For some RVC students, part-time employment might be a realistic means of ensuring that income is sufficient to meet expenditure.

Whilst studying be sure to maintain a healthy balance between studies, work, leisure and relaxation.

There are lots of websites offering seasonal and part-time job opportunities for students. It is also worth checking local newspapers, or even local pubs and retailers who might advertise vacancies in windows etc.

For information and advice about employment opportunities please visit the Careers page on Learn.

As a final year student, you are probably already thinking about your life after the RVC and beginning your career. The fact sheet below has been written by the RVC Advice Centre & RVC Careers Consultant specifically for RVC graduates.

It gives helpful information to encourage you to begin thinking about employment contracts, repaying student loans, graduate accounts and more.

Money & Employment in the UK after Graduation

For more information on repaying UK student loans once you have graduated, please visit the Student Loans Company repayment website.

Students from the European Economic Area do not need permission to work in the UK. There are exceptions for nationals of 'the new member states' - those countries that joined the EU in May 2004.

For nationals of some of these countries there is a requirement to use the Workers' Registration Scheme. For further information on this please refer to a Guidance note issued by UKCISA - www.ukcisa.org.uk

Students studying at UK institutions and who are not nationals of an EEA country are usually authorised to work in the UK, subject to the conditions listed below. Similarly, they are able to do work placements which are part of a sandwich course, or to undertake internship placements without the need to obtain special permission.

Students do not generally need to obtain special permission before they can work. The conditions covering the hours and type of work an international student from outside the EEA may do are as follows:

• The student should not work for more than 20 hours per week during term time except where the placement is a necessary part of their studies with the agreement of the education institution
• The student should not engage in business, self-employment or the provision of services as a professional sportsperson or entertainer
• The student should not pursue a career by filling a permanent full-time vacancy.

This applies to people admitted to the UK as students for more than six months. Their passport stamp will continue to state that they can only work with permission from the Secretary of State for Employment. You may not work if your visa or passport stamp state, 'No work' or 'Employment prohibited' or that you must 'not engage in employment' (unless it also contains the words 'consent of the Secretary of State').

A student's husband or wife will be given a visa or passport stamp that allows them to work if the student is given permission to stay in the UK for 12 months or more.

Any student wishing to work in the UK will need to apply for a National Insurance number (NI), but you do not need to have received your NI number before you can start work. You may have a NI number printed on the back of your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).  Not all BRPs will have this as it depends on your visa status. For detailed information on how to apply for a NI, please see the Tax and National Insurance (NI) section below.

For further information on this and a whole range of other issues relating to overseas students in the UK, please visit the UKCISA website www.ukcisa.org.uk. They publish a wide range of updated Guidance Notes covering many practical issues that you may face, including council tax, healthcare, immigration, etc.

The Tax Guide for Students also offer advice for international students on whether you need to pay tax in the UK.

Income Tax and National Insurance are statutory obligations for most people who are taking up employment, even if only on a part-time basis.  Her Majesty's Revenues and Customs or HMRC, govern both Income Tax and National Insurance contributions.

Income Tax

Most people have a basic personal allowance which they are allowed to earn before they start paying tax. This means that you only pay tax on earnings above your basic personal allowance figure in the current tax year. 

If you have paid tax in a year in which you did not exceed your personal allowance (see link above for up to date personal allowance figures) you may be entitled to a tax refund. For further details about if you are entitled to a tax refund please see the HMRC website. 

It is important to keep P45s (which you should be given by your employer when you leave a job) and P60s (you should be provided with a P60 at the end of each tax year form each employer) in case you need to prove your income during a particular tax year.  Tax years usually run from 6th April to the 5th April the following year.

National Insurance

You pay National Insurance (NI) contributions to build up certain state benefits, including your state pension.  If you are employed, your employer will deduct your NI contribution from your pay once you are earning over the threshold.  For more information take a look at the HMRC website. 

Further Information

Useful sources of further information are:

• HM Revenues and Customs 
• Tax Aid (Advice Organisation) 
  tel: 020 7803 4959
• Tax Guide for Students - great resource with lots of information including how to claim a tax refund.

Whilst it is the case that most full-time students cannot claim benefits, there are two main exceptions:

• Students with disability
• Students with children

If you are in one of these groups you MAY be entitled to claim a state benefit whilst studying. In the first instance please refer to Gov.UK for further information. This can be a complex area – if you are unsure please contact the Student Money Adviser on moneymatters@rvc.ac.uk for further assistance