Working on a student visa

Students on a student visa should ensure they are familiar with the restrictions on the type of work permitted as it is their responsibility to ensure that any work restrictions are adhered to.  They should be aware that the University is required to report any breaches to the UKVI which could have serious consequences and result in the curtailment of their student visa.  Students should check the conditions stated on their visa/BRP and the full explanation provided in the student visa policy guidance.

Any student visa holders who are working both for the University and for an external employer should make their School/departmental contact and hrimmigration@lboro.ac.uk aware of the other work they are undertaking to ensure that they remain compliant with the working restrictions before any work is allocated to them.

Students employed on a student visa are not allowed to be employed as a professional sports person including coaches nor take up any full time permanent vacancy.  In addition, subject to a visa/BRP check:

• Further Education students are eligible to work a maximum of 10 hours in a set 7 day period (Monday to Sunday) during standard University term times in all UK employment.  There are no hourly restrictions during the vacation periods.
  
  
•  Undergraduate students are eligible to work a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7 day period (Monday to Sunday) during standard University term times in all UK employment.  There are no hourly restrictions during the vacation periods. Students employed on an assessed placement as part of their programme are not subject to an hourly limit.
  
  
•  Postgraduate Taught Students (Masters) are restricted to working a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7 day period (Monday to Sunday) during standard University terms times in all UK employment.  In line with University policy, they can work without restriction during the Christmas and Easter vacation periods but are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week during the summer vacation period.
  
  
•  Postgraduate Research Students (PhD) are restricted to working a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7 day period (Monday to Sunday) all year round as there are no set term times for research students.  The working restriction also applies when research students are on annual leave. This is University policy which also overrides UKVI rules around the flexibility to work full time after completion of their studies.  This means that research students will be unable to work more than 20 hours per week unless they hold a Graduate visa (previously Doctoral Extension Scheme visa, DES)(and have received a letter from the Doctoral College Office confirming the award of their PhD) or have switched to a Skilled Worker visa. See further information on the Skilled Worker visa page.
  
  
• Graduate visa (previously Doctoral Extension Scheme, DES) holders can work full time without restrictions provided they have received a letter from the Doctoral College Office confirming the completion of their studies and the award of their PhD.

Eligibility to work during visa renewal process (3C leave) is not automatic.  Students will only be employed when their visa has expired if the University has a Positive Verification Notice from the UKVI which confirms that they have the right to work whilst the visa renewal application is being processed.  Students wishing to work during this period should contact the HR Immigration Team if they are employed on a casual contract or their Senior HR Officer if they are employed on a salaried contract and provide their UKVI visa application reference and a copy of the personal details page of the visa application.  The HR Immigration Team or the Senior HR Officer will then submit an Employer Checking Service request to the UKVI.  They will be notified once a response has been received within 3 – 5 working days and sent the Positive Verification Notice which can be handed to the relevant administrator to prove their continued right to work.  Once their new visa has been received, they should take their original visa/BRP to the Student Enquiries desk on the ground floor of the Rutland Building.  If they are undertaking casual work, they should also present it to the relevant School/Departmental contact or their Senior HR Officer if they are on a salaried contract.

If student visa sponsorship (previously Tier 4) is withdrawn a student will no longer be allowed to work at the University regardless of whether any visa permission remains.

The University encourages overseas students to undertake part time work as permitted under the terms of their student visas and University policy. 

However, there is a strict process in place to ensure that the number of hours allocated to students on a student visa is monitored.  The steps within the process are as follows:

a)    The student provides right to work check documents (original current passport and student visa) to school/departmental contact who is allocating the work.  This check is subsequently uploaded to a central workspace and approved.  See further guidance on right to work checks for prospective employees.

Please note that students are unable to work until a valid right to work check has been undertaken.

b)    School/departmental contact sends a casual staff portal link to the student.  The student enters their personal details.

c)    School/departmental contact requests the production of an appointment letter by HR.

d)    Student accepts terms contained in the appointment letter via a link contained in the letter which includes providing bank details.

e)    School/departmental contact allocates working hours via a central casual worker system and will inform the student whether they will be paid directly in line with the hours allocated or by completing a paper claim form.

