Working in the UK During Your Studies
If your visa entitles you to work during your studies, you will be normally allowed to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time* and full-time during holiday periods*. see the information below which explains about how much you can work and when.
*see specific guidance below for undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students
Guidelines on recommended working hours from the Student Employment Service
Am I allowed to work?
Most students on full-time degree courses are allowed to work. You are allowed to work if your visa (entry clearance sticker in your passport or Biometric Residence Permit) states that 'Work must be authorised', 'Able to work as authorised by The Secretary of State’ or 'Work limited 20hrs p/w term time'. Any of these statements, or similar, mean that you are allowed to work.
You are not allowed to work if your visa states 'No work' or 'Employment prohibited'.
The UKCISA pages on 'Working during your studies' gives comprehensive details.
How many hours can I work?
Normally, you will be allowed to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during vacations or when your course has finished (see next section for more specific guidance for postgraduate students).
Below is a guide to how many hours you can work during term time if you applied for your visa on or after 4th July 2011:
- Up to 20 hours a week if you are studying at degree level or above
- Up to 10 hours a week if you are studying a course that is below degree level (including pre-sessional English)
If you applied for your visa before 4th July 2011 and for full details of permitted working hours, see the UKCISA pages 'Working during your studies'
Postgraduate taught students
Taught postgraduate (Masters) students, generally, do not have vacations during their study and cannot normally be considered to be on vacation until the official end date of their course. This is usually once you have completed all elements of your course including final corrections and submission of your dissertation.
Once you have completed all elements of your course you can work full-time for four months, or until your visa expires, whichever is sooner.
It may be possible to take a short vacation or leave of absence from your programme which would entitle you to work full time. This time will be limited and should always be agreed by your Department.
Postgraduate research students
Postgraduate research students do not have any defined vacation periods and must negotiate any vacation request with their supervisor and get official permission in writing from the Department. If given permission to take vacation, Departments should record the agreed vacation dates.
It may be possible to take a short vacation or leave of absence from your programme which would entitle you to work full time. This time will be limited and should always be agreed by your Department.
Important points about working during your studies
- If you work more than your permitted hours per week, you will be in breach of your visa conditions and could face consequences as a result.
- Your visa requires you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your studies and, therefore, you must not be dependant on income from part time work.
- If you are seeking work, you must apply for a National Insurance (NI) number.
Work placements
You are allowed to undertake a work placement in the UK as long as it is an assessed part of your course and is not longer than half the course in total. Your 20 hour per week (or less) restriction does not affect your work placement.
Internships
Although a period of work may often be referred to as an 'internship', the UK Border Agency definition of an 'internship' is summarised by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) below.
"For work to be described as an 'internship':
- the student must be on a first or higher degree course in the UK; and
- it must be offered by an employer to a potential employee, whether that future employment is in or outside the UK; and
- internships must be an established part of the employer's recruitment procedure; and
- the student must not previously have undertaken an internship with the employer; and
- it must not be for longer than three months; and
- it must be paid; and
- pay and conditions of employment must be comparable to those for a 'resident worker' doing the same kind of work; and
- it must be completed within the current period of leave as a student"
If you would like to undertake a period of work that is referred to as an 'internship', but which does not meet the requirements for an 'internship' as detailed above, it may still be possible to undertake it as part-time or vacation work, or as a placement which is an assessed part of your programme (you should discuss this with your Department).
Further Information
Information about working during your studies is also available from UKCISA