Student visa conditions

This information applies to students at both the York campus and London campus.

York St John University is your sponsor for your Student visa, and as such we are responsible for your student status.

We have to make sure that you are actively engaging with your programme of study because that's what we're sponsoring you to do.

If anything changes with regard to your student status, we are obligated to inform UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and this will have an impact on your visa.

Please be aware of the following:

• Attendance on your course will be closely monitored. You must use the 'Register your Attendance' tile from the MyYSJ App to register your attendance at timetabled sessions. When you receive your University login details, you must log into Moodle and eVision on a browser first before downloading and using MyYSJ so that the 'Register your Attendance' tile will work correctly.
• If you fail to attend scheduled activities (lectures, tutorials, seminars, registration points, hand-in points), your School will begin disciplinary procedures and the Visa and Compliance team will be informed.
• Poor attendance can lead to the enforced withdrawal of your studies. If you are withdrawn from your studies, the UKVI will be informed and your visa will be curtailed down to 60 days, if the remaining time on your visa is longer than 60 days.
• If you decide to voluntarily withdraw from your course of study this will be reported to the UKVI and your visa will be curtailed down to 60 days, if the remaining time on your visa is longer than 60 days.
• If you wish to take time out (suspend/intercalate) and return to studies later, this will be reported to UKVI and your visa will be curtailed down to 60 days, if the remaining time on your visa is longer than 60 days. You will have to return to your home country during the break period and return to the UK on a new Student visa to resume studies.

Requesting and reporting a term time absence

To remain compliant with University and Home Office/UKVI Regulations, all international Student visa holders wishing to request a period of time (over 3 days) off during term time are required to complete our Absence Request form and submit it along with the required supporting evidence.

Forms need to be submitted as far in advance as possible.

Please note: For MA/MSc students, the summer period counts as term time because this is dissertation write up time. Absence requests must also be submitted during this time.

Additional responsibilities

In addition to attending regularly and remaining engaged with your course of study, you must uphold further Student visa responsibilities:

Working Hours

• To remain compliant with your student visa, you must not exceed these work limits:
• If you are studying a sub-degree level (pre-sessional or Foundation) course, you can work a maximum of 10 hours per week during term-time and full-time during vacation periods only
• If you are studying a degree-level and above course, you can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term-time and full-time (in line with UK employment law) during holiday periods

Please note that you are not allowed to do the following under your Student visa;

• be self-employed (or engage in business activity). To find out more about self-employment, please visit the GOV.UK webpage on Employment status; 
• claim public funds (benefits) and pensions;
• work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach);
• study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school);
• work as an entertainer; or
• work in a position which would fill a permanent full-time vacancy.

It is important that you are clear about your employment status before commencing work. If you are unsure whether a proposed job would be counted as self-employment you should discuss with your prospective employer and ask for confirmation of the employment status in writing.

Overworking will lead to a serious breach of your visa conditions, potentially resulting in detention, visa revocation and removal from the UK.

Contact Details and Passports

• Keep the University informed of any changes to personal details (address, phone number, email address). This can be done easily by logging onto e:Vision and updating the information.
• If you renew your passport and receive a new one or change your personal details or UK address/contact details, you need to inform UKVI by updating the information on your UKVI account.
• You also need to email the YSJ Global team at global@yorksj.ac.uk to update them with your new passport and have it scanned into the student records system.

Accommodation 

• Keep up to date with tuition and accommodation payments. Significant debt can prevent you from re-enroling and this can also cause problems with your student status.