Rights, responsibilities and restrictions

Your Tier 4/Student visa is granted to allow you to study in the UK. 

You can:

• Study a full time programme with your sponsor (the University of Edinburgh)
• Take additional studies with your sponsor or other institution (providing it does not interfere with your main course of study)
• Undertake certain types of work

Find out more about working in the UK

There are certain things that your Tier 4/Student visa will prohibit you from doing. 

You must not:

• Claim public funds 

Read more about public funds on the UK Government website

Please note: the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount is NOT a public fund.

• Work as a self-employed person
• Engage in business activity
• Work as an entertainer, sportsperson or coach
• Study your main programme with an institution that is not the sponsor of your visa
  • If you wish to study at another institution, you must apply for a visa for that institution before you can begin your programme
• Stay in the UK past the end date of your visa, unless you have made a visa application to extend your stay in the UK

There are a number of responsibilities attached to a Tier 4/Student visa. 

You are responsible for:

• Keeping the University up-to-date with your address, email address and telephone number
  •  You can do this through your MyEd account
• Providing the University with a copy of your visa or Biometric Residence Permit each time you get a new one
• Attending all  classes, lectures and seminars, or if you are a research student, engaging regularly with your supervisor 
  • If you cannot attend for any reason, you must inform your School or supervisor, and get permission for your absence
• Seeking immigration advice in a timely fashion
  • If you make any changes to your studies, such as changing the end date or taking breaks, it is likely to affect your visa
  • It is important to speak to a Student Immigration Adviser before making any changes
• Ensuring that (where required) you apply for a new Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate each time you make changes to your studies 

Find out more about ATAS

• Ensuring that you leave the UK, or apply to extend your stay, before the expiry date of your visa

For more information on what happens at the end of your studies:

At the end of your studies

Student Visa holders are required to be actively and consistently engaging with their studies throughout the period for which the students are being sponsored.  As your visa sponsor, the University is required by the Home Office to monitor the academic engagement and attendance of students we are sponsoring under the Student Route.   

The requirement will depend on the level of your programme of study .

As your sponsor, the University has agreed to be responsible for you while your visa is valid. We have a number of legal obligations which must be fulfilled.

Recording duties

The University must keep a record of:

• Your current address, email address and telephone number
• Your current visa or Biometrics Residence Permit
• Your attendance at classes/seminars/lectures/etc. or other engagement with your studies

Reporting duties

The University is required to inform the Home Office if you fail to enrol on time. 

You are required to enrol at the University by the latest start date on your CAS. If you cannot arrive by that time, you must arrange a later start date with your School, and let us know so we can tell the Home Office.

If you cannot arrange a later start date, the University must tell the Home Office that you will not start your programme, and your Student visa will be cancelled. You must not attempt to travel to the UK using your Student visa. 

If you defer your studies, the University will tell the Home Office and your visa will be cancelled. You will need to apply for a new Student visa to begin your studies at a later date.

You change your programme

You are normally allowed to change your programme without it affecting your visa, providing:

• You are changing to the same level, or a higher level of study at the same institution; AND
• Your programme is at degree level or above; AND
• You can complete your new programme within the validity of your current visa; AND
• Your new programme represents academic progression from your previous programme; AND
• You apply for a new Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if required

If the new programme is shorter than the previous one, your visa will be curtailed to reflect the new end date. This will normally mean that your visa will expire four months after the new end date.

If your new programme is longer than the previous one, you will need to apply for extra time to complete your studies. You may not be able to make your application in the UK. For full information about this, see our information about academic progression and time limits.

Student visa: time limits and academic progression

You do not attend classes

If you fail to attend 10 consecutive required academic engagements (such as classes, tutorials, lectures, etc.) without seeking permission from your School or supervisor, the University is required to exclude you from your programme.

The University must inform the Home Office and your visa will be curtailed. The Home Office will write to you, normally by email, and tell you the new expiry date of your visa. This will normally be 60 days from the date of the email.

We cannot tell you exactly when the Home Office will write to you, but we advise you to make plans to leave the UK, or apply for alternative immigration permission, within 60 days of formally withdrawing or being excluded from your studies.

Your Tier 4/Student work permission is cancelled from the date you withdraw or are excluded from studies. You must not work once you have withdrawn or been excluded. Doing so would be a serious breach of UK immigration law.

You withdraw from your studies, or are excluded

The University must inform the Home Office and your Tier 4 visa will be curtailed. The Home Office will write to you, normally by email, and tell you the new expiry date of your visa. This will normally be 60 days from the date of the email.

We cannot tell you exactly when the Home Office will write to you, but we advise you to make plans to leave the UK, or apply for alternative immigration permission, within 60 days of formally withdrawing or being excluded from your studies.

Your Tier 4/Student work permission is cancelled from the date you withdraw or are excluded from studies. You must not work once you have withdrawn or been excluded. Doing so would be a serious breach of UK immigration law.

You defer your studies, or take an interruption

If you interrupt your studies for more than 60 days, the University cannot continue to sponsor your visa. This includes circumstances of serious illness or pregnancy.

Your visa will be curtailed and you will be given 60 days to leave the UK or apply for a different visa to stay. You will need to apply for a new Student visa to return to studies.

We strongly advise you to speak to a Student Immigration Adviser before you defer or interrupt your studies.

You change the location of your programme

If you take a leave of absence to study, or do a work placement, in another location, the University will inform the Home Office of your new location. Your Tier 4/Student visa will not normally be affected and will remain valid until its expiry date.