Working Hours and Eligibility
Information on submitting timesheets, the maximum number of hours you can work during term time and vacation periods and working on campus after graduation.
Submitting timesheets with Unitemps
You will enter the hours you work onto timesheets via the Unitemps website. Please note you must submit your hours weekly.
Visit the Unitemps Information Hub to watch the ‘How to submit a Unitemps timesheet’ video.
You can also view the monthly timesheet submission deadlines. Please familiarise yourself with these dates so that you know when to expect payment and can ensure your hours are submitted on time.
How many hours can I work each week?
Most students can work a maximum of 20 hours per week in term time and a maximum of 48 hours per week outside of term time. The expandable sections below show the weekly maximum working hours for most students, but this can vary depending on your personal circumstances.
Undergraduate (including Integrated Masters)
| Autumn and Spring term | 20 hours |
| Winter and Spring vacation | 48 hours |
| Summer term | 20 hours |
| Summer vacation | 48 hours |
| Programme completion | 48 hours |
| Eligibility end date |
Soonest of either:
|
Postgraduate Taught (1 Year)
| Autumn and Spring term | 20 hours |
| Winter and Spring vacation | 48 hours |
| Summer term | 20 hours |
| Summer vacation | 20 hours |
| Programme completion | 48 hours |
| Eligibility end date |
Soonest of either:
|
Postgraduate Taught (2 Year programme - Year 2 of 2)
| Autumn and Spring term | 20 hours |
| Winter and Spring vacation | 48 hours |
| Summer term | 20 hours |
| Summer vacation | 20 hours |
| Programme completion | 48 hours |
| Eligibility end date |
Soonest of either:
|
Postgraduate Research
| Autumn and Spring term | 20 hours |
| Winter and Spring vacation | 20 hours |
| Summer term | 20 hours |
| Summer vacation | 20 hours |
| Programme completion | 48 hours |
| Eligibility end date |
Soonest of either:
|
Part-time degree programmes
| Autumn and Spring term | 48 hours |
| Winter and Spring vacation | 48 hours |
| Summer term | 48 hours |
| Summer vacation | 48 hours |
| Programme completion | 48 hours |
| Eligibility end date |
Soonest of either:
|
How can I check my term dates?
Term dates for standard degree programme are available on the University Regulations web page.
Some degree programmes have non-standard term dates such as Medical and Dentistry degree programmes.
Check with your school office for the term dates for your degree programme. Please note if your vacation period starts on a weekend you will be eligible to work full time from the following Monday.
Working on a student visa
Your visa status will show if you are allowed to work during your studies and any restrictions. Most visas will allow up to 20 hours per week work in term time, and full time work outside of term time, in line with the university policy for student workers. You cannot work more hours than permitted by your visa conditions.
If you have submitted a new visa application, prior to your current visa expiry date, you may be permitted to work whilst you await the outcome of your pending application. Please contact seoc@ncl.ac.uk for guidance on this and confirmation on how to evidence your eligibility to work.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not exceed the weekly hours permitted under your visa conditions, this includes any work undertake off campus. Please ensure you have spoken to your line manager to confirm your weekly working hours and inform your manager of any other work you have scheduled both on and off campus.
When can I work full time?
Most students can work a maximum of 48 hours per week outside of term time. The sections above show the weekly maximum working hours for most students, but this can vary depending on your personal circumstances.
Undergraduate students can work full time once your student record is updated to show that you have successfully completed.
Students without visa restrictions can work full time when their status shows that they have taken an authorised Interruption of Studies.
Postgraduate Taught students in their final year are in term time during the summer vacation and so can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during this time. Once you have received evidence of your successful course completion, please provide this to unitemps@newcastle.ac.uk for confirmation on whether you are now eligible to work full time.
If there is a gap between the student record update and you having handed in your dissertation, then you may be able to work full time. Please contact your school office to ask them to email unitemps@newcastle.ac.uk with confirmation that your studies are complete.
When can I work full time (Postgraduate Research)?
Student visa holders are limited to a maximum of 20 hours until evidence of course completion has been received and checked by the Unitemps Team.
Proof of successful completion:
- Must be without caveats (i.e. minor corrections) - accepted documents include official Pass List or PhD award documentation
- Must be retrospective and not use terms such as “expected completion date”
Students without visa restrictions, can work full time when their status updates to ‘Under Examination’.
Students may be able to work full time if they submit a holiday request which is approved by their school. Holidays are requested by completing a ‘Student Notice of Absence form’ (on Student Portal) and selecting ‘holiday’ as the reason for absence. You can read the Policy for Holiday Entitlement for Postgraduate Research Students.