Frequently Asked Questions


Who can get involved in the Passport?
The Graduate Passport is open to all students at the University of Southampton including Undergraduates (BA, BSc etc), Postgraduate Masters (MA, MSc etc) and Postgraduate Researchers (PhD etc).


Will the Graduate Passport help me with my Visa application?
No. The Graduate Passport is NOT a real Passport. It is NOT associated with the UK Visa or UK Boarder Agency process and will not contribute to any Visa applications.


How do I get involved?  
All students at the University of Southampton are automatically enrolled on the Graduate Passport however we strongly advise that you either attend a "Career Destinations Induction Tour" or a “Welcome to the Graduate Passport” session to fully understand the scheme. You can start activities at any time during your studies.


How do I collect my points?  
Collecting points is simple. All you have to do is provide sufficient evidence to support each activity you choose to complete.

  • If an event or activity is organised directly by Career Destinations (e.g. events and workshops etc) make sure you sign-in to automatically receive your points.
  • If the activity you undertake is not directly organised by Career Destinations (e.g. clubs, societies, volunteering, work placement etc) you will need to submit appropriate evidence in support of your application for points (e.g. submission of a "Graduate Passport Proof of Activity Completion Form")

 Please see the "Collecting Points" section on the Graduate Passport home page for more information.


What is the Submission of a School Reference?
The Graduate Passport is based around developing your employability skills and attributes. When you apply for jobs or further education you will be required to provide references. For the Graduate Passport you can ask your Personal Tutor or Lecturer to write a reference for you. This could be for an actual position you are applying for or it could be a more general review of your progress. You will need to provide evidence of this, either a copy of the reference (paper or electronic) or an email from your tutor/lecturer saying they have written this for you. 
Please note this activity may need to be completed towards the end of your time at University when you are applying for jobs/further study or at another more appropriate time so it can be of more relevance to you and at a suitable time for your tutor.


Do I need to attend all the Reflective Sessions?  
Yes. You must attend all the Reflective Sessions in order (1-2-3) during your time at University. More dates are added to the "Events Calendar" on a regular basis. The sessions can be completed over different years of study or you may choose to group them together in a shorter time frame. 


Can I complete activities from other Packages even if I am working toward one of the set Packages? (Active Citizen, Global Graduate, Entrepreneur)
Yes. You need to achieve at least 75 points from activities from one of the packages to gain that package. However you can collect these 75 points from across the three different packages to be awarded the Developing Professional Package.
35 points come from the Core Programme. The extra 90 points can come from any of the packages or from the General Options list.


What is the Developing Professional Package?
This Package allows students to create their own personalised package. You can complete activities from across the three set packages (Active Citizen, Global Graduate, Entrepreneur). You must still gain at least 75 points from activities across these three packages. 


Can I change which Package I am working towards?
Yes. The system awards your Package type at the end when you have achieved all your points so you can change which package you gain by completing activities from that package. You can even claim multiple Packages (e.g. 75 points in Active Citizen and 75 points in Global Graduate). You need at least 75 points from activities within packages. 


I have done an activity that isn’t listed as part of a package, can I still gain points for this?  
Firstly check the General Options activities to see if it's listed here. If not email the activity details, evidence and why you think it should be included within a package to graduatepassport@southampton.ac.uk for review by the Graduate Passport Moderation panel.

I am an International student; can I gain points for studying abroad here in the UK?
No. The Graduate Passport is a University of Southampton product offered to students studying at this institution. To claim points for studying abroad students must leave the University of Southampton (and UK) to undertake study overseas. In addition the study programme/course can not be part of your degree programme here at Southampton and must be an extracurricular activity e.g. studying French at a French institution during a vacation period.


If I am an active member and a committee member of the same society can I gain points for both activities?
No. The Graduate Passport Moderation Panel decided that as part of being an active Committee Member this should incorporate actively attending the society as a member also. You can only claim for one of them so we would suggest claiming for the Active Committee Member post.


If an activity can fit into more then one activity type can I claim it more then once?
No. If an activity can fit into more then one activity type it can only be claimed once.
For example if you are a member of a society which undertakes voluntary environmental work you can not claim for ‘active involvement in an environmental group or project’ and ‘volunteering activity’ and ‘active member of a society’. You must choose only one to claim for. Similarly if you are in a performing arts society then you gain 5 points for that and cannot claim for the shows/performances you are involved in as ‘creative projects’ as these are part of your societies activities.


Can I claim points for an activity I have done in the past?
The Graduate Passport is an award scheme that was launched on 21st October 2009. Any activities you did before this date cannot be claimed. You may however backdate activities you did in the past which occurred after 21st October 2009 so long as you were registered as a student at the University of Southampton during this time. For example:

  • In October 2011 a new 1st year student at the University of Southampton can not claim points for activities undertaken on a Gap Year during 2010-2011.
  • In October 2011 a returning 2nd year student can claim points for activities they undertook during their 1st year at University.


How long do I have to achieve the passport?
You can work towards your Graduate Passport throughout your time at University as long as you achieve the 200 points required prior to your graduation.


How do I view how many points I have achieved so far?
You can view your points online at any time via the Career Destinations Student Portal. Simply log on and click on the Graduate Passport tab. Please allow at least 3-4 working days for all your points to be shown (longer during busy periods e.g. October to early November). If you have any questions or queries about your points you can email graduatepassport@southampton.ac.uk 


I have a question I can’t find the answer to, what next?
Please contact the Career Destinations team via email graduatepassport@southampton.ac.uk