Based on your visa, you will have specific rules about working in the UK while studying or after you finish.

Working during your studies

Students who are studying full-time at the university and have a visa can work in the UK. The things you need to do and the rules to follow are Up to 20 hours a week while you’re in school. UKVI says a “week” is seven days long, starting on a Monday and ending on a Sunday.

• Full-time during break times or holidays.
• Work full-time during school term if it’s part of your course and counts towards your grade. The work placement should not take up more than half of the course length, unless it’s required by law.
• I was a leader in the student union for two years.
• If you have a Student visa for a part-time course, you cannot work in the UK, whether it’s paid or unpaid.
• People with student visas can only work for a short time and cannot have a steady job. They are not allowed to work for themselves or start a business, or work as a professional athlete or entertainer.

If you have a different visa, ask the International Student Advice team if you are allowed to work while studying. The Home Office gives examples of what they mean by “engaging in business” in their visa guidance. If you do these things, you might not be allowed to.

• Start a business on your own or with a partner, where the business is selling things, or set up a way to sell things.
• Working for a company where you own 10% or more shares, or if the shares are held in a trust for you.
• Working for a company as a director or in another important role.
• If you’re working in the UK, it doesn’t matter if your employer or the person you’re working for is outside the UK. The hours you work here will still count towards the 20-hour limit.

This also means that if you are doing freelance work for someone in another country, like the UK. Editing journal articles is considered as working for yourself, so it is not allowed.

After your course has finished

After your course is over, you can work for up to 4 months or until your student visa runs out. If you want to work full-time in the UK after your studies, you will have to update your visa.

You can apply for permission as a Skilled Worker three months before you finish your course. If you finish your degree in summer 2021, you might be able to apply for a two year Graduate route.

Graduate route

Students with a valid Tier 4/Student Visa who will finish their degree in summer 2021 or later can apply. This includes students who are already studying.

People who are chosen will be able to work in any kind of job at any level. They can also change to a skilled job once they find one that fits and meets their qualifications.

The two years cannot be made longer.

You have to pay for the immigration application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, but you do not need the University to sponsor you. Additional information on the City Graduate program:

• The Graduated Route Scheme will start on July 1st, 2021. More information about this route will be released soon.
• Students need to study in the UK to qualify for the Graduate route. If students have to study online or in a mix of in-person and online classes because of Covid-19, they can still switch to the Graduate route to work in the UK, as long as they studied outside the UK for a while.
• Current students can get this discount if they come to the UK before 21 June 2021 and finish their last semester of studies here.
• Students who are in the UK by September 27, 2021 and finish their last semester of studies in the UK can apply for January 2021.
• These students will still need to have valid permission to stay in the UK as a Tier 4/Student when the new system starts in 2021, and they must also meet other requirements to qualify for the new system.

Additional requirements when employing a Student/ Tier 4 visa holder

Undergraduate and postgraduate students with Tier 4 visas can only work up to 20 hours a week during term-time. This rule also applies to any time when students have to study, even if it’s not during the regular school term. Both paid and unpaid work contribute to the total hours a student can work. To find out what evidence is needed for term and vacation dates, look at the instructions below.

Postgraduate students on Tier 4 visas can only work for 20 hours per week because they don’t have set terms for their studies.