Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the questions we get asked most frequently about applying to the British Council
Application Process
- How do I apply for a job with the British Council?
The best way to apply for a job with the British Council is to apply to a specific position through the Career page on our website. We welcome applications from anyone with the skills and experience required for each role. These will be featured within the job advert under essential and desirable criteria.
All positions will require you to upload a CV onto the Candidate Portal and you will be asked to submit a supporting statement that provides additional information to support your application. If you are interested in working or volunteering abroad through one of our programmes, please visit Study and Work outside the UK
- Do you accept speculative CVs and/or applications?
Due to the volume of interest and applications we receive, unfortunately we are not able to accept speculative CVs. To ensure an open and fair recruitment process, all candidates must apply for our current positions via our online application system.
- Can I express an interest in teaching vacancies with the British Council?
If you are interested in joining the British Council as a teacher, we offer flexible opportunities to teach English to young people and adults around the world. If you are CELTA (or equivalent) qualified and interested in a teaching career with us, we would encourage you to follow this link to access more information and to apply to join our Talent Pool. - Once I have applied, when will I hear if I have been selected for an interview?
When you submit your application, you will receive an automatic email to confirm that it has been submitted successfully (if you don’t receive this, please check your junk folder).
We aim to get back to candidates within a few days of the vacancy closing date. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to offer feedback if your application is not shortlisted for interview.
- Can I get feedback if my job application is unsuccessful?
Whilst we appreciate the time and effort put into completing your application, regrettably due to the number of applications we receive we are not able to provide feedback to candidates who are not invited to interview.
- How do I best prepare for the recruitment process with the British Council?
Our application and interview process differ depending on the role you are applying for. For many of the roles we advertise we are looking for specific skills and experience so it’s essential you think about these when you submit your CV, write your supporting statement and prepare for your interview where relevant. Explore the British Council website and read up on Our Values and the job advert beforehand as this is what you will be measured against. We also encourage you to visit our Application Process where you can learn more about the process you will go through.
- What is the interview process?
All interviews will be conducted by a panel consisting of a minimum of two people, usually three, including the Hiring Manager for the role. If you are invited to attend an interview you will be notified with good time to prepare and be provided with full details, including who you will be meeting.
If the interview is to be conducted remotely via a video call, you will be provided with a separate calendar/meeting invite with a link (via Microsoft Teams) to join the call. After the interview, you will usually be contacted within 2-3 days and informed whether you have been successful. We will provide interview feedback where requested. - Who do I notify if I am unable to attend my interview or need to change it?
Please contact your recruiter who emailed you to arrange your interview if you can no longer attend. Please ensure you let us know at least 48 hours in advance of your interview.
Before Applying
- What happens if I don’t meet the minimum eligibility criteria? Can I still apply?
Unfortunately, if you do not meet our minimum criteria for a role then we will not be able to progress your application. We receive thousands of applications annually and so to be able to proceed you must have met our minimum requirements.
- Do you need immigration authorisation to work for the British Council?
An employment offer made by the British Council is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining the right to work and reside legally in the country where the job is based. You may be asked to provide documentation as evidence of this authorisation.
Adjustments to the recruitment process
- How does the British Council encourage applications from people who identify as disabled or neurodivergent?
We want the British Council to be an inclusive place to work and one in which all are enabled to thrive. As such, we welcome applications from people who identify as disabled or neurodivergent. As a Disability Confident Employer, we want to attract, recruit and retain disabled people within our workforce, so we can benefit from their skills and talents. British Council offer a guaranteed interview scheme to candidates who declare a disability in their application and who meet the minimum criteria for the job. We also make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to enable full and equitable participation and encourage our suppliers and partner firms to be ‘Disability Confident’
- What adjustments are available if I have a disability?
If you have a disability, you’re neurodivergent or have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our selection process, we’ll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to our processes. An example of this might be providing more time to complete assessments or adjusting the interview environment.
When completing your application details, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know about any adjustments you may need. A member of the Human Resources team will then be in touch to ascertain how best we can assist you. For more information about how we support candidates through the recruitment process please visit our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion page on the website
Receiving an offer from the British Council
- What information will I need to provide if I am made an offer?
If you are made an offer to join the British Council, you will undergo Pre-Appointment Screening. Depending on employment law in country of hire, Pre-Appointment Screening will take place prior to, or at the same time as receiving an offer to join British Council. The extent of the checks you complete will be dependent on your role, and the location of the role. Wherever legally permissible it is likely your background screening will include Identity and Right to work checks (including digital verification where available), Employment verification, Criminal Record check(s), Sanction Screening, Education and professional qualification verification.
- How can I best prepare if I am made an offer?
Successful candidates are encouraged to engage promptly in the Background screening process as all job offers are dependent on the successful completion of Background screening. It can speed up the process if you have copies of identity documents and qualifications to hand.
It is likely you’ll engage with different teams after receiving an offer with the British Council. This includes your recruiter, the onboarding team in the region/country you are applying to work in, the Pre-appointment Screening team and our pre-appointment screening partner organisation. Please respond to any communications you receive promptly, as this will help minimise any delays.
General Queries and Technical Issues
- Can I apply for more than one role?
For some roles this is possible, but please think about the type of role that will suit you and your goals, and only apply for appropriate vacancies. We encourage you to consider whether your skill set, and experience are a good fit, in addition to reviewing the essential criteria laid out in the job advert.
- How do I withdraw my application and/or remove my profile?
When you set up an account with the British Council careers site you will be able to change your preferences, remove/update your CV and amend your personal information. If you wish to withdraw an application for a particular job you can do this from your account.
If you would like to remove your account in its’ entirety please email askhr@britishcouncil.org
- Can I set up job alerts to find out about future vacancies that might be suitable for me?
Job alerts can be created once you have set up an account on the careers portal. You can select the frequency of how regularly you would like to receive alerts on current vacancies within the British Council as well as specify job function, country, and region you are interested in.
- I’ve forgotten my username and/or password, what should I do?
If you’re having trouble logging in, please reset your password here (you’ll need to know the email you created an account with)
- I’m having technical difficulties with accessing the portal/applying for a role. What should I do?
First, try these steps:
1. Check the speed of your internet connection: if your internet connection is slow, website pages can be slow to load and will eventually ‘time out’.
2. We would recommend you save regularly as you progress with your application. This will allow you to return to it later if you can’t complete it in one sitting.
3. Ensure you delete cookies and cache from your browser, and check that your browser is compatible with our job application system: - Microsoft Internet Explorer 7,8 or 9
- Firefox 10
- Google Chrome 12
If you are still having difficulties, contact askhr@britishcouncil.org with the subject heading ‘Job application difficulties’