Working in the UK during your studies

If your visa allows it, you can usually work: 

• 10 or 20 hours per week during term time (your eVisa will state which one applies to you)
• Full-time during official university vacations and outside term time.

Check term dates

Remember, your main reason for being in the UK is to study, however, working as a student has many benefits, including developing skills, meeting new people, improving your career prospects, immersing yourself in a new culture and making extra money.

This guidance covers the documents you need and any restrictions you should be aware of, so that you can find legitimate work in the UK during your studies.

Immigration permission

It is important to confirm you have been given the correct amount of immigration permission. You can find out more about this on gov.uk.

“No work" condition on a student visa

Always check the information on your immigration document. If it says, "No work", you must not work.

If you think this is a mistake, get it corrected before you take any employment.

If you have this condition on your student visa, you can still volunteer, but you cannot take paid or unpaid work, work placements or anything else that counts as employment.

You can find further details in the following Home Office publications:

• An employer's guide to right to work checks
• Home Office Student and Child student caseworker guidance

Student visitor

If your current immigration permission states that you do not have permission to work for an employer while in the UK, this means you must not engage in:

• paid employment
• unpaid employment (except volunteering)
• a work placement – even if it is part of your course.

You can find further information on work rights for other immigration permission categories on gov.uk.

Before you start work, you will need to confirm your individual academic status by providing your employer with:

• Student status letter
• Working hours letter

Student status letter 

Your student status letter* confirms your name, the start date of your programme, your student number and your home address.

Student status letter (MYUWE)

If you have any problems downloading your status letter from MYUWE, please contact infopoint@uwe.ac.uk. 

*The ‘’Expected end of attendance date’’ on the student status letter is for UWE Bristol’s internal use only and should be disregarded by employers. Employers should use the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) end date and visa expiry date to establish start and end dates of the wrap-up period.

Working hours letter 

A working hours letter states the rules about working in the UK during the University’s term dates and vacation period based on your study level and the start date of your course.

• Undergraduate working hours letter September 2025 (PDF)
• Undergraduate working hours letter top-up January 2026 (PDF)
• Postgraduate working hours letter September 2025 (PDF)
• Postgraduate working hours letter top-up January 2026 (PDF)

Please note:

• The University cannot issue an individual, bespoke letter stating a student’s right to work.
• Wording on this document cannot be edited at an employer's request.

Confirmation from your employer 

Your employer is required to confirm your ability to work by calling the Home Office Employers’ Helpline on +44 (0)300 123 4699 or visiting the government's information on checking a job applicant’s right to work.

Types of restricted work

If you hold a student visa, you cannot:

• be self-employed
• be employed as a professional sportsperson (including a sports coach)
• be employed as an entertainer
• take a permanent full-time job
• work as a doctor or dentist in training.

Volunteering

You can volunteer, however, there is a difference between unpaid employment (voluntary work) and volunteering.

• Unpaid employment (voluntary work): Counts towards your maximum number of working hours per week.
• Volunteering: Does not count towards your maximum number of working hours per week.

Always check with the organisation offering you a volunteering opportunity whether it will be regarded as unpaid employment.

UKCISA has more information about student work and volunteering on their website.

Working outside the UK

If your employer is outside the UK, your hours of work still count towards your limit of 10 or 20 hours per week in term time.

Cash earnings

You can only accept cash in hand from your employer if you receive payslips for the exact payment, which show:

• the hours you worked
• the rate of pay
• all the relevant deductions from your employer.

It is important you keep all your payslips and P60’s safe.

If you are a final-year student and you have received your ‘’congratulations’’ email from your school for successfully completing your programme, you can work full-time until your current student visa expires.

Find out more about working in the UK after your studies.

Working during the wrap-up period

It is your responsibility to restrict your working hours to the hours stated on your current student visa, especially if you have retakes during the wrap-up period.

You will need to provide a wrap-up letter to your employer along with the other supporting documents highlighted in it: 

• Undergraduate wrap-up period letter (PDF)
• Postgraduate wrap-up period letter (PDF).

Pending a graduate route visa

You may be able to start a permanent, full-time job in the UK whilst your Graduate route visa application is pending, but this will depend on when you obtained your student leave.

Before 6 April 2022

If you made your most recent student application before 6 April 2022, you must wait for a decision on your Graduate application before you can start:

• a permanent full-time job 
• self-employment 
• work as an entertainer. 

On or after April 2022

If you made your most recent student application on or after 6 April 2022, you can start a full-time permanent job after making your Graduate route application. Unless you are planning to:

• work as an entertainer
• be self-employed.

You must not work as a professional sportsperson with graduate permission, regardless of your student application date.

Visit UKCISA graduate route for further information.

Research students

If you are a research student at UWE Bristol, you should ask your department or supervisor to define your term time and vacation periods in writing to present to your employer.

You can work full-time within the last 4 months of your current student visa if you have passed all your assessments, including the viva.