Working on a Student visa

Student work can be a rewarding opportunity to make some extra money, meet new people, enhance your career prospects and experience working life in the UK. It's really important to understand and comply with your Student visa work rights, restrictions and University recommendations.

Work rights and restrictions are a condition of your Student visa

You are responsible for knowing what you can and cannot do on your Student visa.

Please follow your visa restrictions and ensure that work or employment will not affect progress on your programme of study.  

You’ll need to prove your right to work in the UK to an employer before you start working for them. If you are a Student visa holder, you should have online eVisa access and will be expected to provide a valid share code to prove your right to work in the UK.

If you have a Student visa, your right to work conditions appear on:

  • your eVisa status (via your UKVI online account and share code)
  • your most recent UKVI visa decision letter (official visa decision email)
  • your visa vignette (initial entry visa sticker in passport)

An employer would usually need a valid eVisa share code to check:

  • the types of work you’re allowed to do in the UK
  • how long you can work in the UK for

You can check your right to work details online on the Government website:

Prove your Right to Work in the UK

Online eVisa guidance 

Disclaimer: This webpage is written for main Student visa holders only. If you are inside the UK on a different type of immigration permission, you may not be able to work, or your work rights will differ from those described here. 

Types of work you can and cannot do in the UK

With a Student visa, you are allowed to do:

  • Paid employment and work (i.e. as an employee, on a temporary basis) and/or
  • Volunteering, and/or
  • Unpaid employment and/or ‘voluntary work’ (on a temporary basis)

However, you must remember to follow your Student visa working restrictions

Find jobs while you are a student | Careers Service

Employment status: Overview

Differences between volunteering and voluntary work

‘Volunteering’ offers the opportunity to undertake a wide range of activities. It is not paid, but you can meet new people and make a difference in your local community. There are many ways of finding volunteering opportunities, usually at a charity or public sector organisation. For the activity to count as ‘volunteering’, it must meet certain conditions. The UKVI Student caseworker guidance explains that volunteers do not have a contract and must not be a substitute for an employee. Volunteers would not be paid, though it is possible to receive ‘reasonable’ travel and subsistence expenses. This is usually limited to food, drink or travel expenses only. 

Volunteer Scotland opportunities

'Voluntary work’ has a different meaning from ‘volunteering’. Voluntary work is typically characterised by working for the ‘benefit’ of a charity, voluntary organisation, or related fund-raising or statutory body. It would be classed as unpaid voluntary work/employment, if you get any other type of payment, reward, or benefit in kind. This includes any promise of a contract or paid work in the future. As ‘Voluntary work’ is classed as ‘unpaid employment’, any worked hours must be counted toward your weekly work hour limitation as a Student visa holder (during term time). 


With a Student visa, you can do most kinds of work, but you must not:

  • take a permanent full-time job 
  • be self-employed   
  • engage in a business activity  
  • be employed as a professional sportsperson or sports coach   
  • be employed as an entertainer   

Although the above list may seem straightforward, there are grey areas. Speak to us if you are unsure.

Further guidance on work that is not allowed:

Permanent full-time job

'Permanent' means there is no end date in your contract. You can do a permanent part-time job. Outside term time, you can do a full-time fixed-term job.  

There is an exception to this restriction (if criteria met) when switching to a Skilled Worker or Graduate visa. 

Self-employment

Self-employed workers are not paid through PAYE and do not have the rights and responsibilities of an ‘employee’. Self-employment can include selling goods and services for profit, including online and through apps. The UK tax authority, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), can tell you if your proposed work may be self-employment. 

An employer might suggest working for them as a 'contractor' or on a 'freelance' basis. However, that would be self-employment, which is not allowed and a breach of the immigration rules and your visa work conditions. You must not agree to this type of work on a Student visa. 

Employment status guidance: self-employed

Business activity

You're not allowed to ‘engage in business activity’ on a Student visa. Some examples given by the UKVI Student caseworker guidance which would be considered to be ‘engaging in business activity’ (not an exhaustive list) are: 

  • setting up a business as a sole trader or under a partnership arrangement and that business is either trading or establishing a trading presence  
  • being employed by a company in which they hold shares of 10% or more (including where the shares are held in a trust for them)  
  • working for a company where they also hold a statutory role, such as a director 

Entertainer

Employment as an entertainer or professional sportsperson, including a sports coach, is not allowed on a Student visa. This includes paid work as an actor, musician, dancer, or other ‘performer’.  

There is an exception for ‘dance, drama and music’ students if it is part of their integral and assessed work placement, where the programme is at degree level or above. 


If your Student visa does not allow work:

  • You must not work if your visa decision email/letter, or eVisa status states ‘No work’. It would be a breach of your immigration conditions and may be classed as a criminal offence.  
  • With a ‘No Work’ condition on your visa, you must not do anything considered unpaid employment or voluntary work in the UK.  

