Working in the UK

You may want to do some paid or voluntary work during your time in the UK.

The requirements are different for working during your studies and working after you’ve finished your course.

If you’re interested in working during or after your studies, the first thing you’ll need to do is make sure you have the correct immigration permission.

Working part-time while you study

Working while you are studying can be a good way of contributing to your living costs while you’re in the UK, and there are a wide range of part-time jobs in Manchester for international students.

Check if you are eligible

Student visa holders: If you are studying a full-time degree with Tier 4 or Student visa permission, UKVI will allow you to work during your studies. However, your visa will have different restrictions based on what type of course you are studying.
Students from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals: If you hold either pre-settled or settled status, you do not need additional permission to work in the UK. For advice on being in the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss national, visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).
Visiting and Short-term study visa holders: You are not allowed to work while you are in the UK. This includes working remotely while you are inside the UK.

Student visa working restrictions

If you are a Tier 4 or Student visa holder, you will have the following restrictions:

You can only fill a permanent vacancy if it is part-time; if you fill a full-time vacancy during university holidays, it must be a temporary or fixed-term contract.
You are limited to either 10 or 20 hours of part-time work per week, depending on your course.
No self-employment, including freelancing, consultancy work and setting up your own business.
No work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer.

Depending on the level of course you are studying, you may also have limits on the total number of hours you can work (paid or unpaid).

A course that is below UK degree level, for example a pre-sessional programme

During term time, you are limited to 10 hours a week (Monday to Sunday) if you are studying and remain enrolled at Manchester Metropolitan.
You can work full-time during official university vacation periods.
A course at or above UK degree level

During term time, the maximum amount of part-time work you can do during term time is 20 hours per week (Monday to Sunday) if you are studying and remain enrolled at Manchester Metropolitan.
You can work full-time during the Winter and Spring breaks. If you are an undergraduate student, you can also work full-time over the summer.
Please check the University’s term dates.
Postgraduate taught courses

Hours per week during term time
You are limited to working 20 hours per week until the end date of your course. You can find this date on your CAS.
You are not permitted to work full-time during the period you would normally be expected to complete a dissertation. For example, during the Summer and Autumn term while you are collecting data and writing up your dissertation, you are studying full-time.
If you submit your final assessment early, you must still wait until the official course end date on your CAS before you may work full-time.
Hours per week during vacations
In general, the only vacation periods you can work full-time are during the Winter and Spring breaks.
You and your employer can check the University Term Dates.
Postgraduate research courses

All full-time research students are limited to working no more than 20 hours per week throughout their research degree.
This rule is set by the University to ensure that students do not compromise their ability to successfully complete their programme.
The University’s term dates do not apply to you as your course is full-time and there are no official vacation periods as part of your timetable.
You will have 30 days of annual leave, the timing of which is approved by your supervisor. For wellbeing reasons, the University takes the view that annual leave should be regarded as a break and not as an opportunity to engage in employment, but you are not limited to 20 hours of work per week during this time.
Understanding working hours

The term-time hours you are permitted to work are not an average – it is a strict limit per week from Monday to Sunday.
If you are permitted to work 20 hours per week, it means you cannot work more than 20 hours in any one week, from Monday to Sunday.
You can work for several different employers, but the total hours over all your jobs should not exceed the maximum permitted.
It is your responsibility to ensure you do not breach the conditions of your visa. You should record the hours you work for reference, write the hours worked in a diary, or keep a record in your phone’s calendar.
UKVI visit employers to check employees’ right to work.
UKVI take working too many hours very seriously and you could be removed from the UK and refused future visa applications if you have been in breach of your work conditions.

Getting a job

Finding work

Staff within our Careers Service are available to help and advise you on all aspects of finding full or part-time jobs in Manchester as an international student, including writing a CV, tips on interview techniques, and where to search for jobs.

Working for the University

During term time, students can be employed by the University for up to a maximum of 16 hours per week. If you wish to work for more than 16 hours per week, this will be dependent on the restrictions in place on the type of course you are studying and if you are classed as being in term time.

Jobs4Students is our in-house employment agency, handling all on-campus vacancies for student employment.

Placements

If you secure a placement that is an integrated and assessed part of your course, it is not considered work and the hours are unrestricted. The Placements Office can provide a letter for the employer confirming this, and your placement provider will need a copy of your passport, visa, and BRP. You can work an additional 20 hours outside of your placement if you have time.

