Working while in the UK
If you are a full time international student with Tier 4 or Student route 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. It is important that you comply with the Universities term dates when working.
Students who are issued a visa to study on a part-time basis are not permitted to work in or outside term time.
If you are planning to work during your studies, you will need a National Insurance Number.
Attendance, monitoring and submitting coursework on time
As part of our responsibilities as your Sponsor we are required by the UKVI monitor your attendance, submission of work and progression. If you miss ten consecutive points of contact we are required to report you to the UKVI and withdraw sponsorship. If your sponsorship is withdrawn, the UKVI will curtail your leave. This means that your student visa is cancelled, and you should leave the UK or find an alternative sponsor or immigration route.
Therefore, if you know you will miss a required attendance or a submission 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 FSAA and make an appointment to speak to the Compliance Office in Student Administration about this.
If you plan to take a break from your studies for pregnancy, speak to your FSAA and the Compliance Officer as early as possible. If we cannot not treat the break as an "authorised absence" 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), ask your tutor or department to approve your absence. The International Hub can provide a letter authorising you to travel home.
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.
Register with the police
It will state on you BRP card if you are required to register with the Police. You can find a full list of the countries on the Police Registration list in Appendix 2 of the Immigration Rules. You are required to register within 7 days of arriving in the UK. Please see the Merseyside Police website for more information about how to register and what you need to take with you to your registration appointment.
Lost BRP
If you lose your BRP you need to report this to the UKVI as soon as possible so that they can cancel it; this is a legal requirement. When you have reported it is as stolen, you need to apply for a replacement within 3 months. The cost of a replacement BRP card is £56.
If you are outside the UK when you lose your BRP card you will need to apply for a single entry visa to re-enter the UK, known as a ‘replacement BRP visa’. You apply for this online and the cost is £154.
Please let us know when you receive your replacement BRP card as we will need to take a copy for our records.
Student status letter
Student status letters are available from the Gateway Reception Service Desk. This letter will give information on your course, start date and expected end date.
If you need this letter for opening a bank account you will need to provide the name and address of the bank where you are opening your account.
Travelling abroad during term
If you need to travel abroad during term time, normally in an emergency only, you will need a letter from the International Unit giving you permission to travel. This letter should be taken with you when you travel to ensure that you can enter back into the UK.
You will find a Travel Letter Request Form on Moodle under 'International Student'. Please download and complete this form and take it to one of your Senior Academic Advisors (FSAA) or tutors to obtain their permission and signature. When the form is complete, please return to the International Hub.
When the letter is available, you will receive either a telephone call or email to collect your letter from the International Unit Reception Desk. This process normally takes 2-3 working days.
Inviting a Visitor
If you wish to invite friends or family members for short visits to attend a family celebration, celebrate a religious festival, for a holiday, or to attend your graduation ceremony. They will need the following documents to assist with their application to come to the UK:
- Letter of invitation from yourself (student) explaining your relationship with the visitor and the purpose of the visit
- A Student Status letter available from the Gateway Reception Desk
- A photocopy of your passport pages containing your personal details, your visa (if applicable) and the most recent UK entry stamp. This is the only photocopied document that you can send.
- Confirmation of their accommodation in the UK, and any financial support they will receive.
For full details on how to invite a visitor to come to the UK please visit the UKVI website.
Interrupting or withdrawing from your studies
If you are considering interrupting your studies or withdrawing from your course, there will be implications for your visa status. As well as speaking to an FSAA, you will need to speak to the Compliance Officer to discuss your specific situation and possible consequences. Please contact studentimmigration@hope.ac.uk for more information.
eVisas
UK Visas and Immigration are changing the way in which students prove their immigration status in the UK.
During 2024, physical documents such as Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) and passport vignettes are being replaced by a digital immigration status known as an “eVisa”. This online record will have details of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
From 7th August 2024, any student with a BRP expiring on 31 December 2024 can now create a UKVI account and access their eVisa, without needing an invitation from UKVI to do so. Please visit the Government website for further information.
Please contact Student Immigration (studentimmigration@hope.ac.uk) when you have your eVisa.
Once you have an eVisa, you need to continue to travel in and out of the UK with your BRP card until it expires. In the future you will be able to use your eVisa to travel to the UK.
You will find further details about the role out of eVisa by viewing the Home Office website.
You may also wish to watch this helpful video.
