As an International student part-time work to meet new friends and earn extra money while you are studying in the UK, can be a positive option to consider.
As an international or EU student there are some important rules and regulations to be aware of.
Many international students studying for more than six months are issued student visas allowing them to work part-time. This means up to 20 hours work a week during term time and full-time work during your vacation and break periods.
Vacation periods are different depending on the course you are studying. Postgraduate students should check with an immigration adviser before undertaking full-time work.
Students holding short-term study visas cannot work in the UK.
If you require a student visa, you will not be able to rely or calculate expected income from part-time work to demonstrate how you will manage and afford to live and study in the UK.
For further information on working, see:
Working during your studies - UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)
If you are a Tier 4 or Student Visa holder the following restrictions apply:
- you cannot fill a full-time permanent vacancy
- no self-employment (this means no freelance or consultancy work and you cannot set up your own business)
- no work as a professional sports person or entertainer
In the event you have obtained 'settled' or 'pre-settled' status under the UK's EU Settlement Scheme, you can live, study and work in the UK freely with this immigration status, and you will not require a student visa. The EU Settlement Scheme was available to EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who were living in the UK by the end of 2020. [Applications for the scheme closed on 30 June 2021].
Irish students will not need to apply for a student or graduate visa. Irish nationals have the right to live and work in the UK (UK-Ireland Common Travel Area arrangements.
In some cases, students can stay in the UK after completing a degree course and take on paid employment.
The UK graduate visa (also known as the 'post-study work visa'). This allows international students to work in the UK for up to two years after their degree (three years for PhD students. Conditions apply.
