UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Students' union sabbatical officers

Information for students and recent graduates

Last modified: 08 March 2021

Students' union sabbatical officers are paid, elected executive union positions. The term "sabbatical officer" also includes those elected to posts with the National Union of Students (NUS). These posts are usually full time.

You might be considering standing for election as a students' union sabbatical officer, or you might have already been elected. You can do this work either by taking a break from your studies or in the academic year after your course has ended. The post is usually for one year, but can be shorter. In many cases, you will be able to stand for re-election for a second year, but this depends on the rules of your students' union. If you want to know what the work involves, ask staff who work in the students' union at the college or university where you are studying or check their website.

European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals and their family members who have, or who are eligible for, permission under the EU settlement scheme (usually because they were in the UK before 31 December 2020) should see our information about their work rights.

The students' union is required by law to check that you have immigration permission that allows you to do the work and to take a copy of evidence of this, usually your current passport, your current biometric residence permit (BRP) or immigration status document or your digital status.

Sabbatical officers and Student permission

Last modified: 24 May 2021

Students and recent graduates who have Student (including Tier 4) immigration permission which allows them to work can undertake a full-time sabbatical officer post. You can do the post part way through your course or in the academic year after you finish it. You can also do other work while you are a sabbatical officer, within the usual student work restrictions - see document 2 of the sponsor guidance.

You might also be able to do the sabbatical officer post on a part-time basis, but you must not work more hours than are allowed by your current Student permission, usually 20 hours a week in total, and you must also continue studying full time.

For information about which students are permitted to work in the UK, see Who can work and working hours.

From 1 July 2021, it will be possible to undertake a sabbatical officer role with Graduate permission, if you have completed your course and meet all other requirements of the Graduate route - see Graduate route ("post-study work"). This is an alternative route to applying as a Student, which will still be an option.

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Who needs to make a Student application

Your student sponsor's duties

Your current source of finance

Finance for your Student application

English language

Where to apply, length of permission and your endorsement

Study during your sabbatical officer work

When can sabbatical officers start work?

Last modified: 08 March 2021

You do not need to make an immigration application before starting work if your immigration permission allows you to work full time and either

covers the whole of your period of work as a sabbatical officer, or
expires before the end of your post if you know that you will be able to apply to extend your permission in this category.

This permission can be one of many different immigration categories, including as a dependant, UK ancestry, and Tier 5 (Youth Mobility). It does not include Tier 2 or Skilled Worker because this permission 'ties' you to the employer who issued your certificate of sponsorship (CoS). From 1 July 2021, it will also include the Graduate route.

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Your current permission allows work as a sabbatical officer

Your current permission does not allow work as a sabbatical officer

Your application is rejected or refused, or you have no immigration permission

Options when a sabbatical officer post ends

Last modified: 05 July 2021

Your options when your sabbatical officer post ends depend on whether you need to complete your course, and whether you want to undertake further study or find work in the UK or elsewhere.

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Finish your course

Take a new course

Work options

Information for students' unions

Last modified: 08 March 2021

International students are increasingly interested in standing for election as sabbatical officers, so it is important to be familiar with the legal requirements for working with those who are subject to immigration control. The NUS has produced a guide to the employment status of sabbatical officers that is of relevance to all officers.

Please consider becoming a UKCISA member. UKCISA membership is free for Student Unions and you will have access to a wide range of resources and sources of help. We are very keen to support, and learn from, you in your work with international students - for details, see Membership.

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Checking permission to work

Sabbatical officers and Student permission

The main immigration route for students and for students' union sabbatical officers is Tier 4, or Student from 5 October 2020. The Student and Tier 4 routes allow full-time work for sabbatical officers who are elected to work for the NUS or in the students' union connected to the college or university where they are studying, or where they have recently completed their studies. Sabbatical officers can undertake up to 20 hours a week of employment in addition to their full-time sabbatical officer post. This is explained in document 2 of the sponsor guidance.

Students are usually prohibited from working full time while studying their course, unless they are outside term time or on a work placement. You should seek written confirmation from the Student sponsor that the student has completed their course or is permitted to take a break from study to undertake the post. If this is not the case, you need to discuss with the Student sponsor the basis on which this particular student might be able to start work with you.

A Student can undertake a part-time sabbatical officer role. However, the hours of work must be restricted to those allowed by the student's current immigration permission, usually 20 hours a week in total, and the student must also continue studying on a full-time basis.

If a student seeks advice on whether to work as a sabbatical officer under the Student or Graduate route (available to some graduates from 1 July 2021), you need to be aware that it is possible to "switch" from the Student route to the Graduate route, but only if the student completed their qualifying course of study in the period of Student permission they held directly before being granted Student permission for the sabbatical officer role. For most people, this should not be a problem. However, a student who is re-elected and who is granted Student permission for this further period of sabbatical officer work will no longer be able to apply under the Graduate route. For details, as far as we have them at present, see Graduate route ("Post-study work").

Evidence of Student permission

Sabbatical officers with other types of permission

Some students might have immigration permission that is not Student or Tier 4. They might be permitted to work as well as study without having to apply for Student permission.

They will probably have no work conditions on their entry clearance sticker or on their biometric residence permit. For example, holders of permission under the EU settlement scheme (European Economic Area and Swiss nationals and their family members), those with refugee status, Humanitarian Protection, dependant leave, Tier 5 (Youth Mobility), UK ancestry or Hong Kong BN(O) permission are not tied to a sponsor or employer. The same will apply to holders of Graduate permission, when this route comes into force on 1 July 2021.

Not all dependants are permitted to work; some will have a condition that states "No work" or "Employment prohibited".

Those who have work-related immigration permission might be "tied" to a particular employer which would prevent them from starting work with you. For example, those with Tier 2 or Skilled Worker permission can study as long they carry out the employment for which they were given their permission, but they can not work for you if you are not their sponsor. Such a person would probably need to apply for permission under a different route in order to work as a sabbatical officer, but should seek immigration advice in order to explore all options.

The endorsement on students' BRPs, passports or on their digital status might not state the type of permission they have, but always check with the holder. If in doubt, ask to see any Home Office leaflets or letters they received with their grant of permission, as these usually set out the details of work and other conditions.

It is very important that people do not stay in the UK beyond the expiry of their immigration permission. For Student applicants, it can result in refused applications, whether in or outside the UK. No one who is in the UK without immigration permission is allowed to work.

If you are not sure whether a student or recent graduate has immigration permission that allows them to work for you as a sabbatical officer, you can find out about most immigration categories on the Home Office website, and use their guidance for employers before the post starts.

Students' union sabbatical officers

On 5 October 2020, the term 'Student permission' replaced 'Tier 4 (General) student leave'. The term 'Student' includes both students who apply for immigration permission on or after 5 October and holders of Tier 4 (General) student immigration permission.

Information for students and recent graduates

Sabbatical officers and Student permission

Who needs to make a Student application

Your student sponsor's duties

Your current source of finance

Finance for your Student application

English language

Where to apply, length of permission and your endorsement

Study during your sabbatical officer work

When can sabbatical officers start work?

Your current permission allows work as a sabbatical officer

Your current permission does not allow work as a sabbatical officer

Your application is rejected or refused, or you have no immigration permission

Options when a sabbatical officer post ends

Finish your course

Take a new course

Work options

Information for students' unions

Checking permission to work

Sabbatical officers and Student permission

Evidence of Student permission

Sabbatical officers with other types of permission

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