UK Student Visa Work Rules: Hours, Restrictions & Work Placements

Can I work in the UK on a Student visa?

Many Student visa holders can work in the UK, but having a Student visa does not automatically give everyone permission to work.

Your work rights will depend on factors including:

• The level of your course
• Whether you are studying full-time or part-time
• The type of education provider sponsoring you
• Whether you are working during term time or outside term time

The conditions attached to your immigration permission should confirm whether you are permitted to work. You should check your eVisa and, if necessary, confirm your term dates and work conditions with your education provider before starting work.

How many hours can I work on a Student visa?

For many students undertaking a full-time degree-level course or above with a higher education provider that has a track record of compliance, the limit is 20 hours per week during term time. Full-time employment is generally permitted outside term time.

Students undertaking a full-time course below degree level with an eligible education provider may generally work up to 10 hours per week during term time, with full-time employment permitted outside term time.

Other students, including those undertaking part-time study, may not have permission to work.

The general position is summarised below:

These are general rules. Your individual immigration conditions remain important and should be checked before you undertake employment.

Can I work full-time during university holidays?

Where your Student visa conditions permit employment, you may generally work full-time outside term time.

However, it is important not to assume that a particular period is a university vacation simply because you do not have lectures.

This is particularly relevant to postgraduate research students, including PhD and doctoral students, whose term and vacation arrangements may differ from those of students undertaking taught courses. Your university can confirm the term dates that apply to you.

Can I do a work placement on a Student visa?

Yes. Work placements are permitted in certain circumstances.

If you are studying at degree level or above, the placement must:

• Form part of a course at degree level or above
• Be an integral and assessed part of your course
• Form part of a course leading to an approved qualification
• Not normally be longer than half the total length of your course

If your course is below degree level, you can only undertake a placement if:

• The placement is an assessed and integral part of your course
• It makes up no more than one third of your course, unless there is a statutory requirement for it to be longer

Does a work placement count towards my 20-hour working limit?

You can work full-time while undertaking an eligible work placement, including during term time. The usual 10 or 20-hour term-time working limit does not apply to the hours worked as part of the placement.

What if I am studying music, drama or dance?

Students studying music, drama or dance can undertake work placements which involve a professional performance without being in breach of the employment restrictions, where:

• The course is at degree level or above (meaning courses of at least RQF Level 6 or SCQF level 9)
• The performance has been arranged by the sponsoring education provider and is an integral and assessed part of the course

What types of work can I do on a Student visa?

Where your Student visa permits employment, you can generally undertake ordinary employment within the number of hours permitted by your visa conditions.

However, there are important restrictions. Student visa holders are generally prohibited from:

• Being self-employed or engaging in business activity
• Working as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach
• Working as an entertainer
• Filling a permanent full-time vacancy, unless a specific exception under the Immigration Rules applies. This in short, means that your employer must offer you a fixed term contract for no more than the duration of the student visa

Understanding these restrictions is important because the nature of the work matters as well as the number of hours you work.

Can I be self-employed or freelance on a Student visa?

In most cases, no.

Student visa holders are normally prohibited from being self-employed or engaging in business activity.

This means you should be particularly careful about activities such as:

• Setting up and running a business
• Operating as a sole trader
• Providing freelance services
• Running an online business
• Invoicing clients for your own services
• Any other activity which could amount to self-employment or business activity

However, certain students may be exempt. You may be self-employed if you meet all these criteria:

• You have applied for permission on the Innovator Founder route
• The application is supported by an endorsing body
• The application was made when you had permission as a student
• A decision has not been made on your application

Can I do voluntary work on a Student visa?

There is an important distinction between voluntary work and volunteering.

Voluntary Work

Voluntary work is permitted on a Student visa.

If you are permitted to work, you can undertake voluntary work, but the hours of voluntary work count towards the maximum number of hours you are permitted to work during term time.

Child students aged 16 and over may also undertake voluntary work.

For example, if you are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during term time and undertake 15 hours of paid employment, you could not undertake more than five additional hours of voluntary work that week.

Volunteering

Genuine volunteering does not normally count towards your working hours.

This typically involves donating your time to support a charitable, community or voluntary organisation without payment. This can be undertaken at any time.

If you are unsure whether an unpaid role constitutes volunteering or voluntary work, you should clarify the position before starting it.

Can I work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach?

No. Student visa holders are not permitted to work as professional sportspersons, including as professional sports coaches.

Participation in amateur sport may be permitted, but students should be careful where sporting activity could fall within the Immigration Rules' definition of professional sport.

Can I work in entertainment on a Student visa?

Student visa holders are generally not permitted to work as entertainers.

There are limited circumstances in which students studying subjects such as music, drama or dance can undertake a professional performance as an integral and assessed part of their course.

What Happens After I Finish My Studies?

If you intend to remain in the UK and you have completed your studies, you may be able to remain in the UK for a period after your course ends or may be eligible to apply for another immigration route.

Graduate visa

The Graduate visa allows eligible graduates to remain in the UK and work without sponsorship after successfully completing their studies. 

This route provides flexibility to gain UK work experience and explore long-term career opportunities. The Graduate route permits work in most jobs and also permits self-employment and voluntary work. Work as a professional sportsperson remains prohibited.

Skilled Worker visa

Alternatively, you may be eligible to switch to the Skilled Worker route if you meet the relevant requirements, including having an eligible job with an employer authorised to sponsor workers and satisfying the applicable requirements for the role.

What happens if I breach my Student visa work conditions?

Your right to work is a condition of your immigration permission. Working when you do not have permission, exceeding your permitted hours or undertaking a prohibited type of work can therefore have serious immigration consequences.

This makes it important to check both how many hours you are permitted to work and what type of work you are proposing to undertake.

Particular care should be taken with freelance work, online businesses, unpaid roles, professional sporting activity and employment around the end of your course, as the immigration position may not always be obvious.