Free student resources
Resources for your next step
Free guides and practical exercises for students worldwide. Explore careers, build study and digital skills, prepare for work, and compare education funding. Choose the category that matches your next step.
These St. James Institute guides are free to read and use, with no registration required. They are for students and young adults wherever they live. You can work independently or discuss your notes with a teacher, adviser, mentor, or someone you trust.
Career exploration
Start with the Career Exploration Hub for an overview, or choose one of the five exercises below. Work through them in order or begin with the question you need to answer.
Start with the Career Exploration Hub
Follow five stages from understanding yourself to making a 30-day plan. The hub helps you choose where to begin and connects the exercises into one exploration pathway.
Explore the career hub1. Understand yourself
Reflect on your interests, strengths, values, and circumstances. Keep a personal profile to guide your exploration.
Understand yourself2. Explore three possibilities
Research three career directions and compare what attracts you, what each involves, and what you still need to find out.
Explore three possibilities3. Test an interest
Learn through a career conversation, a beginner project, or a suitable workplace visit. Reflect on what the experience tells you.
Test an interest4. Compare education and training
Compare specific routes using entry requirements, costs, schedules, recognition, and support. Keep a comparison with your remaining questions.
Compare education and training5. Make your 30-day plan
Choose a manageable goal, set dates for your actions, prepare for obstacles, and review what you learn over the next month.
Make your 30-day planStudy and digital skills
Build routines for learning and practise useful digital skills at your own pace.
Plan your study week
Build a realistic seven-day timetable around your classes and responsibilities. Choose priorities, plan focused practice, and review what worked. Time: about 15–20 minutes to plan. Keep: your weekly plan and review notes.
Plan your study weekDigital skills starter
Build everyday digital skills for study and work. Choose a starting point, practise research, email, documents, spreadsheets, and sharing, then record your progress. Includes phone-friendly options and trusted free learning links.
Start building digital skillsWork preparation
Use your experience to write a first CV and prepare for an interview.
Create your first CV
Write a first CV using your education, projects, volunteering, and practical skills—even if you have never had a paid job. Includes a copyable template, examples, and a review checklist. Allow 30–45 minutes for your first draft.
Create your first CVPrepare for an interview
Prepare for an interview using real examples from study, volunteering, or everyday responsibilities. Includes a copyable preparation template, practice questions, a STAR example, and checklists for in-person, phone, and video interviews. Allow 30–45 minutes, plus practice.
Prepare for an interviewEducation funding
Find official scholarship information and compare eligibility, coverage, costs, and deadlines.
Find and compare scholarships
Find official funding information and compare eligibility, award coverage, remaining costs, deadlines, and conditions. Includes a copyable comparison record, a funding-gap example, and trusted international search sources. Allow 30–45 minutes for a first shortlist.
Find and compare scholarshipsUse the resources in your own context
Write in a notebook or document and keep the results of each exercise. You can revisit an earlier guide as your interests, circumstances, and information change.
Our guides are free to access. External resources may have different registration requirements or charges for optional features, and activities may involve costs. Check the access notes in each guide and the provider’s current information.
Career titles, entry requirements, qualifications, costs, and available support vary by country and provider. Use official sources to check the details relevant to your plans.