Your responsibilities

We have listed your responsibilities in our Student visa essential information page.

Read it carefully to ensure you understand our responsibilities as Student visa sponsor and your responsibilities as a Student visa holder.

You can also find out more in our Statement of Service. 

Our responsibilities to you

We (the University of Bristol) are your Student visa sponsor (see the UKVI register of Student visa sponsors) and must fulfil a number of UKVI obligations for sponsors in order for us to sponsor you to study here.

• If you hold a Student visa, we must monitor your attendance to check that you are engaging with your studies. This will also tell us if you need any extra help or support to complete your degree.

• We get your attendance information from “contact points” (scheduled academic activities). To meet your visa conditions, you must attend the contact points physically in-person.  Watching lecture recordings or attending online teaching and meetings cannot be used to meet your visa attendance requirements.

• If your school uses the University of Bristol app, it is your responsibility to record all the academic activities you attend. See How your attendance is monitored for further information.

• If you do not meet the minimum attendance requirement for your studies you will be contacted to ask why you were absent and to see if you need support to resume your studies. You may be asked to meet with your Faculty Head of Student Administration (or equivalent) to discuss any problems you may be having.  This process is designed to be supportive to you and your studies. We will assist you in obtaining the relevant support as necessary and explain the affect to your visa if you continue to not attend.  

• If you do not respond to emails about your absences, attend meetings when requested, or you are absent from in person contact points for 60 days or more, we must tell the UKVI/Home Office and withdraw your visa sponsorship. This means your Student visa will be cancelled. You will usually be withdrawn from your course as well.  You cannot appeal against this decision.

• It is important to read our attendance monitoring webpage. The page explains your attendance requirements and how absence or low attendance could breach your visa conditions.   

• We are also required to report to UKVI any changes in your situation or to your course. Some changes will affect your Student visa.  You must discuss any changes with your school and seek advice from Student Visas.  We are required to report within 10 days of the change; we will usually email you 24 hours before making the report. 

• We are required to report if we have reason to believe you are breaching the conditions of your Student visa, including if you do not comply with the working conditions of your visa.  

• We are also required to hold copies of your most recent visas and passports, so please ensure you contact us if you change your passport or visa (including if you switch to a different immigration category). Please check our website for what to do if you lose your passport or visa. 

• Finally, we are required to maintain up to date records of your contact details, including term time address and telephone numbers. Please ensure you keep your details up to date. 

• We are required to report your successful completion to the UKVI before you apply for the Graduate route visa. The University cannot report you as successfully completed if you have a tuition fee debt because you will not have been awarded your degree.  You must ensure any debt is fully paid by the end of your studies, if you wish to make an application.  Read the Graduate route webpage for full details. 

Support during your studies 

The university can provide a range of academic and pastoral support services which you can access to support your studies. If you are experiencing any difficulties, you should speak with your supervisor or personal tutor as soon as possible so that they can help you resolve any issues.  

If you have a visa related query we have a team of trained student immigration advisers who you can contact: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/directory/visas/contacts/ Please note that apart from suspensions of studies and annual leave for postgraduate research students, we cannot approve or advise on absence during term-time.  

For further information, please see the UKVI government guidance website.