International Students Requiring Visa Compliance Monitoring

This section is for international students whose visas are sponsored by the University. 

International students requiring visa compliance monitoring are expected to attend and engage with their studies throughout their course. Attendance and engagement requirements continue during dissertation, major project and independent study periods. 

If you are unsure what requirements apply to you, seek advice before making decisions that could affect your attendance, engagement or immigration status.

As a Student Visa sponsor, the University must be able to show that international students requiring visa compliance monitoring are actively attending and engaging with their studies. 

You are expected to attend each week, record attendance when required and maintain regular engagement with your course. The University expects international students requiring visa compliance monitoring to maintain attendance of at least 80%. 

If you haven’t attended anything for a week, or your attendance falls below 80%, the University will contact you to offer support, understand your circumstances and agree what improvement is needed. Sustained low attendance or poor engagement may put your visa at risk. 

 

Next Steps: 

  • Attend and engage with your course every week. 
  • Record attendance by swiping the card readers at the start of each required session. 
  • If you are in the dissertation writing-up period, swipe weekly between 9am and 4pm at Charles Sikes. 
  • Keep your attendance at or above 80% and continue engaging with Brightspace, your course team and required academic activities. 
  • If your attendance falls below 80%, or you are unable to attend weekly, respond promptly to University contact so support and improvement can be agreed. 

Dissertation, major project and independent study periods all remain active periods of study. 

Although you may have fewer or no timetabled classes, you are still expected to remain engaged with your academic work, supervisors, course team and required University communications. 

International students requiring visa compliance monitoring must continue demonstrating attendance and engagement throughout these periods. Attendance recording, weekly attendance requirements and engagement checks may therefore continue after taught classes have finished. 

You must not assume that you can study remotely, stop recording attendance, leave the UK or travel overseas because teaching has finished or a dissertation has been submitted. If authorised absence may be needed, follow D9. If you are considering overseas travel or leaving the UK, follow D10. 

Next Steps: 

  • Continue recording attendance whenever required on your timetable. 
  • Check MyHud, your timetable and University communications for the attendance and engagement arrangements that apply during your dissertation or independent study period. 
  • Continue engaging with your academic work, supervisors, course team and required activities. 
  • If you need time away from required academic activity, follow the authorised absence guidance in D9. 
  • If you are considering remote study, overseas travel or leaving the UK, follow the travel guidance in D10 before making plans. 

Optional Support Available 

  • Book a 10-minute informal attendance meeting if you would like to update us on your attendance absence or speak to a coach about your situation. 

If you miss recording your attendance for a week, you should resume recording attendance as soon as possible and continue engaging with your studies. One missed recording will not usually cause a sharp drop in your attendance percentage, but repeated missed recordings or low attendance may become a visa compliance concern. 

If you missed recording attendance because you were absent, follow the absence reporting guidance in D8. If you missed recording because you forgot or lost your student card, follow the student card guidance in A7. 

If you don’t attend anything for a full week, or your attendance falls below 80%, the University will normally contact you to offer support, understand your circumstances and agree what improvement is needed. Sustained low attendance or poor engagement may put your visa at risk. 

Next Steps: 

  • Resume recording attendance as soon as possible. 
  • Check your attendance record in MyHud to understand your current attendance position. 
  • Continue attending and recording attendance every week where required. 
  • If you missed recording because you were absent, follow D8 and report the absence promptly. 
  • If you missed recording because you forgot or lost your student card, follow A7 and arrange a replacement card if needed. 
  • Respond promptly to any University contact about low attendance, missed attendance recording or visa compliance concerns. 

Do not assume that you can study remotely, leave the UK or travel overseas during your studies. Student visa holders are not permitted to engage in remote or online study whilst in the UK. Should you wish to study online or remotely you should contact the Immigration and Compliance team who will be able to advise you of the impact this could have on your student visa.  

Attendance and engagement requirements continue during taught study, dissertation, major project, placement and independent study periods. These requirements continue until your studies have formally concluded and can apply after your final teaching session or assessment submission. 

Your attendance requirements will be shown on your timetable and through University communications. You must check what applies to your situation before making plans. 

Remote study, overseas travel or time away from required academic activity can affect your attendance, engagement, visa conditions and ability to return to the UK. If authorised absence is required, follow D9. If you are considering overseas travel or leaving the UK, follow D10. 

Next Steps: 

  • Check your timetable for attendance requirements. 
  • Check MyHud and University communications for any attendance or engagement requirements. 
  • Do not book travel or leave the UK until you have checked the requirements that apply to you. 
  • Contact the International Office before making travel plans or leaving the UK. 
  • If authorised absence is required, follow D9. 
  • If you are considering overseas travel or leaving the UK, follow D10. 
  • Contact your tutor or course team if teaching, assessments, exams, placement activity, dissertation work or supervision will be affected. 
  • Contact the Student Engagement Team only if your question is about attendance recording requirements. 

Optional Support Available: 

You may receive an attendance email or be invited to a Visa Compliance Meeting if there are concerns about your attendance or engagement. 

Receiving an attendance email does not automatically mean that your visa is affected. 

Attendance emails are intended to make students aware of concerns, encourage early action and ensure that support can be offered where appropriate. 

A Visa Compliance Meeting provides an opportunity for the University to remind you of the compliance rules and expectations while providing an opportunity to understand your circumstances, discuss attendance concerns and consider what support or action may be needed. 

Sustained failure to engage and attend could lead to withdrawal, and this would result in your student visa being curtailed. 

If you are invited to attend a Visa Compliance Meeting, you must attend. 

Next Steps:

  • Read all communications carefully. 
  • Review your attendance record. 
  • Follow any instructions provided. 
  • Attend any meetings if invited. 
  • Explain any circumstances affecting attendance or engagement. 
  • Continue meeting attendance requirements unless advised otherwise. 

Optional Support Available: 

The most appropriate contact depends on the nature of your question. Attendance, engagement, academic requirements, travel and visa matters may involve different University teams. 

If you are unsure what to do, it is better to seek advice before making decisions that could affect your attendance, engagement, visa conditions or ability to remain in or return to the UK. 

A short informal attendance meeting can be useful if you need a quick triage conversation about your attendance, engagement or next steps. For visa, immigration, overseas travel or UK departure questions, you should contact the International Office. 

Next Steps: 

  • Contact the Immigration and Compliance Team immigration@hud.ac.uk for visa, immigration, overseas travel, leaving the UK, returning to the UK, or visa-condition questions. 
  • Follow D9 if you think authorised absence may be needed. 
  • Follow D10 before making plans to travel overseas, leave the UK or study remotely. 
  • Contact the Student Engagement Team if your question is about attendance recording, missed weekly attendance recording, MyHud attendance records or attendance-monitoring requirements. 
  • Contact your Academic School, Course Team or Supervisor if your question is about teaching, assessments, exams, placement activity, dissertation work, supervision or academic progress.