International Student Office
Student Sabbaticals
International students are currently permitted to undertake roles as Student Union sabbatical officers. However, there are immigration implications which you must be aware of if you are thinking of standing for election. Remember that all immigration applications made within the UK must be made before the expiry date of your current visa.
If you are a sponsored student, you will need to discuss your plans with your sponsor before standing for election to a sabbatical post as there may be implications for the terms of your sponsorship.
If you want to take a sabbatical year during your studies, you should talk to your department or academic supervisor in case there are implications for your academic prgression.
The following guidance is based on your current visa being either a student or Tier 4 visa. If you have a different kind of visa, you should not assume that these options are available to you. Please speak to an adviser at the International Student Office to discuss what options might be open to you.
Timetable for elections
Elections for sabbatical posts are held in February. If you are elected, you will start your sabbatical in June. It will last for 12 months and finish in June of the following year. If you wish, you can stand for re-election for a second year. The maximum length of time you can serve as a sabbatical officer is two years.
Undergraduate international students
If you are an Undegraduate student and are elected for a sabbatical year during your studies, the University will report this to the UK Border Agency as a change to your circumstances as it will affect the end date of your course. You will then need to make an application for further leave to remain (extend your visa) to enable you to complete your studies after your sabbatical year.
If you are an undergraduate students and wish to do a sabbatical year at the end of your studies you will need to apply for further leave to remain in the UK under Tier 4, which is the student immigration route. The University will issue you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) giving details of your sabbatical year. You will then be given time in the UK as a student to complete your sabbatical. If you stand for re-election and are re-elected, you can apply for a further period of Tier 4 permission.
Taught Postgraduate students
If you are a taught postgraduate student, your visa will usually expire in the January following the completion of your course. You will not have the option to do a sabbatical year during your studies as most Masters courses only last one year. You wil need to think carefully about your immigration options before standing for election as the elections will take place after your visa expires. You will therefore need to return to your home country before the expiry date of your visa and apply to return to the UK under Tier 4 if you are elected. This will mean that you won’t be in the UK for the elections so it might lessen your chances of being elected.
Research Postgradute students
If you are a Research Postgraduate student and wish to stand for election you will need to think carefully about your immigration options.
If you are a Research Postgraduate student and are elected for a sabbatical year during your studies the University will report this to the UK Border Agency as a change to your circumstances as it will affect the end date of your course. You will then need to make an application for further leave to remain (extend your visa) to enable you to complete your studies after a sabbatical year.
If you are a Reseach Postgraduate student and wish to do a sabbatical year at the end of your studies your visa might expire at a time which doesn’t fit with the timetable for elections which might limit your options.
If your current visa expires after the election period, you would need to apply for further leave to remain (extend your visa) in the UK under Tier 4 which is the student immigration route. The University will provide you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) giving details of your sabbatical year. You will then be given time in the UK as a student to complete your sabbatical. If you stand for re-election and are re-elected, you can apply for a further period of Tier 4 permission.
If your current visa expires before the election period, you will not be able to apply from within the UK under Tier 4 to cover your sabbatical year as you will not have been elected until after your visa expires. This means that the only option for you is to return to your home country before the expiry date of your visa and apply to return to the UK under Tier 4 if you are elected. This will mean that you won’t be in the UK for the elections so it might lessen your chances of being elected.