It is imperative that all students on a student visa are recruited via this process in order for the University to be compliant with UKVI requirements. 

Students should not undertake any work until the above process has been followed.

Any immigration queries regarding the recruitment of students on a student visa should be sent to hrimmigration@lboro.ac.uk.  If your query is related specifically to the casual worker system (Dashboard) or the process of the recruitment of students on a student visa please contact the HR Claims Support Team on 01509 228424 or claims.support@lboro.ac.uk.  

If you do not already have a National Insurance number, you will need to apply for one if you intend to work.  You may start work before you receive your National Insurance number if you have proved your right to work.

In order to apply you must be in the UK and have the right to work. Call the National Insurance application line between Monday and Friday 8am to 6pm

Telephone: 0800 141 2075
Textphone: 0800 141 2438

Your passport and biometric residence permit (BRP) or vignette should be sufficient for this purpose. If your current visa is in an expired passport you must apply to have the permission transferred to a BRP. See the biometric residence permit information below for further information. 

The University encourages overseas students to undertake part time work as permitted and stated on your visa/BRP and University policy. A strict process must be followed to allow you to undertake casual work to enable the allocation of working hours to you in advance. The process will be explained to you by the member of University staff offering you work, and you should not undertake any work until this process has been followed. Further information on working on a student visa is linked below.

Further Education student: 

You can work a maximum of 10 hours in a set 7-day period during standard University term times in all UK employment. The working week is defined as Monday to Sunday and all hours worked in each week must be 10 hours or less. Your working restrictions are not an average per week, but a maximum per week. There are no hourly restrictions during the vacation periods.

Undergraduate student:

You can work a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7-day period during standard University term times in all UK employment. The working week is defined as Monday to Sunday and all hours worked in each week must be 20 hours or less. Your working restrictions are not an average per week, but a maximum per week. There are no hourly restrictions during the vacation periods.

Postgraduate Taught Masters student:

You are restricted to working a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7-day period during standard University term times in all UK employment. The working week is defined as Monday to Sunday and all hours worked in each week must be 20 hours or less. Your working restrictions are not an average per week, but a maximum per week.

In line with University policy, you can work without restriction during the Christmas and Easter vacation periods but are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week during the undergraduate summer vacation period.

Postgraduate Research PhD/MPhil student:

In accordance with University policy you are restricted to working a maximum of 20 hours in a set 7-day period all year round as there are no set term times for research students. The working week is defined as Monday to Sunday and all hours worked in each week must be 20 hours or less. Your working restrictions are not an average per week, but a maximum per week. The restriction on working at the University also applies when you are on annual leave. This is University policy which also overrides UKVI rules around the flexibility to work full time after completion of studies. You will be unable to work more than 20 hours per week unless you hold a Doctoral Extension Scheme visa (DES)(and have received a letter from the Doctoral College Office confirming the award of your PhD) or have switched to a Skilled Worker visa.

The Doctoral Extension Scheme (DES) visa enables PhD students to extend their visas for a period of 12 months. You require a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies and you can only apply for a DES visa up to 60 days before the course end date stated on the CAS and after your Viva has been held. You cannot apply after you have completed your PhD.

Once your DES visa has been granted you can commence full time working without hours restrictions once you have received a letter from the Doctoral College Office confirming the completion of your studies and the award of your PhD. 

The new Graduate route is available from 1 July 2021, further information is available here.

If you are undertaking work solely for an employer other than Loughborough University, it is your responsibility to inform the employer of your Student visa working restrictions and comply with these. It is important you keep a record of the hours you are working each week (Monday to Sunday) as evidence.

You must ensure that the combined number of hours worked each week does not exceed the relevant visa restriction. Please record in the Dashboard system the hours you have been allocated to work in advance.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure the terms of your visa are not breached.  Loughborough University has an obligation to notify the UKVI of any student on a Student visa overworking which could result in the withdrawal of your Student visa sponsorship and curtailment of your visa.

