Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizon by getting international exposure. Many students from India fly abroad to many foreign countries to pursue higher studies and the UK is a highly preferred destination because of its quality of education. Students also have the opportunity to work part-time to meet their living expenses on and off-campus. Read along to know about the Best jobs for students studying in the UK.
Work Policies for international students in the UK
A Tier 4 student visa is required for people from outside of the European Economic Area to enter the UK as a student at college or university. The Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) at a UK educational institution that holds a valid Tier 4 sponsorship license is required to apply for a Tier 4 student visa. Tier 4 visa students must spend at least 15 hours a week in study and also be able to meet the cost of the course, maintenance and accommodation without working.
Working hours
Foreign students in the UK should ensure they familiarize themselves with the University's work restrictions. These are generally stricter than the approved number of hours you can work on a student visa.
Students are allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week during term-time for full-time degree-level studies. This is a total of 20 hours in total per week(Monday-Sunday) which would include paid or unpaid work under one or more organisations. These 20 hours cannot be averaged out in a month or over a longer period. However, during official vacation periods, they can work the full 40 hours. The working hours for postgraduate students may differ during vacations depending on their university. Also, some universities restrict the weekly working hours to just 10 hours per week.
The restriction is imposed to ensure that the students do not tire themselves with work and are able to attain a work-life balance.
Restricted Type of work
Foreign students on a student visa can do most kinds of work, except for the following:
Graduate Route visa
Once the degree study is completed, students now have the liberty to stay back for another 2 years from the completion of their course, 3 years for those who completed PhD.
With effect from 1st July 2021, a new immigration route for international students who have completed a degree in the UK called the graduate route visa came into place. Sponsorship by the employer is not required with this visa and allows graduates to work regardless of starting salary or skill level in most roles in the UK. They can also undertake voluntary work, work on a self-employed basis, and visit outside the UK and return. Even partners and/or children who are dependant on the visa holder are eligible to stay in the UK. But the graduate visa does not allow to work as a professional sportsperson, apply for most benefits or the state pension.
This rule is also applicable for those students who returned to their home country and are remotely studying due to the Covid pandemic. All students who commenced their course in Autumn 2020 to Spring 2021 need to arrive in the UK no later than 27 September 2021 to qualify for the visa.
5 Part-time work options in UK for international students
Accountancy - Accountant roles require proficiency in maths, finance and business. Students who are adept at these trades or studying them can land a role in accountancy that pays almost £12 per hour
Marketing - If they have relevant prior experience or they are studying something related to marketing, students can easily find part-time marketing assistant roles that pay almost up to £11.50 per hour.
Education- Part-time teachers are in high demand in universities. Depending on the teaching popularity, students can earn around £11.34 per hour
Health services- Since the pandemic broke out, health services are always looking to hire more people who can help to fight for the cause. Students who are learning medicine can work part-time and earn up to £10.80 per hour
Social Care- Caring and Compassionate students can find social care a suitable option to earn some money because other than the passion to help others, there aren’t many other special requirements needed for it. The students receive full training by the organization and often get paid around £9.50 per hour.
In conclusion, even though there are many lucrative options to earn part-time, each university may have different regulations for their students working part-time. So consult with reputable Overseas education consultants in Kochi to understand the possibilities that await you in the United Kingdom.
