If you are coming to the UK as a student for six months or less, you must ask the Entry Clearance Officer (or the Immigration Officer if you do not need an entry clearance) for permission to work.

If you are studying for six months or less and you did not ask for permission to work then this will be written or stamped on your visa.

If your course of studies is for more than six months then this should not have been written on your visa as your are legally entitled to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Edit:

IndyKate, you couldn’t be more wrong.

EVERY international student needs a student visa regardless of if their home country as entered into a visa waiver agreement with that country. That is law and without one they would not meet the immigration requirements.

Secondly it does not matter if an international student intends to work or not, they STILL need a student visa for that country.

Visa free travel ONLY applies to tourists and NO-ONE else.

If you think that as an international student you can just turn up at customs and immigration with just a passport and “possibly” a letter verifying that you have been accepted then you have NO idea what you are talking about Kate!

Nothing is stamped into your passport regarding being accepted or fees paid to a university. The student visa is what is what is in your passport! There is no “special student visa” which allows you to work. See my original answer above regarding the requirements.

Please research your answers before putting those fingers to work.

Again, I have over 10 years experience and I am also a British citizen studying in the United States.

If you want further evidence then I suggest you visit the websites in the source.

Less than 6 months, no work – no special visa requirements.

Less than 6 months, work – need a visa

More than 6 months, with or without work – need a visa

You really should contact your study abroad office or the British Consulate with other questions.

If you are studying in the UK for less than 6 months and coming from the US or other country where a visa is waived, you do not need to obtain a special student visa unless you want to work.

Otherwise you just need to go with your passport and possibly a letter verifying that you have been accepted to your program and paid the university for your program, and yes that will be stamped on your passport, it would be even if you were just staying one week.

If you are staying for longer than 6 months you need to get a special student visa anyway, which should also allow you to work.

You need to contact the British embassy to obtain a visa. You should also give yourself enough time for your request to be processed.

Speaking from experience, unless you need to work then you should just enjoy your courses and your time abroad – it will be over very quickly. Most study abroad coordinators discourage students working during their time abroad.

I hope this helps and that you enjoy your time abroad!