The information on this page is for students who are already in possession of a visa. For information on how to apply and visa advice, please see our step-by-step guide on how to apply and Student visa application process for applicants.
Another helpful source is UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) which contains all the information you need to be able to complete a Student visa application, whether you’re making your application inside or outside of the UK.
Advice for current students with a Student visa
This information provides an overview of the common queries students have regarding their student visa. We have lots of information and resources which we hope you will find useful on our student sharepoint - only enrolled students will be able to access these resources.
Placements
Adding a work placement to your course can improve your confidence, CV and future career prospects, and so could be very beneficial. If you add a work placement to your course and have a Student Visa; you will need to extend your visa. We have more information about the process on our Sharepoint site. Please contact the Student Support and Experience team if you are thinking of adding a placement year to your course.
Changing your course
If you would like to change to an alternative course, you must speak with the Student Support and Experience team. This is because of visa and immigration rules, which dictate whether you can change course, and which courses you can change to. It is not expected that you will make any changes to your course after the first three weeks of teaching.
Travelling to Europe
If you’re not an EEA national and want to travel to Europe, you may be required to apply for a Schengen Visa. Please read the UKCISA guidance about travelling in Europe.
Requesting leave from the University
If you want to take leave from the University for any reason, it’s important that you obtain permission from the University beforehand so that we can provide accurate reporting to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). One of the conditions of your visa is that you’re engaged in full-time study whilst you are in the UK, and so any periods of absence from the University must be authorised.
Important information:
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Unless there are exceptional circumstances, international authorised leave must not be longer than 10 working days.
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Tutors will NOT authorise any leave if they feel that you’ve not been attending or engaging with your studies to a satisfactory level.
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Tutors will not authorise your leave if they feel it will significantly impact on your academic progress. A tutor’s academic judgement cannot be contested and is final.
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You MUST complete an international authorised leave form before leaving the country for any reason. Failure to seek approval before leaving the UK is a breach of the University Student visa regulations and could result in your withdrawal from your course.
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If you’re withdrawn from your course, this will subsequently be reported to the UKVI and the University sponsorship of your Student visa would cease.
Attendance monitoring
Students with a Student visa are subject to regular attendance and course engagement monitoring checks throughout each academic year. The reasons for this are to ensure we can:
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comply with our Student visa sponsorship responsibilities
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signpost any students who may not be attending regularly to our support services
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report accurately to the UK Visa and Immigration service
You’ll be notified through your student email when you are required to sign-in, so please make sure you check your email regularly. Failure to sign-in may result in withdrawal from your award meaning your Student visa sponsorship would cease.
The Graduate Route
The Graduate Route is a visa available to people who have successfully complete degrees in the UK. Like the previous post-study Work visa, the Graduate Route will allow most graduates to remain in the UK to for 2 years after they complete their degrees and PhD graduates to remain for up to 3 years.
This offers a great opportunity for eligible students to work in the UK after completing their courses.
Details about who is and is not eligible, and what the visa allows, are in our Frequently Asked Questions section.
Please note that it is University policy to withhold the reporting of successful completion to the UKVI when a graduate has outstanding tuition fee debt.
Lost or stolen Biometric Residence Permit
If you have lost your Biometric Residence Permit, or you suspect it has been stolen, you must report this. You can find information regarding this on UKCISA and gov.uk. If you would like further help with this, you can make an appointment with ISS using the booking system or by visiting the Student Hub.
Lost or stolen passport
If you have lost your passport or you believe it may have been stolen, please visit the gov.uk website to find out your next steps. If you would like further help with this, you can make an appointment with Student Support and Experience using the booking system or by visiting the Student Hub.
Inviting friends and family
If you want to invite your family or friends to visit you whilst you’re studying, then read our guidance. This explains what visa they should apply for, common reasons why applicants might be refused, and what documents you should give them to help with their visa application.
Visiting the UK for graduation
Remember, if your visa expires before your graduation then you will need to return home and apply for a Visitor visa to return to the UK for your ceremony.
Graduation dates for this year have not yet been set – but please check the Graduation pages for updates
Once the dates have been set and you have booked your tickets for the ceremony, you can contact Student Connect for a Graduation letter that you need for your visa application.
Visitor visa
If your course only requires you to study in the UK for six months or less, you may need to apply for a Visitor Visa. Please read the guidance from UKCISA about visitor visas.
You can request a letter from the University to support your Visitor visa application.