Study and research overseas

As part of your programme you may be required to spend time overseas studying or conducting research. In most cases the University will continue to sponsor your Student/Tier 4 visa during this time so that you can use the same visa when you return to the UK. For this to happen however, it is important that you continue to engage with your programme while you are overseas by maintaining contact with your supervisor or Study Abroad team.

Research Students

If you need to spend a period outside the UK conducting field work you should inform your PGR support team and ask them to provide you with a travel letter. This will confirm that you are authorised to spend time outside the UK and can be shown to UK immigration when coming back into the country if necessary. If you will be outside the UK for more than 3 months we will also inform UK Visas and Immigration of your temporary change of location, making it clear to them that we will continue to sponsor your Student/Tier 4 visa during your absence.

As the University will continue to provide Student visa/Tier 4 sponsorship while you are overseas, you will need to ensure that you continue to demonstrate that you are engaging with your programme. You will therefore need to make sure that you maintain monthly contact with your supervisor through MyPGR.

Undergraduate and Masters Students

If your programme includes a period of time studying at an overseas institution, the University will continue its sponsorship of your visa during this period. You need to make sure however that you respond to any emails or contacts from the University (usually your college’s Student Abroad team) while you are overseas.