All international, non EU/EEA full-time students on a full-time degree programme who have a valid student visa are allowed to work in a temporary job up to 20 hours per week during semester time and any number of hours during university vacations.

Other students may have other restrictions on part-time work, for example 10 hours per week or no work at all. Please check your visa carefully.

It may appear, when you first look at your timetable, that you have plenty of free time in which to take on a part-time job. However, the British education system requires students, when not attending lectures or tutorials, to do a certain amount of study by themselves, including preparing coursework, reading around the subject and revising for examinations. The University’s recommended maximum of 10-12 hours part-time work per week should not interfere with your study and will still allow you time to relax and enjoy the company of your new friends. You should therefore not rely on part-time earnings to fund your studies.  Please note that a Masters degree is one year in length and the summer period is for writing up your dissertation and is not classified as vacation time.

Immigration rules allow you to work only if you are a meeting the conditions of your student visa, i.e. that you are a full-time student. If your circumstances should change, for example if you leave the course, either temporarily or permanently, you should notify the Home Office immediately of your change of status and check if you are still entitled to work. You should leave the UK immediately unless you plan to pursue another course of study or have another valid reason to remain. The Immigration authorities have the right to detain or deport anyone who fails to comply with these rules.

EEA and Swiss nationals do not need permission to work, but the same University-recommended maximum of 10-12 hours per week still applies. If you are a student from one of the countries which has joined the EU since May 2004, except Cyprus and Malta, and wish to take part-time work for more than one month, you need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme. Further information can be found on the EEA and Swiss students section of the UKCISA website.

National Insurance Number

You do not need a National Insurance (NI) number in order to start a job – you will initially be allocated a temporary number – but you should apply for a permanent NI number as soon as you can. This means you will have to attend an interview but you must call 0845 6600 0643 for an appointment first.

You will need to bring various documents with you to your interview – these will be identified when you make your appointment, but include passport, proof of where you live, proof of student status and contract of employment.  For full information visit the National Insurance website

Minimum wage

There is a national minimum wage in the UK which employers are obliged to pay. The main rate for workers aged 21 and over is £5.93 an hour and the development rate for 18-20 year olds is £4.92 an hour.