- How to protect your Student visa
- How do I check my eVisa?
- Do I need to attend classes on a Student visa?
- How many hours can I work on a Student visa?
- Why do I need to pay my tuition fees on time?
- How do I keep my visa and contact details up to date?
- Understand the University's Student visa policy
- Why do I need to read my University emails?
- How can I protect my eligibility for the Graduate visa (GV)?
- Watch: how to protect your Student visa
- Check Home Office updates
- Essentials for Student visa holders
How to protect your Student visa
As a Student visa holder, you must follow the conditions of your visa and the University's requirements for sponsored students.
Following these requirements will help you protect your Student visa and University visa sponsorship
How do I check my eVisa?
Check your eVisa carefully and make sure:
- your personal details, including your name, are correct
- you understand the conditions attached to your visa, including your working conditions
- you have been given enough time to complete your studies
- you know when your visa expires.
Your visa end date should include four months after the course end date on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
If there is an error, report a problem with your eVisa on GOV.UK.
If you need to remain in the UK after your visa expires, take action at least three months before the expiry date.
You must create a UKVI account to access your eVisa. GOV.UK also says that you need to link the travel document you use to come to the UK to your UKVI account. Study in the UK on a Student visa.
Do I need to attend classes on a Student visa?
Yes. You must attend your classes and remain engaged with your studies.
You must:
- study your course full-time, on campus and in the UK
- swipe your student ID card on an attendance reader to record your attendance. Find out more about Student Engagement monitoring.
- follow the University's Student Engagement monitoring requirements.
Fully online study is not permitted on a Student visa.
What if I need to be absent?
If you need to be away during term time, request an authorised absence before you leave.
If your absence is not authorised, it could affect:
- your current Student visa
- future visa applications, including the Graduate visa
- your eligibility for a future Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
If you do not attend and engage with your studies, you may be withdrawn from your course and your visa sponsorship could be cancelled.
The Home Office also limits the amount of time you can spend studying at degree level in the UK. Repeating or deferring modules could therefore affect your ability to extend your visa and complete your studies.
If you want to change your programme, you may need to leave the UK and apply for a new visa before transferring.
How many hours can I work on a Student visa?
You must follow the working conditions shown on your Student visa.
Always check your visa conditions. If your conditions allow you to work up to 20 hours per week during term time:
- a week runs from Monday to Sunday
- you cannot average your hours across several weeks
- paid and unpaid work, on-call duties, on-the-job training and voluntary worker roles count towards the limit
- you must make sure the type of work you do is permitted under your visa conditions.
Check which types of work are permitted.
If the working conditions on your visa are incorrect, contact SITCompliance@herts.ac.uk immediately.
- Can I work full-time during University holidays?
Unless you are a research student, you may work full-time during official University vacation periods.
You may also work full-time while completing a University-approved work placement.
Why do I need to pay my tuition fees on time?
You risk being withdrawn from your course and having your visa sponsorship cancelled if you do not pay your tuition fees by the required liability dates.
Once your visa sponsorship has been withdrawn, it cannot be reinstated, even if your debt block is later removed and you are allowed to return to your studies.
Check the student tuition fee payment rules.
How do I keep my visa and contact details up to date?
Tell SITCompliance@herts.ac.uk if:
- your passport or visa has changed since you registered at Herts
- your immigration status changes
- your visa is refused
- you change to another immigration category.
If you get a new passport, make sure it is linked to your eVisa.
You should also:
- update your personal details if your name, address or other details change
- keep your details with the Home Office up to date.
GOV.UK confirms that the travel document used to enter the UK needs to be linked to the student's UKVI account. Study in the UK on a Student visa.
Understand the University's Student visa policy
Read the University's requirements for Student Route applicants and students.
This explains when the University may need to withdraw visa sponsorship and provides other important information for Student visa holders.
Why do I need to read my University emails?
As a Student visa holder, you are responsible for keeping in contact with the University as your visa sponsor.
Make sure you:
- check your emails regularly
- check your junk or spam folder
- add University mailing addresses to your safe list
- keep your personal email address up to date
- respond promptly when the University asks you to take action.
Some communications to international students require an urgent response. If the University contacts you and you do not respond, your visa sponsorship could be cancelled.
How can I protect my eligibility for the Graduate Visa (GV)?
The Graduate visa allows eligible international graduates to remain in the UK after successfully completing their course.
To apply:
- you must be in the UK
- your current visa must be a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- you must have successfully completed an eligible course
- the University must have told the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course
- you must apply before your Student visa expires.
These eligibility requirements are confirmed by current GOV.UK guidance. Graduate visa: Overview
If you repeat or defer part of your course, this could affect when your award is confirmed and your ability to apply before your Student visa expires.
Find out more about the Graduate visa.
Watch: how to protect your Student visa
Watch our How to Protect Your Student Visa video.
Check Home Office updates
Student immigration rules can change.
Check our Home Office updates for international students regularly for changes that could affect you.