Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught students on a Student visa

This page is designed as a short general summary of the attendance expectations and requirements. All students are required to read and understand the Student Visa Holders Engagement and Attendance Monitoring Policy. This is available on your student record and also in the Useful Links section of this site.

  • To record attendance students must swipe their Aber Card at each teaching activity they attend.
  • The University will monitor each student's engagement with compulsory teaching activities by use of contact points.
  • To register a contact point, a student must attend a teaching activity by swiping their AberCard when attending a lecture/seminar/practical etc.
  • The minimum requirement during teaching periods is two contact points each week. To meet this requirement, the student must attend a teaching activity on two separate days per week.

Where a student engages with their course and attends the minimum requirement of two contact points per week, the student will not trigger the escalation process outlined below. However, the student’s academic department may contact them separately in relation to their overall engagement with their course.

Postgraduate taught students during the dissertation phase of the course will meet with their supervisors on campus once a month until final submission of the dissertation.

Whilst students are on placements/Study Abroad/Year In Industry, the UKVI Compliance Office will request monthly reports from the student and their dept/manger confirming that they have been engaging with /attending the placement.

Where a student does not engage with their course by meeting the minimum attendance requirement, the following escalation process will be implemented.

  • At all stages students must respond to any email that is sent to them from the UKVI Compliance Office. Failure to respond to emails about their engagement and attendance with their course will be viewed as further evidence of non-engagement with the policy.

Stage 1

Escalation point

Action to be taken by UKVI Compliance Office

Action required by the student

Stage 1

Student did not attend a minimum of 2 contact points last week (did not attend teaching activities on two separate days).

The UKVI Compliance Office will be closely monitoring the student’s attendance and will check whether they re-engage during the next week of teaching.

Attend a minimum of 2 contact points during the next week of teaching (attend teaching activities on two separate days).

 

 

Stage 2

Escalation point

Action to be taken by UKVI Compliance Office

Action required by the student

Stage 2

Student did not attend a minimum of 2 contact points (did not attend teaching activities on two separate days) for two weeks.

The UKVI Compliance Office will continue to closely monitor the student’s attendance and will check whether they re-engage during the next week of teaching.

Attend a minimum of 2 contact points during the next week of teaching (attend teaching activities on two separate days)

 

Stage 3

Escalation point

Action to be taken by UKVI Compliance Office

Action required by the student

Stage 3

Student did not attend a minimum of 2 contact points (did not attend teaching activities on two separate days) for three weeks.

 

At this stage the student’s engagement with their course reaches a point of escalation and concern and places their Student visa at risk.

The UKVI Compliance Office will email the student, as follows:

·         To formally warn them that continued under engagement with their course will result in further escalation under this policy.

·         To ask them to account for their absence during the last three weeks.

·         To highlight support available to them (e.g. academic support, Student Services, external support etc.)

·         To formally warn them that continued under engagement with their course may result in withdrawal of sponsorship of their student visa and exclusion from their course.

Attend a minimum of 2 contact points during the next week of teaching (attend teaching activities on two separate days).

Respond to the email from the UKVI Compliance Office to account for their absence. The student may be asked to provide evidence to support their explanation for the absence.

Access additional support where required to enable them to fully re-engage with their course.

Stage 4

Escalation point

Action to be taken by UKVI Compliance Office

Action required by the student

Stage 4

Student did not attend a minimum of 2 contact points (did not attend teaching activities on two separate days) for four weeks.

 

 

At this stage the student’s

engagement with their course

reaches a serious point of

escalation and concern and places

their Student Visa at risk.

 

Failure to re-engage this week may result in withdrawal of sponsorship and exclusion from their course.

 

The student’s engagement record will be reviewed by the UKVI Compliance Manager. Consideration will be given to whether the student responded to the Stage 3 warning and to any explanation provided for their under-engagement. Evidence may be requested from the student where medical issues have been given as the reason for absence/under-engagement.

At this stage one of two actions will be taken:

1. Student will be issued with a Stage 4 final warning letter notifying them that they are at risk of exclusion.

The Stage 4 final warning letter will outline the following:

·       The student’s engagement and attendance to date.

·       A warning that if the student does not engage with their course by the end of the week (by registering two contact points i.e. attending teaching activities on two separate days) the UKVI Compliance Office will escalate the student’s under-engagement with their course and non-compliance with this policy to the Executive Lead for UKVI Compliance as outlined below (Stage 5). This is the student’s final opportunity to re-engage with their studies or to provide any additional evidence to account for their under-engagement.

·         A formal warning that continued under engagement with their course will result in withdrawal of sponsorship of their student visa and exclusion from their course.

or

2. The student will remain at Stage 3 (usually where they have made some improvement but have still not met the minimum requirement of two contact points per week). The student will be required to make further improvements to meet the minimum requirement. Additional support needs will be considered where there are significant (evidenced) personal or medical issues preventing the student from engaging fully with their course.

Attend a minimum of 2 contact points during the next week of teaching (attend teaching activities on two separate days).

Where the student has been issued a final warning letter it will confirm the deadline by which the student must re-engage.

Respond to the final warning letter from the UKVI Compliance Office. 

Access additional support where required to enable them to fully re-engage with their course.

 

Stage 5

Escalation point

Action to be taken by UKVI Compliance Office

Action required by the student

Stage 5

Student did not attend a minimum of 2 contact points (did not attend teaching activities on two separate days) for five weeks.

 

 

The student’s under-engagement with their course and non-compliance with this policy will be reviewed by the UKVI Compliance Manager.

At this stage one of two actions will be taken:

1.     Recommend exclusion and withdrawal of sponsorship (Stage 5 escalation). The case will be referred to the University’s Executive Lead for UKVI Compliance (UKVI Sponsor Authorising Officer).

 

The case will outline how the student has breached the University’s Student Visa Holders Engagement and Attendance Monitoring Policy and has failed to adhere to their Student Visa responsibilities as outlined in the University’s Student Visa Responsibilities Handbook. These policies are underpinned by UKVI stipulations.

 

The Executive Lead for UKVI Compliance will review the case in consultation with the UKVI Compliance Office. Where it is found that the student has not met the minimum engagement requirement set out within this policy, and the student has failed to provide a satisfactory reason for the under-engagement, the Executive Lead for UKVI Compliance will formally approve the withdrawal of Student Visa sponsorship.

 

This action will result in the student being permanently excluded from their course. The exclusion will be confirmed by the University’s Academic Registrar.

 

A formal exclusion letter will be issued to the student.  Sponsorship of the student’s Student Visa will be withdrawn, and the student will be required to leave the UK.

 

or

 

2.     Student will remain at Stage 4 (usually where they have made some improvement but have still not met the minimum requirement of two contact points per week and there is evidence to support their explanation for under-engagement e.g. significant medical and/or personal reasons). The student will be required to make further improvements to meet the minimum requirement this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On receipt of a formal exclusion letter, the student must make arrangements to leave the UK. The student may wish to access support from the International Student Adviser and other support services.