UK campus students
Changes to UK's Visa regulations
You may be aware of the recent UK Government announcement on the Immigration White Paper regarding international students and other immigration routes which will involve changes to the UK’s visa regulations. Please be aware that these changes will not take immediate effect and may take months to enact into law and some new policies might not even be in place until next year.
Heriot-Watt welcomes the confirmation that the Graduate Post-Study Work route will remain open and competitive although with a reduced duration. That means that international students can remain in the UK and work for up to 18 months after completing their studies, gaining experience, and helping to address critical skills shortages.
Dependants on all routes including the student route will eventually be required to pass a basic English language assessment if they are applying for a Dependant visa, we do not know when this will come into place.
The route to short term settlement will increase from 5 years to 10 years even if someone is on the skilled migrant visa.
Please be assured that international students continue to be warmly received at Heriot-Watt. Your contribution is hugely valued and your decision to study here is extremely important to us. We will support you at every stage of your student journey.
Our University is proud of its status worldwide as a culturally diverse, warm and welcoming institution. Our global footprint includes campuses in Dubai, Malaysia, Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders and Orkney. Our doors remain firmly open to international students.
If you have any questions about studying with us, please get in touch with us at studywithus@hw.ac.uk. We look forward to welcoming you soon.
International Student Advice (Global Student Office)
The Visa Advice and Compliance team (VAC), part of the Global Student Office (GSO) advises and supports international students based at any of our UK campuses. If you have any concerns or queries, we will be happy to help you. We can provide a wide range of information and support, from immigration advice to welfare issues both before and after you arrive in the UK.
VAC has close links with all academic Schools within the University across all of its campuses, and with support services such as Recruitment and Admissions (International Recruitment Section), Student Wellbeing Services, and the University Chaplaincy.
How to contact us
The main way to contact our team, including our Global Student Advisor is through the Student Portal by raising an enquiry via AskMyHW. We are here to support you before and during your studies and can offer face to face and online appointments which can also be booked through your Student Portal by selecting the appointments tile in your Student Portal.
Our team
Our team consists of our Student Visa Advice and Compliance Manager, Peter Scott, our Global Student Advisor Nadia Khan and our Global Student Assistant Oscar Tang and Craig Ronaldson. The team can give you support and advice on many different aspects of studying in the UK. If you query is more complex, we will offer you a one-to-one appointment with our Student Visa Manager or our Global Student Adviser.
Where we are
We are based in the Student Service Centre (SSC) in the Hugh Nisbet Building on the Edinburgh Campus.
Opening hours
The Student Service Centre is open 10.00-16.00, Monday to Friday, however you do need to book an appointment via the Student Portal if you wish to discuss anything in person other than if you are coming to attend one of our weekly drop ins.
Drop in times during term time are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 14.00-16.00, no booking required, the drop in times might change during the summer.
Appointments For more complex visa and immigration specific enquires can be booked through your Student Portal under the appointment tiles, these take place on Tuesday from 10:00 - 12:00 and Thursday 10:00 - 12:00.
Contact the Visa, Advice and Compliance team
Our Visa, Advice and Immigration team are available to answer your enquires through the Student Portal. You can also view frequently asked questions (FAQs) for many topics related to international students studying at our Scottish campuses.
If you intend to study at Heriot-Watt University but are not yet a student, if you have an immigration or visa enquiry please email studywithus@hw.ac.uk .