Can international students work in UK part time on a study visa?

Yes. On a UK study visa (officially the Student visa), a full time student on a degree level course at a university can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time during official vacations, as of October 2026. Below degree level the limit is 10 hours. You cannot be self employed or fill a permanent full time job, and future wages cannot count as the money you show for your visa.

Can international students work in the UK on a study visa?

Yes, but the limit depends on your course level and on who sponsors you. These are the rules in paragraph ST 26.1 of Appendix Student, as of October 2026.

For a bachelor's or master's at a UK university, the 20 hour rule usually applies.

Your eVisa shows the work condition that applies to you. Check it as soon as you get it. If it says "no work" or shows the wrong number of hours, the University of Kent advises contacting your university's visa team, since it may be an error.

Work placements are separate. A placement that is assessed as an integral part of your course is permitted under its own rule, ST 26.2.

How are the 20 hours a week counted?

This is where many students get caught out.

• A week runs Monday to Sunday. UKCISA, the UK council for international student affairs, says a week means any seven day period starting on a Monday.
• No averaging. You cannot work 30 hours one week and 10 the next. The University of Bristol states that hours "cannot be averaged over a month or any other period".
• All jobs add up. If you have two jobs, the total across both must stay within your limit.
• Unpaid work can count. UKCISA separates volunteering (no contract, no pay except reasonable expenses, not replacing an employee) from voluntary work, which is unpaid employment and counts towards your hours.

Say, as a hypothetical example, you do 12 hours at a café and 10 hours at a warehouse in the same Monday to Sunday week. That is 22 hours, which breaches a 20 hour limit even if you work only 10 hours the following week.

When can you work full time on a UK study visa?

You can work full time outside term time. UKCISA defines term time as the period when your sponsor expects you to be studying, so your university's own calendar decides it, not the general idea of "holidays". UKCISA lists these as outside term time:

• official vacations set by your university, such as the breaks between terms;
• the period before your course starts;
• the period after your course ends, which UKCISA covers in its guidance on working after studies.

Two points trip up master's students.

• Summer is often term time. On a one year taught master's, the summer is usually your dissertation period. The University of Bristol says summer holidays do not apply to postgraduate taught students because that time counts as term time, so the 20 hour limit still applies.
• After your course ends. Bristol allows postgraduate taught students to work full time only once both their dissertation submission date and their CAS end date have passed. Undergraduates can work full time after the course end date on their CAS if they have finished.

Before taking extra shifts, get your university's official term dates in writing. Employers may ask for them too.

What jobs can students do in the UK, and which are banned?

You can do most ordinary employed work, as long as you stay within your hours. Students commonly work in shops, restaurants, cafés, warehouses, care settings and on campus roles such as student ambassador.

Under ST 26.5 of Appendix Student, you must not:

• be self employed or engage in business activity;
• work as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach;
• work as an entertainer;
• work in a position that would fill a permanent full time vacancy.

UKCISA explains that "permanent" means there is no end date in your contract. A permanent part time job is allowed, and outside term time you can take a full time job on a fixed term contract.

What about freelancing? Many Pakistani students already earn online through freelancing. Self employment and business activity are banned on a Student visa, and Bristol notes that contracting can be treated as self employment. If you freelance now, ask your university's international student adviser before you continue any of it from the UK. Also check every job contract: if it treats you as self employed or as a contractor rather than an employee, you cannot accept it.

How much can you earn part time in the UK in 2026?

Students are entitled to the legal minimum like any other worker. From 1 April 2026:

At £12.71, 20 hours comes to £254.20 a week before any deductions. Rates change on 1 April each year, and many jobs pay more than the minimum.

You will also need a National Insurance number. GOV.UK says it can take up to 4 weeks to get one, but you can start work before it arrives if you can prove your right to work. You may already have a number: check your eVisa in your UKVI account first.

Can part time work pay for your UK study visa funds?

No. Your bank statement has to prove money you already have, not money you plan to earn. GOV.UK requires your course fees for one academic year plus living costs, held for at least 28 days in a row, with that period ending within 31 days of your application.

The higher amounts come from the Statement of Changes HC 584 (3 September 2026). Once you arrive, part time work can help with daily costs, but no job is guaranteed and term time hours are capped. Plan to manage without work in your first months. Our guide to the cost of studying in the UK from Pakistan sets out the full budget, and our UK student visa requirements guide explains the bank statement rules.

Via Nova does not find jobs or arrange work. We help you plan a budget that does not rely on one.

How do you prove your right to work with an eVisa?

Every UK employer must check your right to work before you start (Home Office employer's guide, updated 1 October 2026). For students, the check is done online.

1. Go to GOV.UK's "view and prove your immigration status" service.
2. Sign in with the details you use for your UKVI account, such as your passport.
3. Choose to prove your right to work and get a share code.
4. Give the employer your share code and your date of birth.

A share code lasts 90 days, and you can generate a new one whenever you need it. If you want full time hours in a vacation, the University of Kent says you can use your eVisa share code plus a status letter from your university. Ask your university how to request one.

What happens if you work more than 20 hours?

The consequences are serious and can follow you for years.

• Under paragraph SUI 11.8 of the Immigration Rules (Part Suitability), your permission may be cancelled if you have failed to comply with its conditions.
• Under SUI 11.4(b), breaching a condition of your permission counts as a breach of immigration laws, which can lead to refusal of future UK applications.

Keep a record of your hours for every job, with your payslips and rotas. If an employer pressures you to go over your limit, say no.

After you graduate, the rules change. Our guide to the UK Graduate Route explains who can stay and work after their degree.

Not sure where you stand?

If you are unsure whether you can afford a UK degree without counting on part time work, send your grades, budget and target university on WhatsApp to a Via Nova counsellor at +92 316 4448062. You will get an honest view of which courses and cities fit your budget, through our UK study visa service. Our counsellors are in Lake City Meadows (Ex State Life), next to DHA Phase 5, Lahore, and also advise online. Only UKVI decides your visa.