You must present your passport and visa to complete a Permission to Study Check in order to complete the University registration process at the start of your programme and at the start of each academic year:

• Completing the Permission to Study Check

If you arrive in Durham, or receive a new visa at any other time of the year, you must also complete a Permission to Study Check at that point.

You are required to attend, engage and make progress with their study under the conditions of your Tier 4 visa. Failure to do so result in your place at the University and your abililty to remain in the UK.

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) require that all students that hold a Tier 4 visa are monitored regularly during their study to ensure that they are engaging appropriately with their chosen programme.

The Student Immigration Office (SIO) works closely with academic departments to help ensure that students are fully engaging with programme requirements. ‘Tier 4 students’ are monitored in line with standard University academic monitoring practice for all students (with or without a Tier 4 visa) and no additional activities are expected in order to meet UKVI monitoring requirements.

Students on taught programmes:

Academic departments have identified compulsory academic commitments (referred to as ‘expected contact points’ by UKVI) for each programme by which they can monitor the engagement and progress of all students. This is standard University practice and will include (but is not limited to) attendance at lectures, seminars, meetings and exams and submission of coursework, adhering to UKVI examples. Registers are regularly taken at sessions where attendance is required and submission of all coursework is recorded.

In addition to this standard academic monitoring practice, academic departments will identify if a student misses 3 consecutive compulsory academic commitments and contact the student to address the issue. The SIO are also included in this communication and will also contact the student to remind them of their responsibility to engage with study under the conditions of their Tier 4 visa.

If problems with engagement and progress continue, the student will be issued with an Academic Progress Notice (APN) in line with standard University procedure. If the student fails to meet the requirements of the APN, action will be taken by the department and, where the student is required to withdraw from study, UKVI will be informed. This procedure ensures that the University meets UKVI requirements to report any students who have missed 10 consecutive expected contact points and are not able to progress as expected. 

Students on postgraduate research programmes:

Academic departments have identified compulsory academic commitments (referred to as ‘expected contact points’ by UKVI) for each programme by which they can monitor the engagement and progress of all students. This is standard University practice and will include (but is not limited to) initial 9 month and subsequent annual reviews, reports, supervisory blogs, meetings with supervisors and attendance at key events (specific to each academic department and appropriate to the subject of study). Where attendance is required this is recorded.

In addition to this standard academic monitoring practice, academic departments will identify if a student misses 3 consecutive compulsory academic commitments or if appropriate engagement is not evident and contact the student to address the issue. The SIO are also included in this communication and will also contact the student to remind them of their responsibility to engage with study under the conditions of their Tier 4 visa.

If problems with engagement and progress continue, the academic department will review the student’s progress and set conditions in line with standard University procedure. If the student fails to meet these conditions, action will be taken by the department and, where the student is required to withdraw from study, UKVI will be informed. This procedure ensures that we meet UKVI requirements to report any students who have missed 10 consecutive expected contact points and are not able to progress as expected.

Advice about absence, vacation periods & spending time outside the UK

You must check your University email account regularly as we use this to contact you during your studies.

You should make sure that your current address in UK, your mobile phone number and email address are correct and update your details if they change.

Login to DUO to check and update your details.

The University is required to inform UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) if you are no longer residing in the UK. If you decide to leave the UK before the end of your programme, this must be agreed with your Department first. 

If you are considering changes to your study including changing your programme, suspending or withdrawing from study you should also first discuss this with your Department before making any decisions.

The Student Immigration Office notify UKVI once any changes have been agreed and taken place.

Full details how these changes might affect your Tier 4 visa.

UKVI require that you report any changes to your personal details to them.

The way in which you report the changes depends on where you are and whether you have a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or not.

Report your changes in circumstance by following the instructions on the UKVI website

If your visa application has been refused by UK Visas & Immigration, you must contact the Student Immigration Office and provide a copy of the refusal notice immediately.

Any delay in responding to your refusal notice could affect your ability to remain in the UK.

If your immigration category changes and you no longer hold or require a Tier 4 visa, you must bring your passport and new visa to the Student Immigration Office as soon as possible so that records can be updated.

The conditions of your Tier 4 visa prohibit you from receiving any public funds (benefit) from the UK Government. If you apply for any benefit you do not qualify for, you will be breaching the conditions of your visa. This may affect any future visa applications.

A list of public funds is available from UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI)

If you have received or applied for any of public funds listed, you could be in breach of the immigration rules and you should contact us immediately.

You must comply with any conditions specified on your visa. If you have any questions about your visa status or the conditions attached, please contact the Student Immigration Office.