Visa Conditions

How you can show engagement and attendance on your course

You must show engagement and attendance by:

• Attending all scheduled study activities such as: lectures, exams, meeting with your tutor or supervisor, labs and workshops; and
• Submitting all assessed work; and
• Using the University's 'MyEngagement' on the SEAtS mobile app for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught (Master's) students only

How the University monitors engagement for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught (Master's) students

From September 2023, the University will be using the SEAtS engagement monitoring system.

You can find out about the new system, how to download the app and discover how the system will be used within the Knowledge Base article

Please also see the related FAQs about MyEngagement.

If you do not use MyEngagement during term dates, you will receive an engagement reminder email from the Visa and Immigration Student Advice Service (VISAS). If you are not actively studying and your absence from studies is not authorised, the University cannot continue to sponsor your Student visa.

If there is a reason why you cannot attend your studies during term dates, you can find more information about what to do in the next section: What to do if you cannot attend your studies.

Postgraduate Research students engagement monitoring

We expect Postgraduate Research students to study full-time on their course and to submit any absence requests at least 2 weeks in advance of your intended absence.

Please note that an informal arrangement of absence with your Supervisor is not permitted and your absence must be recorded in PGR Manager so that the Doctoral College is notified.

All absences outside of your permitted Annual Leave will need to be approved by the VISAS team first before you can take the absence. 

If you need to leave the UK or will not be actively studying during term dates you have a few options:

• Apply for an authorised absence.
• Suspend your studies and return to complete them later.
• Withdraw from your studies.

If you are considering leaving the UK to complete your thesis or dissertation, you can find more information in the next section: Leaving the UK before you complete your studies.

Apply for an authorised absence

You can apply for an authorised absence to take a short time away from your studies or leave the UK for a short time for any of the following reasons:

• Remote study
• Compassionate/medical leave

Your absence should be authorised before you take time away from your studies. This will make it easier for you to show you have the approval of your Student Sponsor when you travel through the UK border and will enable the University to continue to sponsor your Student visa during your absence.

Further information and absence request forms can be found on the University’s Student visa authorised absence request form webpage: 

Student visa absence request forms

Remote study

This type of authorised absence is only available for postgraduate students. Remote study may include: data collection, field work, attending a conference or other research which is necessary to your current programme of study. Leaving the UK to write up your dissertation/thesis is not considered remote study. You can find more information about leaving the UK before you complete your studies in the next section: leaving the UK before you complete your studies. 

To be able to approve your absence, your supervisor must confirm:

•  This period of remote study is essential to the student’s course.
•  The work the student is doing must necessarily be done outside of the UK, and could not be completed on-site at the University of Southampton.
•  The amount of the time the student has requested is proportionate to the work they are undertaking.
•  This student will remain in regular contact with the university (i.e. supervisor or other appropriate member of staff) throughout this period of remote study.

If your supervisor cannot confirm all of the above, they will not be able to approve your absence and you will need to discuss alternative options with them, which may include completing your study activity in the UK or suspending your studies.

Compassionate/medical leave

This type of authorised absence could be for reasons which include a family emergency, a wedding of a close family member or a serious health condition which requires a short absence from studies. Requests for compassionate leave are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If you are not sure if the reason for your absence will qualify for compassionate leave, you can speak to a visa advisor at our drop-in service or book a visa advice appointment.

In all requests for compassionate leave, your tutor or supervisor must confirm that they:

• do not consider that this absence will have a detrimental effect on the students’ academic studies

This means that you must still be able to successfully complete your current programme of study before your current Student visa expires and your absence must not directly result in you having to extend your stay to complete your studies. 

You may be asked to provide evidence to support your request for authorised absence.

If your absence is for a medical leave, you must provide a letter from your doctor at the hospital or medical centre on official headed paper which includes all of the following:

•  the name, address and phone number of the hospital or medical centre
•  details of your medical condition
•  the signature of your doctor
•  the official stamp of the hospital
•  the date the letter was printed

If your evidence is not in English, you must provide a certified translation which contains all of the following:

•  confirmation from the translator/translation company that it is an “accurate translation of the original document”
•  the date of the translation
•  the translator’s full name
•  the translator’s signature
•  the translator or translation company’s credentials (qualification or registration as a translator)
•  the translator or translation company’s contact details

Suspend or withdraw from your studies

You must contact your Faculty Office to find out the process to apply to suspend or withdraw from your studies. 

When you suspend or withdraw, you will no longer be actively studying so the University cannot continue to sponsor your current Student visa. On the date you are suspended or withdrawn, the University will remove sponsorship of your Student visa and report your change of circumstances to UK Visas and Immigration. We will email you the same day to explain that: 

• Unless you submit a new immigration application to remain in the UK, you must leave the UK within 60 days.
• You cannot work or study in the UK during this 60 day period.
• The end date printed on your visa is no longer relevant. 
• You can use your current visa to leave the UK to go home but you cannot then use it to re-enter the UK. 

If you suspend your studies, you will need a new visa to return to your studies. When you know the date you are planning to return, you must prepare to apply for a new visa. Visit the relevant tab on our webpage about suspending/deferring/withdrawing for more information.

Writing up your dissertation or thesis outside of the UK

If you are considering writing up your dissertation or thesis outside of the UK, you must discuss this with your Faculty Office and supervisor before you leave the UK. If your Faculty and supervisor are able to approve your decision to leave the UK, you must inform the Visa and Immigration Student Advice Service (VISAS) by contacting us - see the link below. When you inform VISAS that you will complete your dissertation or thesis outside of the UK, the University will remove sponsorship of your Student visa on the date you plan to leave the UK. 

When the University removes sponsorship of your Student visa, we will report your change of circumstances to UK Visas and Immigration and we will email you on the same day to explain that:

•  Unless you submit a new immigration application to remain in the UK, you must leave the UK within 60 days.
•  You cannot work or study in the UK during this 60 day period.
•  The end date printed on your visa is no longer relevant.
•  You can use your current visa to leave the UK to go home but you cannot then use it to re-enter the UK.

Please note that if your sponsorship is withdrawn, this may impact your ability to apply for the graduate route and we recommend you contact us using the link below.

Repeating externally

The University will remove sponsorship of your Student visa when we are informed about your decision to repeat externally. 

If you need to return to the UK to attend examinations when you are repeating externally, you will need to apply for a Visitor visa. Find out more on the exams tab of our short visit webpage.

Following successful completion of your repeat external period of study, you will need to apply for a new Student visa from outside the UK to continue with your programme of study at the University of Southampton. You can find more information on the applying outside the UK tab on the University's making your application about making your application.