Frequently Asked Questions

 

Before you make a request to your academic department you need to contact the International Student Advisor (ISA) who will be able to tell you if the change you are wishing to make is allowed from a visa perspective. There are extra considerations to think about as your visa may not allow you to change course. This is because your CAS/Visa is for study at a particular level and in a particular area of study. However, some changes can be allowed, for example if you are dropping a minor element of your course but are still studying the major as your main subject. A minor change within a department may also be allowed, for instance BA Art to BA Art History. The ISA will also consider what extra requirements may be needed for your new course, for instance whether your new course requires ATAS clearance.

In some cases, changing your course may mean having to apply for a new visa. This will involve additional costs. We urge you to have these conversations early in the process and to contact the International Student Advisor (immigrationadvice@aber.ac.uk) before you make any formal decisions. 

If the change is permitted by your visa and your department or departments have approved the change, your student record will be updated.

The change of course will be reported to the UKVI so that they hold accurate information on your UKVI record.

 

Yes, if you have changed to a different immigration category, you must inform us by email (compliance@aber.ac.uk)  and provide proof of your new status. This will normally be in the form of a share code form your UKVI account. We will then verify your status online and update your student record.

If you hold a new visa, we will withdraw sponsorship of your current Student visa and report this to the UKVI.

We will confirm when this action has been taken. Once you are no longer sponsored on a Student visa the rules relating to that visa will no longer apply, however you will remain bound by university wide rules and regulations.

If your new visa is time limited, you will need to provide us with renewed proof of your visa status before it expires to ensure your registration is not interrupted.

All students must provide evidence of their Right to Study in the UK.

 

 

You are required to keep up-to-date contact details on your student record.

You must ensure your student record has a valid:

Home Address- An address in your home country, please ensure the address is entered in full.

Personal email address 

Current Term Address - Your Term Address is the address at which you are staying while you study at Aberystwyth University, it must be within 1-hour commutable distance to Aberystwyth.

UK mobile/phone number

 

The UKVI Compliance team may contact you to amend your address or to update your record.

 

Before going on a Semester/Year Abroad or before beginning your Year in Industry the UKVI Compliance team will contact you to explain how engagement monitoring duties will be met whilst you are away from Aberystwyth.

The Study Abroad team or your department will inform us of the following:

 

• Name of the organisation
• Name and email address of your line manager/main contact at the organisation
• Address of the organisation
• Start and End date of your relocation

These details will be reported to the UKVI as temporary change in study location.

For each month you are away from Aberystwyth you will need to submit a signed attendance sheet to ensure that your visa responsibilities are met.

 

In Attendance: If you have been advised to re-sit a year of study "in attendance", you will be expected to re-register or repeat the whole year of study. You will need to extend your visa for another year to be able to complete your course. This needs to be done before your visa expires. UKCISA has guidance on the Home Office time limits about how long you can spend studying in the UK.

Without Attendance: If you are required to be registered as an external re-sit student you will re-sit from your home country. This will be reported to the Home Office, your student visa will be withdrawn, and your visa will be cancelled. 

If you successfully pass all re-sit examinations and have been approved for return to studies in Aberystwyth you will need to apply for a new CAS via the International Student Advisor who will also advise you on applying for a new student visa.

When you need to return to the University, you will need to apply for a new visa with a new CAS.

You will need to check your visa decision letter/email to see what your
rights are to work in the UK.

Employers have a legal obligation to check your right to work. You will need to
provide your employer with a share code and information regarding term dates
and vacation times so that they know whether you can work part-time
(term-time) or full-time (vacation periods). You can provide this information as
one of the following:

• A printout from Aberystwyth University’s website showing term dates and
  vacation periods.
• A letter or email from the University confirming your term and vacation dates
  (please contact immigrationadvice@aber.ac.uk

 

Further information about working on a Student visa is available on the UKCISA
website via the following link: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--
Advice/Working/Student-working

 

Study Level	Vacation Period
Pre-sessional English Course	None
Programme (Pre-Masters)	Christmas Vacation, Easter Vacation
Undergraduate	Christmas Vacation, Easter Vacation, Summer Vacation
Postgraduate Taught	Christmas Vacation, Easter Vacation
Postgraduate Research	PGR students must be studying in Aberystwyth for 44 weeks per academic year. Vacation must be taken when appropriate in line with your research and any teaching events.

Vacation periods for students on a small number of programmes may differ,
specifically those with extensive work experience placements e.g. Veterinary
Science and Nursing students. Where a student is unsure whether a vacation
period is applicable to their course, they should ask the UKVI Compliance
Office for clarification.

Please note the following:

• Student visa holders studying at degree level and above are normally permitted
  to work part-time (up to a maximum of 20 hours per week) during term time.
  During vacation periods (see the table above), you may work full-time hours.
• Postgraduate Taught students are not on vacation during the summer. That
  period is still classed as term time. You are allowed to work part-time hours
  and must be living in Aberystwyth.
• Postgraduate Research students have no specified vacation periods and must
  be in Aberystwyth studying for 44 weeks per academic year. You are permitted
  to work part-time (maximum 20 hours per week) throughout the year, and you
  should not assume you can work full-time during the summer or any other
  time when there are no teaching activities. PGR students may request up to 8
  weeks (56 days) vacation each academic year. Requests for vacation should
  be made using the Authorised Absence process. Whilst on an approved period
  of vacation, PGR students are permitted to work full-time.

You must ensure that you do not work more hours than your visa permits. You are responsible for ensuring that you stay within the rules.

