Working in the UK
Students studying for six months or more will normally have the following stamp in their passport:
"No recourse to public funds - Work (and any changes) must be authorised".
This means you have the normal student work restriction. You can normally work up to 20 hours a week in term time, and unlimited hours during vacations. There are restrictions on the type of work you can do; you cannot pursue a career by taking a permanent full-time vacancy, and you cannot be self-employed.
Students coming to study in the UK for less than six months are routinely given a ‘prohibition’ stamp in their passport:
"No work or recourse to public funds".
However, if you want to do some part-time work while studying, you can ask the Entry Clearance Officer (or the Immigration Officer, if you do not need entry clearance for a short stay) to stamp your passport with the ‘restriction’ stamp which will allow you to work. Please note that your reason for wanting to work must not be that you need money to fund your studies or living costs in the UK. To meet the Immigration Rules for students, you have to show that you have enough money to support yourself without needing to work.
When the Entry Clearance Officer or Immigration Officer gives you your passport back, check it immediately. Make sure that your visa or entry certificate states that you are coming to the UK as a ‘student’, rather than as a ‘visitor’, and that your conditions include a ‘restriction’ rather than a ‘prohibition’ on work. If you have been given a ‘prohibition’ on work, ask the Entry Clearance Officer to change it.
Please note: the consequences of a student breaching a prohibition on working or taking employment that is not covered by the consent, or working in excess of permitted hours, can be very serious. Offenders can be subject to ‘administrative removal’ resulting in immediate expulsion from the UK, with no right of appeal against their removal decisions, and future difficulties if they want to re-enter the UK.
Working after your studies
The International Graduate Scheme (IGS) is a scheme that allows students to work in the UK or up to 12 months after they have finished their course. The scheme was introduced on 1 May 007 and replaces the previous scheme for science and Engineering Graduates (known as EGS). Students can apply if they completed:
- undergraduate degree (pass and above)
- postgraduate degree
- postgraduate certificate or diploma course
in any subject after 1 May 2007.
For more information, see the UKCISA information sheet 'Working in the UK after your studies' [pdf format].This information can also be found by downloading our Guide for Guide for new international students [PDF format].