Volunteering and voluntary work

As an international student, you can take part in voluntary work while you’re studying.

Volunteering is a very rewarding way to learn new skills, boost your confidence, meet new people, contribute to the local community – and add some individuality to your CV.

You should be clear on the distinction between volunteering and voluntary work.

Voluntary work

This is unpaid employment and usually has contractual obligations to perform the work. For example, you might have to attend at specific times and carry out specific tasks. The contract does not have to be written.

Student visa holders can carry out voluntary work. However, any voluntary hours worked should be included when calculating the weekly hours permitted under your Student visa.

Volunteering

Students who are volunteering do not have a contract, are not a substitute for an employee, and are not doing unpaid work or receiving payment of any kind.

Volunteering is not considered unpaid employment so students on short-term study visas are also permitted to volunteer.

Living in the UK

Find out what to expect from life in the UK.
Find out more
Studying in the UK

See what it's like to attend university in the United Kingdom.
Find out more

Information for employers

You can prove your right to work by showing your employer your valid visa, your biometric residence permit (BRP) or digital visa.

If they have concerns regarding your enrolment with the University, you can request a student status letter, addressed to yourself, from the Student Hub.

We do not issue letters confirming permission to work.

Your employer can also seek advice by:

calling the UKVI Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699
visiting the UK government’s employer’s guide to right to work checks

How employment works in the UK

In most cases, before you can get a job in the UK you will need:

a UK bank account
a National Insurance number so you can pay tax and so your working hours can be confirmed to the tax authorities

You can only apply for these after you’ve arrived in the UK.

UK minimum wage

If you are working in the UK, there is a minimum amount you are entitled to be paid per hour.

Tax and national insurance

If you work in the UK, you may have to pay income tax and national insurance on your wages. How much you pay depends on how much you earn.

For more information, visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs’ guide to finding work, paying tax and applying for a national insurance number.

Working after your studies

You may be interested in staying in the UK and working after your studies. You must check what your visa permits you to do.

Student visa

With a Student visa, you are permitted to work full-time during your visa wrap-up period (the period of leave given to you after the course end date on your CAS).

We do not provide permission to work full-time letters.

We recommend that you provide your employer with other official letters confirming your end date, such as a copy of your CAS or a letter from the Student Hub confirming your programme end date. Even if you complete your course earlier than the date detailed on your CAS, the only official document the University will issue to you will be based on information detailed on our curriculum.

Skilled worker

If you are looking for a permanent position in the UK, your job would need to meet the skilled worker visa requirements.

The University’s specialist Careers and Employability Advisers can help you prepare for the challenges of looking for suitable opportunities, completing successful job applications and preparing for interviews. Find them in the Geoffrey Manton Hub or access services through Career Hub online.

Graduate visa

UK Visas and Immigration launched the Graduate visa route on 1 July 2021.

If you are a Tier 4 or Student visa holder, studying a degree level qualification or above, you may be entitled to apply for a two-year or three-year visa after you have been awarded your degree.

If you have graduated from a taught qualification, such as a bachelors or masters, you will be eligible for a two-year visa.
If you have graduated from a PhD qualification, you will be eligible for a three-year visa.

You cannot apply for a shorter visa under the Graduate Immigration Route, and it cannot be extended.

You can only apply for a visa under the Graduate Immigration Route once.

Main criteria

The main criteria you must satisfy to apply for a Graduate visa can be found on UKVI’s website, including information on who can bring dependants.

Please note, we do not confirm your eligibility to UKVI unless our records indicate:

You have been awarded your degree at an assessment board; and
You have an in-date Student visa.

It is therefore important that you keep us up to date with both your immigration permission and you discuss your circumstances with us if your academic circumstances change.

We also recommend avoiding making immigration application categories to “buy time” until your results are published, for example, submitting fee-waiver applications. This can be seen as a deliberate attempt to deceive UKVI.

Graduate visa information sessions

If you have any questions or queries, and wish to learn more about this visa route, please feel free to attend one of the Graduate visa information sessions.

These talks are open to all students and are led by members of staff from the International Office and the Careers team.

They will provide you with an overview of what the Graduate Immigration Route is, along with more detailed information about the requirements, as well as things that can affect your eligibility.

All the sessions are delivered online via Microsoft Teams and can be booked via CareerHub: