Change of study location (PGT dissertation period)

Overview

With the exception of specific distance learning courses, the University’s programmes are an on-campus experience. If you have a Tier 4 or Student visa then you have been sponsored specifically to study a course within the UK on the University’s premises.

This means that:

• During formal vacation periods you can leave the UK during vacation times without getting permission from the University and your visa will not be affected.
• During term time you should study from within the UK (unless your course includes a formal Study Abroad period). Term time includes during your dissertation period.

If you need to leave the UK outside vacation times, then you should ask your department for permission for an authorised absence and they will advise you further.

If you choose to leave the UK during the summer dissertation period you must notify the University by following the instructions below.

How to notify the University

If you intend to leave the UK for your dissertation period, whether permanently or temporarily, you must complete the Change of Study Location form.

Before completing this form, ensure that you have read the visa implications of this decision and the FAQs. 

You should only complete the online form once you have completed your spring semester exams or assessments, and are specifically within your dissertation period.

You do not need to complete the form for a short period of authorised absence or for short visits overseas for up to two weeks. See the FAQ section below.

In addition, your department may have contacted you about your ability to study from overseas for this period. If so, you must follow any additional instructions or requirements set by your department before you complete the form below. Not all departments permit their students to study from overseas.

You will receive final confirmation and visa advice by email only after your date of travel has passed and the University has taken the relevant action. If your travel plans change after completing the form, contact immigrationcompliance@sheffield.ac.uk.

You do not need to complete this if you are taking a work placement or study abroad period that is a formal part of your course, or if your department requires their students to remain in the UK for this period.

Complete the Change of Location form

How this affects your studies

The University strongly encourages students to remain in the UK during their dissertation period. By doing this you can get the most out of the University’s facilities, materials and academic support throughout your studies and obtain the best result possible.

By choosing to relocate overseas you are accepting that you may not have the same levels of access to support, supervision and resources provided by the University.

If you will be based in China you should read our 'University Connect for China' (UCC) web page about using UCC to connect to some of the University’s online education products from this location. Requests to use UCC are made by your department, so you should contact them directly if you need access to this.

How this affects your visa

Whether or not your visa will be affected will depend on whether you are completing your studies from overseas or studying overseas for a temporary period only.

If you will be completing your course from overseas, the University must withdraw sponsorship of your Student visa and your visa will be cancelled by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

If you study from overseas for a temporary period, the University will maintain sponsorship of your Student visa and your visa will remain valid. This means you must leave the country for a limited period only and return to finish your studies and complete your course from the UK.

The FAQs below have more information.

How this affects the Graduate Immigration Route

One of the eligibility requirements to apply for the Graduate Immigration Route after you complete your course is that you must have studied in the UK for a relevant period. If you leave the UK you may therefore become ineligible to apply for this visa in the future. See the Graduate Route web page for more details on this requirement.

For postgraduate taught students, you must have received a visa which is at least 12 months long and all study during this period must have taken place in the UK, except for temporary and authorised periods of study overseas. 

Therefore if your visa sponsorship is withdrawn as a result of your change in study location you will not be eligible to apply for the Graduate Immigration Route. If your visa sponsorship can be maintained for a temporary authorised period then this may mean that you can still apply for the Graduate visa in the future.

Attendance and engagement

If you study overseas for this period you must still retain contact with the University and regularly check your emails for any important information.

If you wish to keep your Student visa and return to the UK in the future, you must remain engaged with your studies on a monthly basis throughout this period. This may include attending online or in-person meetings, submitting assessments, completing forms or replying to emails.

If you have a valid Student visa and stop engaging with your studies or lose contact with your department, the University will contact you by email and require you to re-engage with studies within a limited period. Failure to re-engage can lead to withdrawal from studies. You can find out more on our 'Student Visa attendance and engagement' web page.

Frequently asked questions

Does my department permit me to study overseas during my dissertation period?

Your department may or may not permit you to study your dissertation from overseas. Depending on your specific course you may be required to remain in the UK for this period for academic reasons. The change of location online form will advise you if you cannot study your course from overseas, and if so you will not be able to complete this.

Some departments may require their students to formally request a period of study overseas or provide further information before completing the change of location online form. If so, your department should have contacted you with further instructions. 

The following schools either do not permit study overseas for the dissertation period or require you to get approval from them first. If this applies to you, do not complete the online form - speak to your school instead.

• Departments within the Faculty of Engineering
• Department of Music (only applies to MUST64 and MUST65 programmes)
• School of Biosciences
• School of Languages and Cultures

What if I have a work placement or period of study abroad as part of my course?

If your course includes a placement or study abroad period as a formal part of your studies, eg you are on a course “with a year in industry”, then you do not need to complete the change of study location form. As this is a formal part of your course the University will inform UKVI of your temporary change of study location automatically and continue to sponsor your visa during this period.

What happens if I submit all work before returning overseas?

If you submit all required assessments and have no further studies to partake in then you have effectively completed your course. If you wish to leave the UK after this point you do not need to complete the change of study location form as you are no longer actively studying and your visa will not, therefore, be affected by travelling overseas. 

How can I return to the UK if my visa sponsorship is withdrawn?

If your Student visa sponsorship is withdrawn then this visa may be cancelled by UK Visas and Immigration at any time. Therefore if you intend to return to the UK, eg for graduation, you should do so by applying for a Visitor visa to travel instead. 

Will I still be eligible for the Graduate visa if I have a temporary period of study overseas approved by the University?

If you are only study overseas for a temporary period and will return to the UK before completing your course the University will simply inform UKVI of your temporary change of study location and continue to sponsor your visa during this period.

This means, provided you meet all the other requirements, the University will still report your Graduate visa eligibility to UKVI. UKVI has confirmed that any periods a student studies overseas as part of their course, such as placements, fieldwork, and research, will not impact on the student's eligibility for the Graduate route.

If you do not return to the UK until after you have submitted all your work and completed your studies then the University will withdraw your visa sponsorship and cancel your visa. This is because you will have completed your course from overseas. If so this means you will lose your eligibility to apply for the Graduate visa.

What if I'm studying overseas but don’t complete the change of study location form?

You should complete the form if you are studying overseas during term time. If you do not complete the form and it becomes apparent that you are not studying on campus, for instance because of your attendance record,  the University may proceed to withdraw sponsorship of your visa on this basis without completion of the form.

What if I’m just going overseas for a short period?

You do not need to complete the form for short periods only, for instance where you have periods of authorised absence from studies or for visits overseas for up to two weeks. This is not sufficient for the University to consider you as studying from overseas.

Remember: whilst you may not need to complete the form, if you have extenuating circumstances and will be absent from studies you must inform your department so that they ensure your absences are authorised. An example of this would be if you must return home for two weeks because of a family emergency.

Do I need to wait for ISSAC to send visa advice before leaving the UK?

ISSAC will send their report to UKVI in line with the date of intended travel you include when completing the online form. You may wish to travel before receiving the visa advice from ISSAC if there is a delay. You should only do this if you are fully aware of and accept the visa implications of your decision. 

What if I change my travel plans after completing the form?

The University only reports the change to UKVI after your travel date has passed, which is when you will receive final email advice from ISSAC.

If this action results in your visa being cancelled you will receive a separate notification email from UKVI directly, and they will give you 60 days to leave the UK before your visa expires. Therefore a short delay to your plans should not be an issue and would not require any action.

If your travel plans change significantly after completing the form, for instance you wish to travel at a much later date, you should email immigrationcompliance@sheffield.ac.uk.