If you have a Tier 4 visa and are studying at degree-level, you should be entitled to work 20 hours per week during term-time.
Some students can work full-time hours during holidays, but it is extremely important that you know how many hours you can work at any given time and do not exceed it. Working even a few extra hours per week is a breach of your Tier 4 visa and is likely to result in your deportation from the UK.
Even if you are allowed to work full-time during holidays, you must never accept a permanent full-time job while you are on a Tier 4 visa. You must also be aware of the following:
- You cannot be self-employed.
- You cannot fill a full-time permanent vacancy.
- You must not be employed as an entertainer or professional sports person (including coach).
Undergraduates: You can work full-time hours during the official Christmas, Easter and summer breaks. You can also work full-time in any remaining time on your visa (usually 4 months) after you have completed your programme.
Masters: You can work full-time hours during the official Christmas and Easter breaks but not during the summer whilst you are completing your dissertation. You can also work full-time in any remaining time on your visa (usually 2-4 months) after you have completed your programme.
PhD: You cannot work more than 20 hours per week until you have submitted your final corrected thesis. This is because PhD students do not have official term-time and holiday periods. After you have completed your programme, you can work full-time in any remaining time on your visa (usually approximately 4 months). It is extremely important that you do not exceed 20 hours per week before this, including during the period between your initial thesis submission and your viva, or while you are undertaking your corrections.
There is more information about this on our website.
Please log an enquiry if you have any questions or if you would like to have the working conditions on your visa confirmed and an immigration adviser from the International Student Support Office will help.