Working on a Student Visa: The 20-Hour Rule and Everything It Doesn't Say
What "20 hours a week in term time" really means, what counts as a week, which jobs are banned, and how a breach can end your visa — with the practical rules for internships and vacations.
Your Student visa lets you work — but the conditions are precise and enforced. Every year students lose their visas over misunderstandings that a five-minute read would have prevented.
The core rule
If your course is at degree level (bachelor's, master's, PhD) at a higher education provider, you may work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations. Below degree level, the limit is 10 hours. Your visa (or eVisa) states the condition — check it.
The limit is per week, Monday to Sunday, and there is no averaging. 25 hours one week and 15 the next is a breach. Employers report hours to HMRC, and UKVI can request them. A breach is grounds for visa cancellation and can affect future applications.
What counts as "term time"?
Your university defines it. For most taught programmes it is the teaching weeks; for master's students the dissertation period in summer is usually still term time, so the 20-hour limit continues. PhD students are in term time all year except annual leave agreed with their supervisor. Ask your international student adviser for the official dates in writing.
What is not allowed
- Self-employment or freelancing (Uber, Deliveroo, Fiverr, Etsy, tutoring for cash)
- Setting up a business or being a company director
- Working as a professional sportsperson or entertainer
- Permanent full-time roles (even in vacations)
- Doctor or dentist in training, unless on a medical course
Work placements that are an assessed part of your course do not count towards the limit.
What counts as work
Paid or unpaid. Volunteering with a charity is fine and does not count; "voluntary work" with a contract and expectation of hours does count. Working for a family member's business counts. Remote work for an employer in your home country counts — you are physically in the UK.
Proving your right to work
Employers must check your status before your first shift using an online Right to Work share code — see eVisa and share codes. They may also ask for your term dates. You will need a National Insurance number for payroll, though you can start work while it is being issued.
Record your hours each week in the UniLife budget tracker alongside your income. If you ever need to demonstrate compliance, your own record plus payslips is strong evidence. Our Right-to-work checker in the Career Hub will read your job offer and tell you whether it fits your visa.
Tax
Students pay income tax and National Insurance like everyone else, but the personal allowance (£12,570) means most part-time earnings are tax-free. If you are taxed on an "emergency code" in your first month, you can reclaim it. See part-time jobs in Oxford for realistic wages.
After graduation
Once your course officially ends (the date on your CAS, not your last exam), you may work full time until your visa expires — typically four months later. Many students use this window to start a job while their Graduate visa is processed.
Sources: gov.uk Student visa conditions · UKCISA working guidance
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