Remote study and your Student visa
If you hold a Student visa with the University’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) sponsorship, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) expects all your studies to take place on the University’s premises.
Certain types of absence from the University could breach your Student visa conditions and affect your Student visa sponsorship.
Read the following information to understand which types of absence are permitted by UKVI.
Absence during term time (including dissertation and project periods)
If you need to be away from campus/the UK during term times for certain reasons (e.g. health problems), you must request the absence from your academic school for consideration in advance.
Your school needs to understand why you will be absent and how long you’ll be away from campus or the UK before they can check if your reason is acceptable and approve an ‘authorised absence’.
If your absence is authorised, it won’t affect your Student visa sponsorship.
You may be questioned by a border officer when re-entering into the UK after your authorised absence. You should carry your email/letter from your school as evidence of your authorised absence.
Temporary leave
If your school can’t authorise your absence, they’ll advise you of other available absence requests, for example, ‘temporary leave’.
Once the temporary leave request has been approved by your school, the University is required by UKVI to withdraw your Student visa sponsorship for your temporary leave period. UKVI would expect you to leave the UK as soon as you can.
Once your temporary leave ends and you have agreed a date for you to return to your studies with your school, you can request a new CAS and make a new Student visa application from overseas.
Absence due to a fieldwork or data collection trip
If data collection is a requirement for your dissertation or project, work with your supervisor to let your school know in advance where you will be and for how long.
Your school will let you know which paperwork to complete.
Once your absence request is approved, your absence will be treated as a temporary ‘change of study location’. It won't affect your Student visa status.
After your fieldwork or data collection trip, UKVI expects you to return to campus or the UK to continue your studies.
If you’re returning to the UK from abroad, you may be questioned by a border officer. Use evidence from your trip to satisfy border control that your trip was approved by your school.
During your fieldwork/data collection trip, if you encounter unexpected issues and need more time, get in touch with your supervisor and school as soon as you can.
Absence from campus or the UK to complete part of your studies elsewhere
Your absence must be integral and assessed as part of your study, e.g. a work placement or exchange programme. It should not affect your Student visa status.
Contact your School to discuss your request further.
UKVI does not permit the completion of your dissertation in your home country.
If your request is authorised
To support your request and prevent you from breaching the conditions of your Student visa, we’ll withdraw your Student visa sponsorship for your absence period.
Your visa withdrawal will likely impact your re-entry when you return to the UK with the same Student visa. We advise you to apply for a Visitor visa if you need to return to the UK, for example, to attend your graduation ceremony.
Your visa withdrawal may also impact your ability to apply for a Graduate visa after the University confirms your official degree award.
If you are keen to apply for a Graduate visa, we suggest you explore other options to deal with the reasons for your absence while completing your dissertation on campus or in the UK.
Absence for other reasons
If you need to request absence for other reasons not mentioned previously, email the Student Visa Advice team at studentvisaadvice@leeds.ac.uk. You should also discuss your reasons for absence with your school.