Please ask our team for further advice if your Student visa for the University of Edinburgh was granted with a 'no work' condition. This would usually be a UKVI visa error that needs correcting. 

If you think your Student visa 'no work' condition is a UKVI visa mistake, you must correct this as soon as possible. This must be corrected before you start any permitted work in the UK.   


How many hours can you work and when

If your Student visa is for a full-time programme and sponsored by the University of Edinburgh (a Student sponsor with a track record of compliance), your right to work hours are the following: 

Term Time: If you are studying for a qualification below degree level

  • You can work up to 10 hours a week in term-time 

Term Time: If you are studying for a qualification at degree level or above

  • You can work up to 20 hours a week in term-time (A 'degree-level' programme is at SCQF level 9 or higher / RQF level 6 or higher).
  • You can work the usual 20 hours a week limit during term-time (would be in addition) during an ‘assessed and integral’ work placement that is part of your programme. 

Official vacation and after study: Studying below and above degree level

  • You can work full-time ‘outside term-time’. This includes official vacation periods, before the CAS programme start date and after your programme has ended (‘wrap-up period’).

What counts as a 'week'?

A ‘week’ is any seven days starting on a Monday. You are responsible for ensuring that you do not exceed your weekly working hours, so it's essential to maintain detailed records of your actual working hours. This is especially important if you work irregular hours or if you have more than one employer. It is your responsibility to count the total hours you have actively worked. 

The University recommendation:  

Undergraduate or Postgraduate Taught full-time students should work no more than 15 hours per week during studies. It’s also a good idea to reduce your working hours at exam times if you can, to cut down on stress.

Postgraduate research full-time students should work no more than 9 hours per week across the academic year (on average).

Check the postgraduate research student recommendation

 

When have you completed your term time

The end of term time varies depending on your academic dates and study level.

Below Degree Level - Pre-sessional English (Single Course): 

During term-time you can work up to 10 hours per week. During official vacations you can work full-time during the validity of your visa.

Taught Undergraduate students (e.g. BA/MA Hons): 

This will be the official course end date per your most recently used CAS. 

If repeating studies: If you fail your exams and are repeating any modules or assessments and coursework during your Student visa wrap-up period, you will be considered to be in term-time as you are continuing to study and haven’t completed your studies. You should only work 20 hours per week when studying. 

Postgraduate Taught students (e.g. Masters): 

This is normally your student record's expected course end date, if you have completed your studies on time. Otherwise, it will vary.

Postgraduate Research students (e.g. PhD/MScR):

Your course completion date (term time ends) is once you have submitted all academic work (Post Thesis submission, Viva, and any submitted final corrections). 

Your student record must confirm that any submitted corrections have been approved by examiners (Post Viva with final Thesis submission). 

Extra time after your course end date (wrap-up period): 

Students on a full-time programme longer than 12 months are issued a Student visa to cover the CAS course end date plus four additional months. This extra time after study is sometimes called the Student visa 'wrap-up period'. This last four-month period of your visa is 'outside of term time/after study' as long as your visa has remained valid, and you completed your studies on time. 

You are allowed to work full-time hours 'outside of term time' (during official vacation and after study) 

Employer Right to Work check: 

You’ll need to prove your right to work in the UK to your employer before you start working for them. Employers have access to the 'Right to Work' published guidance and government services to help them confirm an applicant's right to work in the UK (including student visa holders). Please check our 'Proving your Right to Work to an employer' section below.

Additional Guidance

Some students will study on a programme with an 'assessed and integral' work placement.

In this instance, our University (your Student visa sponsor) must:

  • Stay connected with you during your assessed and integral work placement.
  • Inform UKVI that you're doing an assessed work placement as part of your programme.

Whilst you are doing a full-time ‘assessed and integral’ work placement as part of your programme, you are allowed to work your usual term-time student work hours (of up to 20 hours per week) - in addition to the work placement.

However, if you wish to add a new work placement to your original programme may impact your Student visa permission, and you must contact us for up-to-date immigration advice. 

A UK internship or work placement that's not an 'assessed and integral' part of your programme must be part-time during term time to ensure it's within your usual weekly work limit (up to 20 hours per week for degree level). 


An 'early completion' has been reported to UKVI

If you complete your course before your used CAS course end date, we may report this to UKVI. We would only need to report an 'early completion' change and withdraw visa sponsorship if:

  • Your published award on your student record is more than 60 days earlier than your (used) CAS course end date.

Reported an 'early completion' change and withdrawn visa sponsorship: 

  • UKVI will then have to start curtailment action to shorten (cancel) your visa permission to the usual wrap-up period after this new reported early completion date. UKVI will issue a curtailment notice by email that confirms your new curtailed (shortened) visa expiry date. The original visa expiry date will no longer be relevant in this case.
  • If you don't leave the UK after an early completion has been reported to UKVI, you may work full-time inside the UK on your Student visa. However, you must leave the UK before your new shortened (curtailed) cancellation visa expiry date. You must not overstay your visa beyond the new curtailed expiry date. 

