Working During Study
If you are an international student with Tier 4 General Student visa you are allowed to work part time up to 20 hours a week during term-time, and full time during vacation periods provided your passport stamp indicates a restriction rather than prohibition. See sample stamp below
International Students are advised to register for a National Insurance Number when they arrive in the UK by making an appointment at their local Job Centre. Students should take their passport with them to their appointment as proof that they are allowed to work up to the maximum 20 hours per week. Telephone Jobcentre Plus on 0845 600 0643 (lines are open 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday) to arrange an appointment to obtain an NI number.
For more information about applying for a National Insurance Number.
If you have a Student Visitors Visa normally issued for courses less than six months that do not have a work placement element you will NOT be able to take paid or unpaid employment including voluntary work, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public or carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer. See sample stamp below
An entrance clearance sticker is issued to various types of visitor. If issued to someone coming to the UK as a 'student visitor' it will state under remarks 'C: VISIT - STUDENT'.
You can have your immigration application refused, or remove you from the UK, if you work too many hours or if you do work which you are not allowed to do.
Do not claim public funds (Benefits)
Your immigration conditions prohibit you from claiming benefits etc. to find out what counts as 'public funds', see UKCISA Information Sheet Welfare Benefits.
If you claim 'public funds', the UK immigration authorities can refuse your immigration application or remove you from the UK. You might be barred from returning to the UK for a certain period.
As part of our responsibilities as your Sponsor we are required by the UKBA to report poor attendance therefore we will monitor your attendance, submission of work and progression. If you miss ten consecutive points of contact we are required to report you to the UKBA and withdraw our sponsorship. If we do not, we will lose our licence to recruit students. If your sponsorship is withdrawn, the UKBA will probably "curtail" your leave. This means that your student visa is cancelled, and you probably need to leave the UK.
Therefore, if you know you will miss a required attendance or deadline, for example because you are ill, contact your department straightaway to inform them and ask them what evidence they will need to support this.
If you need to take an extended period of time away from your course for illness, you may need to take a short break from your studies. Speak to your Tier 4 sponsor about this, and about whether they will treat your absence as "authorised".
If you plan to take a break from your studies for pregnancy, speak to your Tier 4 sponsor about this as early as possible. If your sponsor does not treat the break as an "authorised absence" in your sponsorship, you will need to arrange to leave the UK during the break in studies, and you will need to plan for this.
If there is any other reason you cannot attend your course, (for example, a family bereavement, or religious festival), ask your tutor or department to approve your absence.
If you think you might have problems submitting your work on time, talk to your tutor or an international student adviser as early as possible, so you can talk about your options.
Keep a copy of important documents such as
Passport
Biometrics Card (BRP)
Tier 4 Visa Application Forms and supporting documents
Any correspondence with the UKBA
If you change your UK address whilst you are studying you will need to inform Student Administration via email administration@hope.ac.uk as well as the UKBA.
To report a change of address to the UKBA please go to one of the following links:
As part of the monitoring process you will be required to attend one session a year where you will need to bring with you a document showing your current address in the UK. This can be in the form of a bank statement or utility bill, but must be an original document. Details about these sessions will be sent to you during the academic year.
If you need to renew your visa make sure you have plenty of time to apply, and have the correct finances in place.
Make sure you comply with the terms of your finance plan and keep up to date with any payments.