Self-employment is becoming an increasingly viable career option and if you want to start a business, work freelance or launch a social enterprise you don’t have to get there on your own.

 

The Enterprise Team at Sheffield Hallam University provide a range of free support to students and graduates of up to five years who would like to start a business or become self-employed. Last year we supported 403 businesses, 75 of which were new and you could be one of them this year!

self-employment

 

Our range of support includes, workshops, business advice, funding opportunities, free office space in our Hatchery and opportunities to network with other like-minded people.

 

Are you graduating this year? Then you might want to consider applying for our Graduate Start-up Grant, which includes £1200 that you can put towards starting your business.

 

Don’t know if your idea is strong enough yet? Would you like to test it out first? If so you can enter our monthly Prove It competition. It’s a great opportunity for you to win £250 to test a new concept. For example through a prototype, a trial run, a taster session, market research; any way in which you can help to prove the validity of your idea.

 

Are you an international student? Then we offer you the opportunity to apply for a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneurship Visa that will allow you to start a business in the UK after you graduate.

 

Not quite sure if self-employment is for you but want to find out what’s involved? Pop along to meet Kevin, our Resident Entrepreneur and he will be able to answer any of your queries. Find him on City Campus in the Careers and Employability Centre from 2-4pm every Tuesday or in The Heart of the Campus from 11:30-12:30 every Tuesday.

 

If you’d like to find out some more and get involved then come and meet Charlotte any Tuesday at 4pm in the Careers and Employability Centre and we’ll talk you through everything on offer in more detail; It’s also a great chance for us to hear about your business idea and for you to hear about others’.

 

For more information on any of the services and schemes we offer visit www.shu.ac.uk/startup

 

In the meantime do check out our case studies where you can see how our support has helped other students and graduates.