International Student Support

Below are a range of ways to get to the University if you are arriving at Heathrow airport:

Student Route Visa

All information provided is general and may be subject to change. Please check the

Home Office website: UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), which will always have the most up-to-date information.

All of our policies regarding student visas can be found here:  Policies and Regulations - University of Winchester but if you have any questions, please contact international.support@winchester.ac.uk.

For further information on how to apply for your Student visa, please see here: Visa information - University of Winchester

University Sponsorship Duties

The United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) part of the Home Office requires the University to undertake a range of duties in order to sponsor students for Student Route Visas:

• We must keep records which include:Passport; visa; contact details; attendance data and key documents used at application.
• We must report students who: do not enrol; cease contact; have their sponsorship terminated or have significant changes of circumstances.

Your responsibilities

If you have a Student visa, you have a number of responsibilities whilst you are studying with us:

• Keep your contact details up to date, via MyRecords.
• Update us if your circumstances change.
• Ensure you do not work more than number of hours permitted.
• Attend and engage with your timetabled teaching sessions.

Working in the UK

Most international students are allowed to do some work whilst they study in the UK, but this should be balanced against studying commitments.

International students with a Student Route visa do not need to obtain a work permit in order to work but, providing your visa permits you to work, you are restricted to working either 10 hours or 20 hours a week during termtime, depending on the type of course you are studying. This will be marked on your visa. There is no restriction on the number of hours worked during vacation periods. The semester dates can be found here: www.winchester.ac.uk/accommodation-and-winchester-life/student-life/semester-dates/. Please note that the ‘writing-up period’ of your dissertation is considered term-time.

If it says no work or work prohibited, it means no work at all, including unpaid work.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are not working more than the permitted limit.

The University of Winchester cannot issue you ‘permission to work’ as it is your employer’s responsibility to carry out a Right to Work check Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Digital Immigration Status – eVisa

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical immigration documents, such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), with an online record of your immigration status - known as an eVisa. You will need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.

Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK. 

Further information regarding eVisas can be found here: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

How do I access my eVisa?

When you first entered the UK, you might have been given a BRP with an expiry date of 31^st December 2024. If so, you will need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and you may have already been contacted to create your UKVI account.

If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you’ll be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024. Sign up for updates on this page to keep up to date on when you’ll be able to access your eVisa.  

Watch this video for more information about creating a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and get access to your eVisa

Why do I need a UKVI account?

You need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions, such as your right to work or rent in the UK, using the view and prove service.  You do not have to pay to create a UKVI account. 

You can share your immigration status information with third parties, such as employers or landlords, by generating a share code in the view and prove service, which will give them time-limited access to your immigration status information.

I am a British or Irish citizen with a passport, do I need an eVisa?

If you are a British or Irish citizen, and you hold a British or Irish passport, you do not need an eVisa or a UKVI account and do not need to do anything. You should continue to use your passport to prove your status in the UK.

I need help accessing my eVisa

If you need any assistance with accessing your eVisa, please please contact International Student Success via email: international.support@winchester.ac.uk.

Graduate Visa

A Graduate visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing an undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK. You must be in the UK when you apply.

Full information on the Graduate visa is available on the UKVI website

Families in the UK

Babies born in the UK

If you are pregnant or become pregnant whilst you are studying, we advise you to let us know as soon as possible so that we can advise how best to support you. However, please be aware that if you are unable to remain studying with us and hold a Student visa, you may have to return to your home country.

Being born in the UK doesn’t automatically make a baby a British citizen. We advise you to discuss further with a specialist immigration solicitor/advisor.

If your baby isn’t a British citizen, they can remain in the UK without making an immigration application. However, from April 2015, babies born in the UK are not entitled to free healthcare from the age of three months old, unless it is emergency treatment. Therefore, in order to access healthcare, parents of babies born in the UK will need to make an immigration application within the first three months of the child’s life and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. In this case, we advise you to discuss further with a specialist immigration solicitor/advisor.

Find out more information about our U.S Federal Aid (Title IV)  

Information from Public Health England for international students can be found on the NHS website.

The University welcomes applications from all study abroad students who wish to study at the University of Winchester for a period of one semester or a study abroad year. Study Abroad students include Visiting (fee paying) and exchange students. Normally students must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December of the year of admission. Students should be registered on a recognised programme of study at a university or higher education institution.

Application deadlines:

• For semester 1, 2024/25 – applications must be received by 4 June 2024
• For semester 2, 2024/25 – applications must be received by 25 October 2024

All applications must be 2.8 minimum Grade Point Average (GPA).

For further information regarding incoming study abroad, please visit: Incoming exchange students - University of Winchester 

Contact Details

Email: studyabroad@winchester.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1962 827404
Address:
Study Abroad
International Student Success Team
University of Winchester
Sparkford Road
Winchester
Hampshire
England, UK
SO22 4NR

Study abroad allows you to spend part of your university course studying overseas at one of our partner universities in the USA, Canada or Europe.

Alternatively, there is the opportunity for shorter term study trips organised by your course at Winchester.

An exchange means that you spend an extended period studying at a partner university. At Winchester this is for a full semester in your 2nd year. A full semester immerses you in the culture of the country and the life of the overseas university.

We offer financial support to eligible students. You will continue to pay tuition fees to Winchester and no tuition fees are paid to your host (which is often much cheaper than if you were to study there independently). 

Short term vsits - or Field Trips - are an intensive overseas experience for students and staff lasting up to two weeks. This could be visiting a partner university or organisation, or a trip that travels abroad.

Recent examples of trips include the American Studies Field Trip to the South Western United States and National Parks, the US Civil Rights Pilgrimage which follows the tracks of the Freedom Riders; the Choreography and Dance performance trip to partner universities in the USA; Film Production students have visited the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals, Education students have taken part in student conference in Latvia and a Children's Book Project in Belgium.

For further information regarding incoming study abroad, please visit: Studying abroad as part of your degree.

Email: globalmobility@winchester.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)1962 827404

Address:
Study Abroad
International Student Success Team
University of Winchester
Sparkford Road
Winchester
Hampshire
England, UK
SO22 4NR