Guide
Attendance and your Student visa
This guide outlines the attendance requirements for Student visa holders
Updated on 8 August 2025
The University has an official attendance and engagement policy. This policy outlines attendance requirements for all students.
Taught Programmes (undergraduate or masters)
Students on taught programmes are required to attend all scheduled teaching. During semester times this is monitored using SEAtS. The University’s attendance threshold is 80%. Schools will contact students to offer support if attendance drops below this percentage.
The Immigration Compliance team will contact students if attendance drops below 50%.
Initially Immigration Compliance will email a warning that your attendance may affect your visa. You will be directed to support services for help. Attendance will continue to be monitored for two weeks after the initial email. If your attendance does not improve you will be invited to a meeting with the Immigration Compliance team. You will be able to explain reasons for your low attendance. Advice and support will be offered to help with any matters impacting on attendance. If you do not improve your attendance a further meeting will be arranged. If your attendance still does not improve after support we will recommend termination of studies. If you do not attend meetings or contact the team we will recommend termination of studies. This is our duty as a Student visa sponsor.
We encourage you to proactively resolve any attendance issues and seek support. Attendance and engagement with studies are a core visa requirement. Failing to meet these requirements has serious consequences.
Research Programmes
Research students have regular meetings with their supervisors. These are used to check attendance and engagement. Supervisors are responsible for recording meetings and raising any concerns about engagement. Non-engagement may lead to visa extension requests being denied or termination of studies.
Self-certified absences and mitigating circumstances
UKVI Reporting Duty
Attendance and engagement with studies is a key requirement of your Student visa. Students must show that they are genuine and have intentions to study in the UK. Sustained levels of poor attendance are a breach of Student visa conditions. The University has a duty to inform the Home Office of students who are not engaging with studies. We must withdraw sponsorship of their visa. This will lead to cancellation of the Student visa and a need to leave the UK.
SEAtS Attendance Issues
If you have problems using SEAtS information on solutions is available on our SEAtS registration and support guide. Your School Office can check you into SEAtS whilst technical issues are resolved. You should visit your School Office directly after each class.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is central to the University’s core values. Students are encouraged to engage with the concept of studying with integrity. This means presenting academic work with honesty, properly acknowledging sources, avoiding unfair advantage and working within relevant ethical frameworks.
As part of this framework students are expected to record their attendance accurately. Deliberate dishonesty in attendance recording is an extremely serious offence. Students should be aware of the severe penalties imposed.