Employment during study
Below is some information on employment regulations for international students. Please remember to check your individual permissions before undertaking any employment.
If you require further information, please contact the International Student Advisers. To book an appointment with an International Student Adviser, please contact the Student Services Enquiry team at the desk on level 2, Fraser Building or on (0141) 330 7000.
For more information on the regulations on working in the UK, please refer to the UKBA website.
Can I work whilst studying?
If you are from a non-EEA country, you will probably find one of the following restrictions stamped or noted in your passport or ID card:
- "Work (and any changes) must be authorised" or
- "Able to work as authorised by the Secretary of State" or
- "Student Leave to Remain. Restricted Work - P/T Term Time, F/T Vacations or work 20 hours max in term time".
If you have one of these conditions on your visa, you can work in the UK up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during vacation periods. The 20 hour per week maximum during term time is not flexible and cannot be exceeded in any given week.
If you are studying a course below degree level, you will only be allowed to work 10 hours per week during term time.
Please note that postgraduate Masters students are considered to be studying full-time during the months spent in the summer completing a dissertation and, as such, are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week during this time.
If you have the following prohibition endorsed in your passport, "No work or recourse to public funds", then you cannot work in the UK. If you are coming to the UK as a Student Visitor, you will have this stamp which means that you cannot work. Please remember that working whilst you have a prohibition stamped in your passport is illegal.
If you are in the UK as a student and you are a Bulgarian or Romanian national, you must obtain a registration certificate as a student before you can start work. The usual permissions granted on the registration certificate are for employment to be permitted for up to 20 hours a week in term time, with full-time employment being permitted in vacation periods.
The relevant application form is the BR1 form which you can find at the UKBA website along with the full details on this application category. The application is free and must be made by post, unless you opt to book an appointment to apply in person at the Public Enquiry Office in Croydon.
EEA or Swiss nationals (excluding Bulgarian and Romanian nationals) are allowed to take employment without requiring a work permit.
Below are some useful links related to the matter of employment during studies:
How do I obtain a National Insurance (NI) number?
A National Insurance (NI) number is a personal number which is used to record your National Insurance contributions and tax that you pay. You should apply for a National Insurance number when you have started work or if you have the offer of a job. To apply, you should telephone JobCentre Plus on 0845 6000 643. You may then be sent a postal application or be required to attend an 'evidence of identity' interview. For more information, please refer to the HM Revenue & Customs website. Please note that there is no charge to apply for/obtain a National Insurance number.
For information on jobs, you can check the Careers Service and the SRC Jobshop websites.