If we have not reported an 'early completion'

In limited cases, an early completion may not need to be reported if this happened when you were already in the wrap-up period of your visa permission. 

If you complete your course before the course end date on your CAS and we have not needed to report this change to UKVI, you should wait until after your course end date has passed, before you start working more than your term-time hours. 


If you finish your studies and still have time left on your Student visa permission, you may be able to work full-time on a temporary basis (e.g. a fixed-term contract). You can usually work full-time after studies until your valid Student visa expiry date (as you'll no longer be in your term time).   

If you want to stay longer in the UK, you will need to check if there is another visa type that you can qualify for. You can make a valid in time visa application inside the UK if you meet all visa requirements and submit your visa application, before/by your Student visa expiry date.  

There are many different work visas for the UK, including the graduate visa, skilled worker, and global talent route.  

The Graduate visa is flexible and unsponsored, and can search for and start nearly all types of work in the UK. With a Graduate visa, you can also travel in and out of the UK during the validity of your visa without any restriction. However, the Graduate visa category does not offer the option to settle in the UK.  

Other work visa options, such as the Skilled Worker or Global Talent visa, can lead to settlement in the UK.   

Careers Service support

The Careers Service can provide graduates and alumni with 2 years of University career support. The service has lots of useful information and resources to help you navigate the UK graduate job market. 

Further work visa guidance

We provide an overview of work visa options

Working after studies 

Graduate visa - overview

Skilled worker visa - switch

Global talent visa - switch


If you want to work above your weekly limit, the employer may need to provide evidence that you are not in 'term-time', before they can give full-time or extra hours.

Proving your right to work to an employer: Overview

View your eVisa and get a share code to prove your immigration status online  

The official term dates and vacation periods are published on the University semester dates website. 

University Academic Term Dates

Your eVisa share code will confirm your right to work information, and you can provide the following additional documents: 

  • Semester Dates showing term-time and official vacation dates.  
  • Student Matriculation letter 

The Student Immigration Service does not issue letters to confirm when you can work full-time on a Student visa. Alternatively, your School may be able to issue a letter that confirms your completion of studies/academic work. 

Official University Documents

Keep your online UKVI account up-to-date

If you need help with your online eVisa account

Employer guidance:

The government 'Employer Checking Service' can be used to prove your right to work. If any problems, please then direct your employer to: Use the Employer Checking Service - GOV.UK 

An employer can also phone the 'UKVI Employer Enquiry' helpline for further guidance:

Employer Guidance: Checking a job applicant's right to work

UK Employer checklist for employing someone new

UK Employment contracts: Overview


The University's academic year is divided into two semesters. Please refer to individual year calendars for specific revision, exam and official vacation dates.

Non-standard academic dates:  The academic dates for some degree programmes may diverge from the standard University academic year structure. If you are still unsure and have non-standard vacation times, please contact your School and/or refer to your programme handbook for this information. Where your programme does not follow the standard academic dates, you must ensure you do not work more than the weekly work hours permitted during your term-time, even if other programmes are in an official vacation.

University Semester Dates

Taught Undergraduate students (e.g. BA/MA Hons): 

There are three official vacation periods, known as:

  • Winter
  • Spring
  • Summer 

Postgraduate Taught students (e.g. Masters): 

There are two official vacation periods, known as:

  • Winter
  • Spring

Postgraduate taught students typically have 2 official vacation periods if a programme follows the standard academic year. Postgraduate taught programmes will include a dissertation or research project during the summer, where students continue to study until the end date of their programme. Please check with your school to confirm term time and official vacation dates, as your programme may follow non-standard academic dates.

Postgraduate Research students (e.g. PhD/MScR):

You are considered to be in term time throughout your PGR programme. Your programme duration includes all academic work.

PGR course completion is after your final academic work has been submitted. (Post Thesis submission, Viva, and any submitted final corrections). Unless you have written permission from your supervisor to take a period of 'PGR Annual/Vacation Leave' during term time. 

PGR Annual/Vacation Leave Policy 

PGR Annual Vacation Leave is 'outside of term time/official vacation'. A vacation leave request must be agreed to and approved by your supervisor. 

  • During a period of Annual/Vacation Leave, you can work full-time hours on your Student visa:
  • To avoid accidentally breaching your work conditions, you should only work full-time hours if you have a full week of Annual/Vacation Leave from Monday to Sunday.
  • If your Annual/Vacation Leave starts/ends partway through a Monday-Sunday week, you should comply with your term-time 20-hour working hours limit for that week. 

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