If you are an international student studying at BU, you will probably want to work while you are here.
We have put together this section so you know the number of hours you can work and to tell you about things like National insurance and Tax.
How many hours can you work?
If you have a Student visa, you should be aware that there are very strict rules about the number of hours you are allowed to work. You must check your visa to see if you are allowed to work and also the maximum number of hours you can do. During term time you will be restricted to work the number of hours per week that is written on your visa. The maximum working hours per week rule is very strict and you will be breaking the rules of your visa if you work more than you are allowed during term time. If you work too many hours, the UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) can cancel your visa and refuse any future visa applications for up to ten years. During your officially confirmed university vacations, unless your visa conditions say otherwise, you will be allowed to work full-time.
When will you be permitted to work full time?
Anyone in the UK on a Student Visa on a degree course at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance can work for 20 hours per week during term time. When your course has officially ended and in official vacations, i.e. the end date as stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) has passed or during the periods of vacation as noted on our website, you can work full time, but not fulfil a permanent post.
Please note: When we issue a CAS we use the official academic dates as published on our website. These dates are then used by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI); to decide the length of your visa, an additional 4 months from the end date of the course is usually added to the visa to allow you to wrap up your time in the UK or apply to extend your stay in another visa category. If you submit all of your work prior to the official end date of the course you must continue to only work for 20 hours a week until the official end date of the course. We are usually unable to change the official end date of the course as if we were to do this it could negatively impact your immigration status by reducing the amount of time you can stay in the UK; this could also affect your ability to apply for the graduate route.
National Insurance (NI) and tax
Once you find a part-time job, you need to apply for a NI number. When you get paid, you may have NI and Tax deductions from your pay. To apply for a National Insurance number visit the www.gov.uk website.
Questions your employer may have about your immigration status
If a company does not recruit many international students, they may not know about the working rules for Student visas. If your employer has any questions, they can look at the UKVI website for employers and the UKCISA website about working in the UK.
Careers & employability advice
Careers advice and job hunting support is available throughout your time at BU and after you graduate (up to 3 years from when your course ends). Visit our dedicated International Students page in MyCareerHub.
