If you’re working on your master’s project or dissertation over the summer, this means that usually there are no timetabled teaching sessions. You will still need to demonstrate that you are engaging with your studies in person, in line with the university’s UKVI Academic Engagement Code of Practice.

During June, July and August, you will be expected to: 

1. work on your master’s project, and attend monthly supervision meetings with your supervisor and/or scheduled group sessions. These should be in person at least every four-five weeks and gaps between attendance must not exceed 60 days. A staff member will display a QR code for you to scan and this will log your attendance
2. actively participate in the non-credit bearing Nottingham Open Online Course (NOOC) PGT Student Visa Holder. This contains academic study skills and will be available on Moodle – more information can be found below
3. formally request permission if you need to be absent from the UK for more than two weeks (more detail below)

The university is required by UKVI to monitor and keep records of your engagement – including over summer.

If you have any academic requirements such as resit exams or work placements, you should continue those as planned. If you are not progressing to your project/dissertation at this time, you should still engage with the NOOC.

What is the PGT Student Visa Holder NOOC?

This mini course has been designed to:

• support you to demonstrate regular engagement with your studies during the summer master’s project/dissertation period
• support your engagement with the academic resources you need to succeed in your studies, and help you prepare for what comes next – whether employment or postgraduate research.

The course will be available on Moodle, and the first unit will be released on Monday 9 June 2025. From there, new units will be released every two weeks until Monday 18 August 2025, making six units in total.

Each unit should take approximately one hour to complete and needs to be completed within the two-week period before release of the following unit. This course is mandatory so that your continued academic engagement across the summer can be evidenced.

You will receive an email in early June inviting you to enrol on the course. There is nothing you need to do at this point.

Absence from the UK

We understand that you may wish to leave the UK during your master’s project/dissertation period. For immigration compliance purposes, an absence is defined as:

• Absence from teaching/research activity while in the UK; and
• Absence from the UK

If you need to leave the UK for more than two weeks during your project/dissertation period, you must request approval.

Please note that the Visa and Immigration team is required to withdraw sponsorship from anyone seeking an absence from the UK that exceeds 60 days.

Finally, we’d like to remind you that the limit of 20 hours of work per week continues to apply during the summer period.

We’d like to wish you the best of luck for your project/dissertation this summer. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Visa and Immigration team.