 

Yes. The University is required by the UKVI to a copy of your current passport. If you have been issued a new passport you must send us a photo or scan so that we can hold accurate records. Your visa compliance and student record will then be updated. You will also need to update the UKVI yourself by accessing your UKVI online account to link your new passport to your eVisa.

Go to Update your UK Visas and Immigration account details: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). 

If your passport is not listed, select 'Add identity document', and upload a copy of your passport. You will receive an email confirmation from the UKVI once your passport has been linked to your eVisa.

 

Some students need to provide new proof of their visa status before being allowed to re-register for a new year/session.

The UKVI Compliance Office will have contacted with you to request this before the start of term.

You need to send us a share code or other evidence of your current visa status before you will be able to complete re-registration.

 

If you no longer wish to continue your studies, you need to request a permanent withdrawal. Where a student fails to re-register for their next year of study the university will withdraw its sponsorship of the student's visa as they are no longer a registered student. 

 

If you decide to take a break from your studies and you intend to return to your studies at Aberystwyth University at a later stage, you need to complete the online ‘Notification of Withdrawal’ form requesting a Temporary Withdrawal. This can be found on your Student Record under the title ‘Academic Record’. 

Please ensure that you contact your academic department regarding the academic implications of your decision and the International Student Advisor (immigrationadvice@aber.ac.uk) regarding the visa implications of a possible withdrawal before making the final decision and before completing the online Notification of Withdrawal form.

Once you have submitted the online ‘Notification of Withdrawal’ form you have 3 days to cancel your withdrawal request.

When your withdrawal is confirmed on your student record we will withdraw sponsorship of your visa and notify the Home Office. This means that your visa will be cancelled, and you must leave the UK as soon as possible. If you fail to do so, you could be risking becoming an overstayer. Overstaying is a criminal offence and can have serious implications for any future immigration applications you make in the UK and in other countries.

If you are not in the UK when you decide to temporarily withdraw, please note you will not be able to enter the UK.

When you decide to return to your studies, you will need to apply for a new Student visa and you will need a new Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). Please contact the International Student Advisor (immigrationadvice@aber.ac.uk) at least 3 months prior to returning to your studies to request a CAS.

 

You must not submit your graduate route application until you have received an email from the UKVI Compliance Office confirming that a report has been made to the UKVI. 

The report will confirm to the UKVI that you have successfully completed your course. Any application submitted before this report is made is likely to be refused.

This report does not mean you are eligible for a graduate visa, that is a judgement and decision that the UKVI will make according to the rules of that visa route. 

The reports are actioned soon after your course is officially changed to 'Successful completion' status on your student record.

You will receive your results before the student record is updated formally so it is important that you do not submit an application until you receive the email telling you that a report has been made.

Please be aware that there may be a delay of a few days between receiving your result and receiving an email from us.

You can only apply for this route if you do not intend to study another course in the UK. 

If you are an undergraduate student who has completed your course of study, you may receive an email but if you intend to study a postgraduate course in the UK you should apply for a new Student visa. 

More details about the Graduate Route Visa are available here: 

https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/sscs/visa-support-advice/post-study/graduate-route/ 

 

 

 

You must request permission in writing to your supervisor, outlining your plans to undertake fieldwork, you must provide a start and end date and confirm your location/s for the duration of your fieldwork.

Your faculty may also require you to complete a form to ensure insurance and travel arrangements comply to their rules.

The completed faculty form/or written approval from your supervisor must be forwarded to us by email.

We are required to report this period of fieldwork as a temporary change in study location to the UKVI. We must also ensure that we maintain our sponsorship duties including ensuring we continue to monitor your engagement with your studies whilst away from Aberystwyth.

Whilst conducting your fieldwork you will be required to provide regular proof of your ongoing studies.

This can be either

• An email confirming you have held an online meeting with your supervisor (cc your supervisor) OR
• Send us an email trail between you and your supervisor outlining/updating them on progress with your fieldwork

 

Before you can request to write up your dissertation from home you must be in the abeyance/writing up period.

You must seek written approval from your department and supervisor and forward this approval in an email to UKVI Compliance Office.

The university will withdraw its sponsorship of your visa, and your visa will be cancelled. If you need to re-enter the UK, e.g. for your PhD viva voce, you will need to apply for/obtain a Visit visa.

You will remain an AU student until the end of your registration with us and our report to the Home Office will state that.

You will not be able to return to the UK on your Student visa once sponsorship has been withdrawn. You will also not be eligible for a Graduate Route visa as holding live Student visa sponsorship is one of the requirements.

 

If you complete your course early, the university must inform the Home Office. The university can only sponsor students while they are registered and are actively studying in the UK. If you complete your course early, visa sponsorship will be withdrawn, and your visa will no longer be valid. The UKVI will notify you of your new visa end date and provide you with a date by which you will need to leave the UK or make a new visa application with the Home Office to change your purpose of stay in the UK.

 

No, postgraduate taught Students who begin their studies in September are not on vacation during the summer and that period is still classed as term-time.

You must be living in Aberystwyth during this time as you will be required to be on campus regularly. 

 

If you would like to write up your Master’s dissertation from your home country, you will need to request approval from your department. Your department will only approve the request if you have attended all required teaching sessions, have completed all required laboratory work and have discussed with your supervisor how supervision can be delivered remotely.

If permission is granted, you will need to forward the approval email to the UKVI Compliance Office. The University will withdraw Student visa sponsorship as you will no longer be studying in the UK. Although you will remain a student until the end of your registration.

You will not be able to return to the UK on your Student visa once sponsorship has been withdrawn.  You will also not be eligible for a Graduate Route visa as holding live Student visa sponsorship is one of the requirements.