As a student on a Student visa, it is your responsibility to ensure that all your paid, unpaid or voluntary work does not exceed your visa working restrictions and that all hours worked in each week must be 20 hours or less if you are studying for a degree level course or above. For information on students working on a visa please visit the UKCISA website link below. 

HM Revenue & Customs record your pay, tax and national insurance, and that data is sent to UKVI department within the Home Office every month. It is possible for them to identify students on a Student visa who are working in excess of 20 hours per week. It is important to make sure you do not breach your visa restrictions.

There are strict laws against illegal work in the UK. If we become aware that you have breached the conditions of your visa, as your sponsor, we are required to inform UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This could lead to your leave to remain being curtailed, your removal from the UK and the refusal of future visa applications.

If you have accidentally worked more than 20 hours in a week you will need to inform the HR Immigration Team as soon as possible, and we will work together to follow the necessary procedures.

You are not permitted to be:

• Self-employed (including freelance or consultancy work) or engage in business activities
• Working as a doctor or dentist in training (unless on a recognised Foundation Programme)
• Employed as a professional sportsperson or entertainer

In certain circumstances you will be permitted to undertake a paid full-time work placement as part of your course. The work placement must be an integral and assessed part of your course and must not be more than 50% of the total length of your course. Evidence of this will be provided by your School or the Academic Registry before you are formally offered a work placement.

You should stop working immediately and inform HR Immigration as your visa status may be affected if you discontinue studies.

You should stop working immediately and inform HR Immigration as your visa status may be affected if you discontinue studies.

You will only be employed when your visa has expired if the University has a Positive Verification Notice from the UKVI which confirms that you have the right to work whilst your visa renewal application is being processed.

You should contact by email HRImmigration@lboro.ac.uk and provide your UKVI visa application reference and a copy of your application. The HR Immigration Team will then submit an Employer Checking Service request to the UKVI. You will be notified once a response has been received, usually within 3-5 working days. You will be sent the Positive Verification Notice which can be used to prove your right to work.

You should take your original visa/BRP to the Student Enquiries desk on the ground floor of the Rutland Building. If you are undertaking casual work, you should also present it to the HR reception, on the first floor of the Rutland Building, so that your visa status can be updated.

You should take your new visa to the Student Enquiries desk on the ground floor of the Rutland Building so that your student record can be updated accordingly. If you are also undertaking casual work for Loughborough University, you should take your new documents to HR (first floor of the Rutland Building) and inform them of the change in your immigration status.

If you have a new passport OR visa at any point whilst working you should take your new documents to the Student Enquiries desk on the ground floor of the Rutland Building so that your student record can be updated accordingly. If you are also undertaking casual work for Loughborough University, you should take your new documents to HR (first floor of the Rutland Building) and inform them of the change in your immigration status.

Please report any loss to the Home Office and the local Police as soon as possible, it is also important to inform HR Immigration if you are working. Student Advice and Support will be able to assist you with this:

• Home Office
• HR Immigration email
  

You will need to supply supporting evidence to the Home Office and guidance on this can be found below.

The International Student Advice and Support Centre may be able to assist you with this. 

If you are being recruited to a full-time role at the University you would normally be expected to switch to a Skilled worker visa.  You would be unable to commence your full-time role until your Skilled worker visa had been granted. 

You cannot extend your Student (previously Tier 4) visa, however, there are different visa types that you may be eligible to apply for and switch to, they are:

• Graduate via (previously Doctoral extension scheme visa, DES)
• Start-up visa
• Skilled worker visa 
• Youth Mobility
• Government Authorised Exchange

Please discuss your options with International Student Advice and Support well in advance of your visa expiry date.

If you are continuing to work please remember to inform HR Immigration of any changes to your visa status and bring your new BRP to the Rutland Building, first floor so that we can obtain a copy for our records.