International

Visas and immigration

Here you'll find all you need to know about applying to AUB as an international student.

Visas and immigration

If you're coming to study in the UK and you don’t hold a British passport, it's likely that you'll need to apply for a student visa. We must ensure that all students enrolled at AUB are entitled to study in the UK, therefore it's very important that you find out whether you'll need a visa and make sure you apply for the correct kind of student visa before you travel to the UK, or you won’t be able to begin your course.

There are two categories of visas suitable for students in the UK, Student Route and Visitor Route.

Do I need a Visa?

Applying for a student visa

Here you can find a step-by-step summary of what you must do and prepare to apply for a student visa for your studies at AUB.

Arts University Bournemouth has Student Route Sponsor Status (Licence Number 2EAF7PTH3) on the Home Office-approved register of sponsors. If you wish to see us on the register of sponsors, we're listed as Arts University Bournemouth.

We suggest that you take a look through the information available, including this guide on applying for a UK student visa, and contact us if you have any questions.

Requesting your CAS

For more information on eligibility for a student visa, and guidance on SELTs and requesting a CAS.

Making your application

For guidance on applying for a Student Route visa, including proofs of ID, financial evidence, academic qualifications and TB screening.

Completing your application

For further guidance on IHS, 'Low Risk' students, Credibility interviews, and Dependants for Student Route applicants.

Other types of Visas

If your course is less than six months in duration, you may be entitled to study on a standard Visitor Visa.

If you want to find out about the kind of work you can do in the UK, during and after your studies, we also have information on part-time work and placements and working after your study.

Current Tier 4 or Student Route visa students who would like to travel to Europe should read our information on the Schengen Visa Scheme and how we can help you apply for your Schengen visa.

In addition to the information on our website, UKCISA and the Home Office also provide lots of useful information regarding student visas and how to apply.

Student standing in a studio and reading from an exercise book.

Short-term study on a Visitor Visa

Here we explain who can apply for a Visitor Visa and how to apply

Two AUB students sitting opposite each other smiling on a bench in the courtyard outside South House, AUB Campus.

Short-term study on an ETA

Here we explain the requirements for studying on an Electronic Travel Authorisation

Two students sitting on opposite sides of a picnic bench. Both have coffee cups in front of them.

Schengen Visa

If you would like to travel to Europe during your time at AUB, you may need a Schengen Visa

EU Settlement Scheme

The United Kingdom (UK) has left the European Union (EU). The EU settlement scheme details the rights EU, EEA and Swiss nationals have to stay in the UK after the 31 December 2020, which marks the end of the transitional period.

UKCISA has published a useful guide, giving more information on the settlement scheme. You can also read the Government’s guide to the scheme for further information.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME

Working during your studies

The amount of work you can do while studying at AUB will depend on the type of visa you hold.

In general, Student Route visa holders studying a degree course can work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and those studying below degree level (Foundation Diploma) can work up to 10 hours per week during term time. If you have a Visitor Visa, you are not allowed to work, do work placements or take an internship.

You will need to check your visa to confirm if and how much you are allowed to work. You can work in the UK if any of the following are listed on your visa:

work as in Student Route Rules
work limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time
work limited to a maximum of 10 hours per week during term time

Your work limit should be worked out on a weekly basis; your allowance cannot be worked out as an average (e.g. 25 hours 1 week, 15 hours the next = 20 hours average) – you must not go over your maximum permitted hours of work in any one week. If you have permission to work, you can work full-time during your holidays.

Please note, "Term time" refers to the dates published by AUB in our Term Dates.

You must not work if the words “No work” or “Work prohibited” are printed on your visa. If you do work, it would be a breach of your immigration conditions and a criminal offence.

You can do most kinds of work, but you must not:

be self-employed
be employed as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
be employed as an entertainer including acting/performing
take a permanent full-time job

You might want to do unpaid voluntary work. There is a difference between unpaid employment and voluntary work, and you should always check with an employer who offers you voluntary work whether it might be seen as unpaid employment. The time you spend doing unpaid employment counts towards the total number of hours of work you can do in a week.

You are unable to take a gap year and work in the UK. If you defer your studies, your visa will be curtailed and you will be required to leave the UK.

Further information on working during your studies can be found on UKCISA website.

If you would like to undertake a placement or internship during term time, you will need to make sure that it complies with the Home Office’s requirements and discuss with your course leader in the first instance.

