Careers Service

If you are on a Tier 4 or student visa

Find out more about working part-time as an international student.

Working part-time can be a great way to earn some extra money, develop your skills – including your English language skills, if you’re not a native speaker - and meet new people. You need to think carefully about whether you can fit it in with your academic studies. Most students on a Tier 4 or student visa are eligible to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week during semester and full-time during vacation. Some students, however, are not allowed to do as much as this, and you should check your passport to see what your individual situation is.

The University offers detailed information, through the Student Immigration Service, about:

  • the types of work Tier 4 or student visa holders are allowed to do, and not allowed to do - for example, you can't work on a self-employed basis, including freelancing and ‘gig-economy’ work, such as Deliveroo or Uber drivers. For more information see the "What work am I not allowed to do on a Student Visa" section on the following link.
  • the number of hours Tier 4 or student visa holders can work, and how this varies between semester-time and vacation

Working in the UK during studies (Student Immigration Service)

Working Hours

The University recommends that if you are a full-time undergraduate student you do not work more than 15 hours per week. This recommendation applies to all full-time undergraduates. For more information on this see:

Working Hours and Rights at work

National Insurance Number

Everyone who works in the UK needs a National Insurance Number. If you are planning to work in the UK in any capacity then it is worth applying for your National Insurance Number as early as you can. Find out more about National Insurance Numbers here:

National Insurance Numbers