreach Officer
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Your background:
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- Advice, guidance and financial counselling
- Budgeting and financial management
- Government/HE funding
- Customer services
- Counselling, mentoring and youth work
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What’s it like to work in HE Student Services?
A university’s reputation depends upon its teaching, learning and research but also upon the quality of its student services and support.
Working in Student Services puts you on the front line, helping and advising thousands of students to ensure their transition to higher education is as smooth as possible.
From allocating rooms in halls of residence to selecting prospective students, all areas of Student Services are busy and pressurised environments. As well as having exceptional administrative skills, a resilient, customer-oriented attitude is a must for would-be Student Services professionals.
Whichever role you are thinking of applying for, working in Student Services is a highly challenging and rewarding way to start or progress your career within HE Professional Services. Students Services roles also offer competitive salaries and excellent opportunities for training and progression within university administration.
Here we take a closer look at three typical HE Student Services roles, from entry to senior level, and what qualifications, experience and essential skills are required.
Job Profiles
HE Student Services: Entry-level jobs
Job title: Accommodation Officer/Assistant
Job description
HE Accommodation Officers work as part of a busy team responsible for the day-to-day management of student accommodation, both in halls of residence and off-campus.
Main Duties
- Manages a portfolio of properties and rooms to ensure all new UK and International students are allocated suitable accommodation.
- Acts as the first point of contact for enquiries about accommodation from students and staff.
- Provides administrative support to the team, helping to compile formal letters and contracts.
- Responds to complaints and liaises with students, landlords, wardens and halls staff to ensure issues are promptly resolved.
- Manages electronic databases and paper records related to student accommodation.
Qualifications and experience
A degree is not always essential for entry-level Accommodation Officer roles in higher education. Most positions at this level require candidates to have a minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above, including English and maths (or equivalent qualifications).
Excellent admin and IT skills, as well as previous experience in a customer services role, particularly in the property and rentals sector, would be highly desirable.
Salary
Entry-level Accommodation Officers can expect to earn between £18,565 and £26,849 p.a., depending on knowledge and experience.
Essential skills and knowledge
- Comprehensive administrative, IT and organisational skills.
- Experience of frontline customer services and excellent communication skills.
- Ability to prioritise and manage own workload.
- Good time management skills.
- Able to multi-task and show resilience under pressure, particularly when dealing with complaints.
- Ability to deliver a customer-focused service.
Career path
A university Accommodation Office is a fast-paced and pressurised environment, providing an excellent training ground for the full range of Student Services. On gaining experience in this busy department, you could progress to Senior Accommodation Officer/Manager or use the customer service skills you have gained to move into more senior roles within Student Services.
Most universities will offer on-the-job training for this type of entry-level Student Services position and continuing CPD to help you progress.
Search for Accommodation Officer roles at: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/search/administrative
HE Student Services: Mid-level jobs
Job title: International Student Advisor
Job description
International Student Advisors (or Officers) provide advice and support to incoming international students to help them settle into life in UK Higher Education.
Main duties
- Provides specialist immigration advice to international applicants.
- Acts as the first point of contact for enquiries from international applicants.
- Supports staff across the university with queries that relate to non-UK students.
- Delivers events, workshops and induction activities to support international students.
- Carries out paperwork relating to the arrival of international students and their families.
Qualifications and experience
Most universities require candidates to be educated to degree level for student advisory posts.
Knowledge and experience of advising international students or visitors about issues such as immigration, housing and finances in a similar role would give you the edge at interview. Fluency in another language would also boost your chances.
Salary
HE International Student Advisors can expect to earn between £29,176 to £34,804 p.a., depending on knowledge and experience.
Essential skills and knowledge
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with a global audience.
- Knowledge of UK Immigration Law and student visa applications.
- A friendly and culturally sensitive manner when communicating with an international audience.
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills, able to prioritise workload around busy admissions times.
- Ability to liaise effectively with staff at all levels regarding non-UK students and their needs.
Career path
Working with international students means that you will gain an in-depth knowledge of admissions, UK immigration law and recruitment. This could lead to a more senior position within international activities or a move to more general admissions, recruitment, marketing and advisory roles across the university.
Most universities will offer excellent training and CPD opportunities to help you broaden your skills and knowledge.
Search for International Student Advisor roles at: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/search/student-services
HE Student Services: Senior-level jobs
Job title: Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions
Job description
The Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions would lead a complex team responsible for managing the admissions service and strategy of the university. The role would involve advising the university’s Senior Management Team about admissions procedures as well as managing the day-to-day administrative function of the department.
Main duties
- Develops and implements of the of the university’s recruitment and admissions objectives and policy.
- Manages a team of Admissions Officers to provide an effective service to students.
- Oversees recruitment and admissions management information and business intelligence.
- Manages the recruitment and admissions cycle and organisation, ensuring compliance with internal and external obligations and policy.
- Ensures key recruitment and admissions projects and initiatives are delivered effectively and within budget.
- Liaises with schools and faculties to resolve recruitment and admissions issues and ensures an effective end-to-end enrolment services is provided to students.
Qualifications and experience
A degree and further professional qualifications in a relevant area are essential for senior recruitment and admissions roles within Student Services.
Extensive experience of working in senior leadership, projects, planning and business roles would be essential at this level. Substantial experience and knowledge of Higher Educations admissions and/or student administration would be highly desirable.
Salary
Heads of Recruitment and Admissions can expect to earn between £52,559 and £61,335 depending on qualifications, knowledge and experience.
Essential skills and knowledge
- Excellent leadership skills with a proven record in managing large teams and projects.
- Knowledge of current issues affecting national and international student recruitment and admissions.
- Extensive project management and business development knowledge and the ability to manage budgets effectively.
- Highly developed verbal and written communication and negotiation skills.
- Knowledge of the design and implementation of business processes and complex policy concepts.
- Ability to develop constructive solutions to complex problems and exemplary administrative and record management skills.
Career path
The recruitment and admissions team and processes thousands of applications each year and is crucial in making sure the university operates effectively.
Experience of managing this highly complex area of Student Services would give you in-depth knowledge of the business processes involved in running a university and could lead to roles within the institution’s Senior Leadership Team.
Search for Head of Student Recruitment and Admission roles at: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/search/student-services