European Universities with High Graduate Employability in 2026
Photo by Yan Krukau
Choosing a university isn’t just about rankings, it’s about what happens after you graduate. For many students, especially international students investing time and money into studying abroad, one question matters most: Will I get a good job after graduation?
Universities with high employability rates stand out because their graduates move quickly into the workforce, often within 6 months of finishing their degree. These institutions combine strong academic reputations with real-world experience, industry partnerships, internships, and powerful alumni networks.
In this guide, we highlight universities with some of the highest graduate employment rates and explain what makes them so successful in preparing students for their careers.
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When talking about employability, names like Oxford and Cambridge often dominate the conversation. But high graduate employment rates are not limited to ultra-elite, highly selective institutions.
Below you’ll find a mix of well-known, internationally respected universities, including several that are more accessible in terms of admissions and tuition fees. These institutions may not always top overall rankings, but they consistently perform strongly when it comes to job placement, industry partnerships, and employer reputation.
| University | Employability rates | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Anglo-American University | Over 90% employability, with 100% of students graduating with internship experience. | Czechia |
| ETH Zurich | 86% of Master’s graduates secure positions in Switzerland after graduation. | Switzerland |
| Delft University of Technology | 82% of graduates have a job within half a year. | Netherlands |
| Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) | 90% of graduates are employed within 12 months, 84% working as highly qualified professionals. | Lithuania |
| KTH Royal Institute of Technology | 97% employability, with over 50% landing a job even before completing their degree. | Sweden |
| Mediterrani University School Barcelona | 92% of graduates have a job placement secured. | Spain |
| SRH University | Between 90% and 97% of students have a job within one year of graduation. | Germany |
| TBS Education | 97% of Master in Management (MiM) and Master of Science (MSc) graduates secure jobs within four months of graduation. | Spain, France |
| Technical University of Munich (TUM) | Between 93% and 94% employability for its graduates. | Germany |
| Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) | 83.6% of UCAM graduates get a job in less than a year. | Spain |
University rankings may look impressive, but they don’t always reflect what students care about most: getting a good job after graduation. Many global rankings focus heavily on research output and academic reputation. While these indicators matter, they don’t necessarily show how well their Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees prepares students for the real job market.
If you're investing significant time and money into your education, especially as an international student, employability should be a key factor in your decision. Here’s why:
Rankings such as QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education provide useful academic benchmarks. However, they don’t always measure graduate job placement rates directly. If your goal is long-term career success, employment outcomes may tell you far more than a university’s overall rank.
While university reputation matters, your choice of degree often has an even bigger impact on your job prospects after graduation. Across Europe, certain fields consistently show higher graduate employment rates, especially in sectors facing skills shortages or rapid growth.
Here are the degrees that typically lead to the strongest employment outcomes:
These degrees lead to strong job prospects because employers are actively looking for these skills right now. Many of these fields (like tech, engineering, healthcare, and business) have talent shortages across Europe. That means companies are hiring quickly and offering competitive salaries. These programmes also tend to be practical: students often work on real industry projects or learn technical skills that can be applied immediately in a job.
Study.eu Tip: Don’t forget to check whether the programme includes internships, company projects, or strong career services. A degree with built-in work experience can significantly improve your chances of finding a job after graduation.
Graduate employment rates vary across Europe depending on economic strength, labour market demand, and post-study work opportunities. Based on data from Eurostat, the average employment rate for recent graduates across the EU reached 82.3% in 2024. However, these varied from 69.6% in Italy to 91.6% in Netherlands.
While outcomes also depend on your degree and experience, the following countries consistently offer strong prospects for graduates, including international students:
When identifying universities with strong graduate employability, you should focus on indicators that reflect real career outcomes, not just academic prestige. This includes graduate employment rates within 6-12 months after graduation, strong industry partnerships, internship opportunities, and the quality of career services.
Highly employable Bachelor’s in Europe or Master’s degrees in Europe tend to share certain characteristics: They often integrate practical experience through mandatory internships, project-based learning, or collaboration with companies. Many host career fairs and maintain strong alumni networks; so in these environments employability is built into the student experience, not treated as an afterthought.
Another important factor is how closely the curriculum aligns with labour market needs. Universities with strong career outcomes regularly update their programmes in response to industry demand and skills shortages. They also provide structured career support, including CV workshops, interview preparation, and one-on-one advising.
If employability is one of your top priorities, it’s important to research beyond overall rankings. Look for official graduate outcome reports, explore where alumni are working on LinkedIn, and check whether internships are included in the degree structure. Also consider post-study work visa options and local language requirements, as these factors can strongly influence your job search prospects.
The best university for your career isn’t necessarily the highest-ranked one, it’s the one that combines strong teaching, practical experience, and clear links to employers in your chosen field.
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