The engagement requirement for a Research student is outlined in Annex H of the Codes of Practice for Research Courses.
If you need to miss a supervisory contact, you need to contact the PGR team to let them know. Any missed supervision for a prolonged period of time, can have implications on your Student visa.
The Student Immigration Compliance team monitors PGR engagement every 3 months.
Changes to your completion date
A change to your completion date may happen if your School recommends that you need more time to complete your course.
If you are nearing your original completion date (as indicated on your current and valid CAS issued by the University of Kent) and you are granted an extension which is beyond your visa expiry date, you will need to apply to extend your visa.
Once the School has approved your extension, you must notify the Student Immigration Compliance Team. If you are applying to complete the PhD or other doctoral qualification for which you were last given a Student visa, you are exempt from showing academic progression (policy guidance) and therefore can submit your application for further leave from within the UK.
If you complete your course earlier than your date of completion date, please see our early completion date webpage.
You should read through the information on how to apply for a CAS. We strongly recommend contacting Kent Union Advice, who can offer free immigration advice to all University of Kent students.
Fieldwork
When you intend to leave the UK for fieldwork, you must first seek approval from your supervisor.
It is necessary to also inform SICT so we can make a change in study location to UKVI. This report ensures that we are compliant with our monitoring and reporting duties.
PGR students are allowed to undertake fieldwork, or work from outside the UK. You will need to provide this information to SICT: leaving date, return date, address.
Intermission
The University's guide page details what an intermission is. As a Student visa holder, it is a condition of your visa that you are registered and actively engaging in a full time course at the University of Kent. Therefore, if you decide to take a break from your studies, you must fill in an intermission form as soon as possible. As your Student visa sponsor, we are required to report such changes in your study to the Home Office.
Information on intermissions can be found here.
Please note, we do not approve retrospective intermissions.
After you have submitted your thesis
We will review each case individually. However, it is not common practice for the University of Kent to issue you with a Student route CAS to return for a viva examination or to complete corrections.
For more information, please seek immigration advice from Kent Union Advice or contact the Student Immigration Compliance Team.
Further information
Find out if a Graduate visa is suitable for you.