Visa students studying at degree level or above can take up a full-time placement or internship during term time provided that:

the placement or internship is an integral and assessed part of the course
the placement or internship takes up no more than 50% of the total length of the course

AUB will still be responsible for you as your sponsor during your placement or internship, which means we will continue to monitor and record your attendance.

If you are offered a placement or internship outside of term time (such as during the summer holidays), you can work full time and AUB will not be responsible for monitoring your attendance, nor does the placement have to form part of your course.

Working after your studies

When you graduate, you may wish to remain in the UK to work and develop your professional practice. This page will give you an overview of the most relevant visa categories for after-study work.

If you need a visa to study in the UK, you'll also need a visa to work here. The Graduate Route, Skilled Worker and Temporary Work visas are all suitable routes for recent or soon-to-be graduates. We recommend that you look at the information below to see whether one of these categories may be suitable for your aspirations before contacting the Compliance Officer if you wish to discuss your options further.

The International Student Guide to working in the UK after you graduate, produced in partnership with Study UK, is a valuable resource for international students.

The Graduate Route visa gives students an opportunity to stay in the UK to work and develop their careers for up to two years after they graduate. Full details on the application process are available on the government's website.

Eligibility and how the Graduate Route Visa works

The Graduate route is an unsponsored route, meaning you don't need a job offer to apply for the route. You'll be able to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop your career in the UK as required.
The Graduate Route is available to international students who have a valid student visa at the time of application and who've successfully completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance.
You'll need to have completed the entirety of your course in the UK as a student.
The Graduate Route will require a new visa application, which'll only be possible from inside the UK. It'll include the payment of a visa fee of £822 and the Immigration Health Surcharge at the full rate of £624 per year (both fees are subject to change) and the full amount needs to be paid when applying.
For most applicants, the process will be entirely digital, and if your application is successful, you'll be issued with an e-Visa.
You'll start your application at gov.uk, where you'll create a UK Visas and Immigration account and use the ‘UK Immigration ID Check’ app to verify your identity. To do this, you'll need either your Biometric Residence Card or Permit (BRC/P), or passport, depending on whether you have a physical or digital visa.
You'll also need to know the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) you used for your most recent student visa application in order to apply for the Graduate Route.
You can only apply after your sponsor (AUB) has reported you to UKVI as having completed your course. We'll email you to confirm when we've reported your successful completion to UKVI. We recommend that you read both the overview of the visa and the Graduate section of the Immigration Rules before applying for your visa.

Find out more about working after your studies

Skilled Worker is a visa route for people who've been offered a skilled job in the UK. In order to apply under the Skilled worker visa category, you must meet all the following minimum requirements:

Your employer (who has offered you a job) must've been approved by the Home Office and must provide you with a ‘certificate of sponsorship’.
Your job must be on a list of eligible occupations and the salary must normally be the highest of three options: £25,600 per year; £10.10 per hour; or the going rate for the type of job you'll be doing (amounts subject to change).

You can find out more about the Skilled Worker minimum requirements, what you need to apply, fees and the application process on the Home Office website; we also recommend that you read the Skilled Worker section of the Immigration Rules in full before submitting any application. In addition, UKCISA have published a comprehensive and helpful guide to working after your studies.

We're only able to provide students with basic advice on this visa category. However, your employer should be able to confirm what's required to apply. If you'd like more specialist advice, we recommend you discuss your application with an authorised Immigration Adviser before submission.

The Temporary Work visa is aimed at young people, giving them a chance to live and work in the UK for a limited time. You can apply for a Temporary Work visa if you have an offer for a full-time internship that meets UKVI’s requirements. The internship must be paid in line with the UK’s minimum wage legislation. For more information about the visa, refer to the government's guidance.

You need a certificate of sponsorship before you submit your visa application. Under the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker -Government Authorised Exchange), this can be issued by a government-approved sponsor. Relevant schemes include AIESEC (Access Tier 5 scheme), GTI (Tier 5 Intern Program) and BUNAC (Intern in Britain); refer to the full list of sponsors for more information.

We're unable to offer any guidance on this visa category. We strongly recommend that you do your own research and contact an authorised Immigration Adviser or one of the approved sponsors linked above for further information.

The Innovator Founder visa has replaced the Start-Up and Innovator visas and is for individuals who want to start and run an innovative business in the UK. In order to apply for this visa, you must be endorsed by an approved body; please refer to the full list.

You can read about the eligibility requirements for the Innovator Founder visa on the Home Office website; we also recommend that you read Appendix Innovator Founder to the Immigration Rules in full before formally contacting an endorsing body.