The University holds a Student Sponsor licence which allows us to sponsor international students to come to the UK to study with us. In order to retain that licence, both you and the University have an obligation to follow rules and responsibilities set out by the Home Office.
Your immigration responsibilities
As a student on a Student Visa, you will already have met a number of requirements set by the Home Office to be granted a visa allowing you to study in the UK. You therefore have a responsibility to ensure that you comply with the conditions of your Student Visa. Failure to comply with your visa conditions is a criminal offence and may result in; curtailment of your visa and/or withdrawal from the University, removal from the UK, and refusal of future visas for a period of one to 10 years.
The conditions attached to your Student Visa can be found on your vignette (the yellow sticker in your passport), on your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or on the decision letter which came with your visa. Please check all 3 of these documents carefully for any conditions - don't just rely on one document. It is very important that you maintain your Student Visa status by understanding the conditions and responsibilities that are attached to it.
If you do not follow the conditions of your Student Visa and the responsibilities which come with holding this visa, the University will have no choice but to notify the Home Office of any issues. The Home Office may then cancel your visa. Cancellation can result in your withdrawal from the University, removal from the UK, affect future immigration applications and may even result in a ban from returning to the UK for a certain time period.
You are also required to ensure that you co-operate with the University in fulfilling our Student Sponsor duties, as required by UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration). This includes replying to any enquiries from the University relating to your visa without delay.
Your immigration responsibilities include:
- Your obligation to study at your sponsor institution (the University of Hertfordshire). You can only study at the University of Hertfordshire, and cannot study at other institutions.
- Not claiming public funds.
- Ensuring your current passport & visa/Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) have been scanned by the University at registration/re-enrolment, & immediately every time you renew your passport and/or visa.
- Providing UH with your UK contact details (address/email address/mobile telephone number) and keeping them up to date via your Student Record (it is your responsibility to keep your contact details updated).
- To immediately inform the University of any changes to your circumstances that may affect your visa status in the UK – this includes changing from Student Visa to another leave type (& vice-versa).
- Attending all required lectures and tutorials (including any online teaching) and submitting all required course work on time.
- Informing UKVI of any changes required by them (including changes to your UK address).
- Registering for your programme on time each academic year.
- To study full-time (ensuring attendance in accordance with the University’s UPRs and your programme of study’s specific requirements).
- To engage in mandatory University attendance monitoring processes, including engaging with a yearly Visa Check & swiping your ID card at every teaching session.
- To follow University processes if you decide to defer, suspend or withdraw from your studies and return home.
- To return home if you defer or suspend your studies, withdraw from your programme or your programme is terminated. To also return home before the expiry date of your visa.
- To inform the University if you decide to complete your studies overseas as a distance learner.
- To notify the University of any absences (medical or personal).
- To inform the University if you complete your studies earlier than expected.
- To obtain new ATAS clearance (if applicable) before changing your course, transferring to another course and extending your visa.
- Adhering to work conditions as stipulated on your visa/Biometric Card (BRP), which includes not exceeding working hour restrictions.
- To act within the conditions of your visa and within the law.
The University’s immigration responsibilities
As the sponsor of your Student Visa, the University of Hertfordshire is required by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to ensure that we remain compliant with the terms of our sponsor licence throughout your course.
Our Student Sponsor responsibilities include:
- Keeping copies of student passports, visas, Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and ATAS certificates (if applicable). This includes making further copies every time you obtain new documents.
- Ensuring that we have up-to-date contact details for you – this includes changes to your name, address, telephone and email details
- Informing UKVI if you fail to register / re-enrol at the start of your course and each year afterwards
- To monitor & record attendance and notify UKVI of any unauthorised absence and/or non-attendance.
- To monitor & notify UKVI if you suspend your studies, defer, transfer course, withdraw from a course or complete your studies earlier than the end date stated on your CAS.
- To provide details of any work and Study Abroad placements to UKVI, and monitor your attendance at that work placement/Study Abroad location.
- To notify UKVI if you change visa status and no longer require your Student Visa OR Student sponsorship is no longer required due to a change in your study circumstances. This includes changing to distance learning or switching immigration categories.
- To take and keep copies of any evidence used as the basis of an offer to study with the University - this includes any documents which you provided as part of your offer, including interviews and portfolios of your work.
- To report any other information to UKVI if we have concerns about students breaching their visa conditions, including work conditions, non-attendance and any other issue outside of your studies which may impact your immigration status.