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Student Visa conditions

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It is essential that you fully understand and adhere to the conditions of your Student Visa as breaches can result in your visa being withdrawn.

Attendance

The Immigration Compliance team monitors student engagement to ensure students attend their classes. You must swipe your student card on the card reader in the classroom to log your attendance. If the card reader is not working, this should be reported to the lecturer or if there is an issue with your student card, this must be reported to the Gateway Team who will be able to resolve the issue for you.

Students who do not attend their classes put their visa at risk of being withdrawn, the University takes any breaches of Student Visa conditions very seriously.

Working as an international student

Working is a great opportunity to experience working life in the UK, to meet a wide range of people and to enhance your career prospects.

Studying should be the main priority of an international student and it is important that you understand what you can and cannot do on your Student Visa in relation to working.

You can:

  • work up to 20 hours per week during term time. The UK Home Office defines a week as a seven-day period starting on a Monday and ending on a Sunday
  • work full-time outside of term time, which is the period before your course starts, after it ends and during holidays
  • work full-time during term time if on a work placement that is mandatory as part of the course
  • as a student union sabbatical officer for up to 2 years

You cannot:

  • work more than 20 hours a week during term-time
  • claim public funds, such as benefits and pensions
  • work in certain jobs, such as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
  • be self-employed or start a business
  • undertake any work, paid or unpaid if your course is part-time

International students can only work on a temporary basis; they cannot be employed on a permanent contract.

Voluntary work is considered unpaid employment and is therefore restricted on a student visa, along with any other paid work, to 20 hours a week during term-time.

Published: 6 June 2023