Lawyer Destroyer Being recorded as not attending when you have in fact engaged can have serious consequences, ranging from warnings and being withdrawn from your course to reporting to the Home Office if you are a student visa holder. The good news is that universities have internal routes to correct genuine errors, and there is an external … Read more
What ATAS is and why delays happen The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is a UK government clearance run by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Certain students from outside the UK, Ireland, EEA, Switzerland and a small number of exempt countries must obtain an ATAS certificate before starting particular postgraduate courses and some research … Read more
What a CAS is and why delays or refusals happen A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is the electronic reference a licensed student sponsor (the university) issues so that you can apply for a Student visa. The university is not just doing you a favour: it holds a Home Office sponsor licence, and issuing … Read more
Act immediately to secure the account If you believe fraudsters have changed the bank details on your Student Finance account, treat it as urgent because the aim of this type of fraud is usually to divert your next maintenance or tuition payment to an account controlled by the scammer. The Student Loans Company (SLC) sends … Read more
Overview These are three separate funding streams for healthcare and higher education students, each administered by a different body and each with its own dispute route. The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) is run by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Childcare support may come through more than one route depending on your course. Disabled … Read more
Short answer Yes, a university bursary or scholarship can in principle be withdrawn, reduced, suspended or reclaimed, but only in accordance with the terms on which it was awarded and consistent with the general law that governs the relationship between you and the university. A university cannot simply take back financial support arbitrarily. Whether a … Read more
The answer turns on what you are actually unhappy about. Student Finance England (run by the Student Loans Company) draws a sharp line between challenging a decision about your entitlement, which is an appeal, and complaining about how you were treated or served, which is a complaint. Getting this right matters because using the wrong … Read more
Overview Whether resits, a repeat year, or a dissertation extension affect your Student visa depends mainly on two things: whether they change the end date of your course, and whether your existing visa still covers the new completion date. The key legal framework is the Home Office sponsor guidance for Student route sponsors and the … Read more
The answer depends on whether you are changing course with your existing university (sponsor) or moving to a different university, and on the details of the new course. In some situations you can continue on your current Student visa, but in many cases a fresh application is required. Changing course at the same university You … Read more
Overview How UK immigration rules treat internships and placements depends heavily on two things: what the arrangement actually is, and what immigration status the person already holds or is applying for. The word “internship” has no fixed meaning in the Immigration Rules. What matters is whether the activity counts as study, a course-related work placement, … Read more
Short answer Yes, in principle you can, but only within the work conditions attached to your immigration permission, and the key point that catches many students out is this: if you are physically in the UK when you do the work, it counts towards your weekly limit even though the employer is overseas and you … Read more
Short answer The Student visa route in England and Wales carries a strict prohibition on self-employment and on engaging in business activity. This restriction applies regardless of how the work is labelled and regardless of whether the earnings are large or small. Genuine employment is permitted within limits, but self-employment, most gig economy work and … Read more
Short answer The key point is that immigration law draws a crucial distinction between two things that sound similar but are treated very differently: “voluntary work” (which counts towards your weekly work limit) and “volunteering” (which does not). Whether your activity counts depends on which category it genuinely falls into, judged by its true nature … Read more
Overview There are really two separate timescales in play, and it helps to keep them apart. The first is how quickly a university can decide to withdraw sponsorship after withdrawal or poor attendance. The second is how quickly the Home Office (UK Visas and Immigration) then acts to shorten your visa once the university has … Read more
Being misled by an education agent or an immigration adviser can involve several different legal wrongs, and the right course of action depends on exactly what happened, who the person or business was, and what you lost as a result. Below I set out how to work out what type of problem you have, who … Read more
Overview International students in England renting privately face two distinct but connected practical hurdles: the landlord’s legal duty to carry out a right to rent immigration check, and the landlord’s commercial demand for a UK-based guarantor or a large amount of rent paid in advance. The first is a legal requirement imposed on landlords by … Read more
Overview These are two separate parts of the UK immigration system, but they often affect the same people. The eVisa is the online record of your immigration status that has now replaced physical documents such as biometric residence permits (BRPs). The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is the fee most visa applicants pay to access the … Read more
Understanding what has actually gone wrong Before treating this as a serious failing by the university, it helps to pin down exactly what “failing to report” means in your situation, because the appropriate route depends heavily on the facts. Common versions of this problem include the university not confirming your completion or award to an … Read more
Short answer Yes, delayed results can prevent or delay a Graduate visa application, but often only for a limited period and not always fatally. The key point is that the Graduate route does not turn on when your marks or transcript reach you personally. It turns on whether your university (your Student sponsor) has notified … Read more
How the minimum wage applies to students There is no special “student rate” for the National Minimum Wage in England and Wales. If a student is working and is classed as a worker, they are entitled to the same minimum wage as anyone else of their age. What matters is the person’s age and, in … Read more
