Working in the UK on a student route visa
Student route visa holders who are undertaking a course of degree level study or above can be employed for up to 20 hours per week during term time, or full-time only outside of their term time, i.e. during vacations and following completion of their course; and they must still have valid leave.
Working hours on a student route visa
The main purpose of a student visa is to allow study in the UK, not work. If you hold a student route visa, you must adhere to the working restrictions attached to your visa and outlined in your visa decision letter.
UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) calculates working hours from Monday to Sunday, so you must ensure that you do not exceed 20 hours within Monday to Sunday.
The 20 hours limit is for all work you undertake regardless of multiple employers.
Prove your right to work in the UK
You can prove your right to work by providing all the below:
- Confirmation of Studies Letter. This can be requested via the Edinburgh Napier App under the e-student record tile.
- A share code proving your right to work which can be found on the UK government website. You may also be asked to provide your biometric residence permit (BRP) if you have one.
- Confirmation of your term dates using the information under the 'Term Dates' tab below. We suggest that you send your employer a link to this webpage.
What work is not permitted
There are types of work you cannot do on a student route visa. There is a comprehensive UKCISA blog post that should help you to decide if the job you would like to take up is allowed under a Student visa.
It covers:
- Types of work not permitted under a student route i.e. professional sportsperson/entertainer or self employment
- Volunteering vs Voluntary work
- The risks of illegal working
- Income Tax
- Gig Economy (such as working for Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, DPD)
Employer information
Edinburgh Napier is unable to provide personalised letters regarding a student's right to work. Employers can check UKVI's guidance on checking a job applicant's right to work. It is the responsibility of the employer to check an individual's right to work status. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they understand the conditions of their visa.
If you have any further questions, please contact internationalsupport@napier.ac.uk.
Our student status letter confirms an individual's personal information, course information such as year of study, student start date and student end date. Please view the 'Term Dates' tab below for more information on September 2024 starts.
Important information about the student journey:
- During term time, student route visa holders are limited to 20 hours of work per week. If there are any vacation periods during term time, it is noted on the term dates information below.
- During their studies, a student cannot begin to work more than 20 hours per week until their term has ended even if they completed all their assignments or exams prior to this date
- Outside the term date listed below, a student route visa holder can work full time as they are in a vacation period
- A student’s end date is their expected results date. When their final term is complete, the student is considered in a vacation period until their results date and can work full time
- If a postgraduate course is not specifically mentioned by name, it follows the Standard PG course structure
Term dates
The table below outlines how many hours of work are permitted during term dates for the 2024/25 academic year for courses that start in September 2024.
| Course |
Trimester 1 (9 September - 20 December) |
Trimester 2* (20 January - 16 May) |
Trimester 3 (2 June - 29 August) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All undergraduate courses | 20 hours per week | 20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| Standard postgraduate courses | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
| PG Diploma Career Guidance and Development | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week | n/a |
| MFA Directing | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| MFA Acting for Stage and Screen | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
| MFA Advanced Film Practice | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
|
MFA - All other 2-year routes, including:
|
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| MSc Computing with Professional Placement | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| MSc Global Hospitality Management (WP) |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
| MBA Strat. Project Management |
20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| MBA Engineering Management | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
| MBA Leadership Practice | 20 hours per week |
20 hours per week |
Summer vacation |
*Easter break between 14-27 April
Trimester 1 for the 2025/26 academic year will begin on 8 September 2025. For more information, please visit the Term Dates web page.