A 21-year-old Kingston University graduate says “the system is broken” after applying for roughly 500 jobs and failing to land a single offer, despite graduating with distinction in 2025. Khaled Sharif, who earned a degree in digital media technology and spent about £100,000 (roughly $125,000 / Rs 1.04 crore) on tuition and living costs, told SWNS and was reported by the New York Post that he has received fewer than 20 interview callbacks and remains unemployed.
Born in Egypt and raised in Qatar before moving to London at 18, Sharif had hoped the UK capital would provide a clearer route into the creative industries. He says the graduate job market is “flooded” and that employers are increasingly reluctant to hire entry-level staff. “It does make me really upset. It’s really stressful,” he told reporters. “I got top-of-my-class, but I can’t find anything. If people got a lower grade, how hard would it be for them?”
Sharif also suspects his international schooling may be a barrier. He told the New York Post recruiters often assume candidates with a Qatari education require visa sponsorship, even though he holds full UK residency through his mother and is legally permitted to work without restrictions.
He attributes part of the hiring slowdown to long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. “Because of COVID and now AI, companies don’t want to hire. They’re looking to save money,” he said, adding that while entry-level retail work would be easy to get, he wants roles that use his degree.
In the absence of full-time employment, Sharif has worked as a freelance videographer and photographer and launched a clothing brand, Zoque-Arabic for “my style”—which merges his interests in fashion and visual media. He says much of his practical knowledge came from volunteering, freelancing and self-teaching on YouTube, and he now questions whether his degree choice best served his career goals. “More opportunities have to be made,” he said.
For context, the report also notes the cost of a four‑year US college education varies widely: public in-state tuition is typically cited at $80,000–$120,000 (about Rs 66.5 lakh–Rs 99.7 lakh), out-of-state $170,000–$200,000 (about Rs 1.41 crore–Rs 1.66 crore), and private colleges $180,000–$260,000 (about Rs 1.50 crore–Rs 2.16 crore).
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/uk-student-spends-over-rs-1-crore-on-degree-fails-to-land-job-after-500-applications-11419295#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-04-28 12:46:00
