This policy applies to all international students who have entered the UK under the Tier 4 (General) Student or Student UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) regulations. LJMU is a student sponsor which the University is committed to retaining and will engage full and robust processes to ensure full compliance with the terms of the licence. The University has a duty of care to ensure that international students are engaged with their studies throughout the duration of their programme of study. As monitoring the attendance of international students studying as a Tier 4 (General) Student or Student is a requirement of the UKVI, the university has a system of formal attendance monitoring.
This policy does not cover students with short term study visas or International students in the UK under an immigration route other than Tier 4. Queries concerning the scope of this policy should be directed to the Academic Registry.
In order that engagement by international students can be effectively monitored, the University requires confirmation in line with the following schedule for September/October start students.
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Enrolment (Within period specified within offer letter and on CAS): Passport, visa, etcetera.
- Face to face sign off (November): Completed verified pro forma.
- Face to face sign off (March): Completed verified pro forma.
- Census Point (October): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (November): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (December): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (January): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (February): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (March): Student Engagement.
- Census Point (April): Student Engagement.
2.1 Enrolment
Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa holders are required to enrol within 10 working days following the commencement date of their programme of study as specified on their offer/re-enrolment letter. Any student who fails to enrol by their deadline will be reported to UKVI. Academic Registry manages international student enrolment. Academic Registry manages reporting to UKVI. Extensions to this enrolment period may only be granted under exceptional circumstances and need to take into consideration study requirements.
2.2 Census points
On a monthly basis, Faculties will be required to monitor the engagement of Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa students and advise Academic Registry of any student who is not actively engaging with their programme of study. For this purpose the term ‘student engagement’ covers, but is not limited to, the following examples of student contacts:
- Engaging with lectures, tutorials, seminars and practicals either face to face or online delivery.
- Attending for the purposes of assessment.
- Submitting work.
- Attending meetings with academic tutors either face to face or online.
- Attending research events, writing-up seminars or doctoral workshops either face to face or online.
Faculties will write to the student in the first instance regarding unsatisfactory attendance. Persistent unsatisfactory attendance will be reported to Academic Registry and further action may be taken that could affect a students’ immigration status in the UK.
It is the responsibility of international students to advise the University if they are to be absent for any period of time. For example, student illness which impacts upon attendance for more than one week must be notified to tutors. In extenuating circumstances periods of authorised student absence may be agreed up to a maximum of 4 weeks. Periods of authorised absence must be reported to the Academic Registry and logged on the central system. Where necessary Academic Registry will report absences to UKVI.
International student enrolment and formal UKVI engagement verification processes will be recorded on the central student system. Academic Registry has the responsibility for reporting to the UKVI:
- any Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa student failing to enrol or complete engagement verification.
- any Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa student who withdraws.
- any significant change in Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa student circumstances.
In addition to the central recording of enrolment and attendance verification, paper copies of the relevant documentation will be securely archived by the Academic Registry and made available for the purposes of audit. Academic Registry will manage the process and determine the schedule of reporting.
All relevant information regarding the International Student Engagement Monitoring Policy will be made available to Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa students via the University website. In addition, Academic Registry/Faculties will individually contact students with dates of enrolment (via the offer/re-enrolment letter).
Any student requiring advice should be directed to the International Student Advice Team in the first instance. Faculty staff requiring advice or guidance with regard to UKVI regulations should contact the Academic Registry.
This policy does not cover students with short term study visas or International students in the UK under an immigration route other than Tier 4 (General) Student or Student visa. Queries concerning the scope of this policy should be directed to the Academic Registry.
The process for monitoring PGR students enrolled/registered on MPhil and PhD programmes is designed to cover the UKVI requirements in a consistent way for all LJMU PGR International students, taking into account differences in their programmes of research.
PGR students are required to complete their re-registration on the anniversary of their initial registration. Failure to do so can have implications on their immigration status in the UK.
Full-time PGR students are expected to be engaged on their research degree programme for a minimum of 35 hours per week over 45 weeks of the year. This is in accordance with the University’s Research Degree Regulations and the HEFCE definition of PGR programmes as a ‘long course’.
Monitoring will take place at designated points throughout the academic year which will include:
˗ Enrolment (see 2.1 above)
˗ PGR progression monitoring within eDoc
PGR engagement is recorded on eDoc through supervisory meetings logs and participation in Progress Reviews. The Doctoral Academy will monitor engagement via the ‘Visa Monitoring’ dashboard within eDoc.
Any student who has not engaged with eDoc for a period of four weeks will raise an amber flag on the Visa Monitoring dashboard. An amber flag will trigger a communication to both the PGR student and Lead Supervisor to follow up. If there is no further engagement by eight weeks, a red flag is raised and the PGR student will be advised that their registration may be terminated. A report will be forwarded to the Academic Registry for reporting to UKVI.
Authorised absences from the university are approved in advance by the student’s Lead Supervisor and that these are reported to Academic Registry, recorded on LJMU systems and reported to UKVI where necessary.
Unauthorised absences from the university are reported to Academic Registry so that they can be followed up as appropriate and reported to UKVI as required.
Students’ requests for suspension of registration and withdrawals reported to Academic
Registry, recorded on LJMU systems, and reported to UKVI where necessary.
Each student is allocated an International Mobility Co-ordinator who will monitor the student’s engagement. Each School within LJMU and each mobility co-ordinator will undertake the monitoring dependant on the needs of the programme. The Go Abroad Team will have oversight to ensure all LJMU processes are followed. The School is responsible for reporting the students details to Registry Services. The Compliance Officer is responsible for reporting a Change of Circumstances to UKVI via SMS.
Students are monitored whilst undertaking a work placement in line with LJMUs Placement Learning Code of Practice. Any students not fulfilling their placement responsibilities will be reported to the Compliance Officer who will a report to UKVI as necessary.
Direct contact between the Compliance Officer an JMSU to monitor international sabbatical officers.
