Undergraduate and full-time taught Masters students
Students are not expected to undertake paid work during term-time. Cambridge seeks to keep student living costs manageable, and accordingly the vast majority of students do not work during term-time, concentrating instead on their academic studies and co-curricular/social activities. Cambridge terms are short so many students work during the vacations, especially, for undergraduate students, in the long vacation in the summer. Masters students should consult their Faculty or Department for further details regarding official vacation periods during their studies and note that, depending on the course, studies may continue into the summer.
Students are reminded of the financial support that is available through the Colleges and the University.
Any students who undertake work should first consider the impact this may have on their studies and discuss the matter with their Tutor. Students should always take into account personal constraining factors, including visa and financial sponsorship restrictions. Pressure created by paid working will not normally be accepted as extenuating circumstances for examination mitigation, in cases where results are disappointing.
This information also applies to Advanced Diploma students.
Students on a Tier 4/Student visa should ensure they read the full guidance about the working conditions of their visa. This includes restrictions on the type of work that can be undertaken.
Postgraduate research students
For postgraduate research students, the University recommends limiting work to 6 - 10 hours per week but students should read the further guidance outlined on the working while you study webpage. It should be noted that the academic year for postgraduate research students is continuous throughout the year, from 1 October to 30 September. It is therefore not possible, for example, for a postgraduate research student to undertake full-time work during the summer period. Whilst breaks for holidays are permitted, at times agreed with your supervisor, these are not periods that would permit full-time work. Students should never in any case exceed a maximum of 20 hours work each week, which includes both paid and unpaid work, in terms of both the University's restrictions and visa restrictions for those students on a student visa.
Students on a Tier 4/Student visa should ensure they read the full guidance about the working conditions of their visa. This includes restrictions on the type of work that can be undertaken.
Whether you can work after submission of your thesis for examination varies depending on the stage of the process as outlined in the information below.
Working after submission of PhD thesis for examination
- The period between submission of thesis for examination and official notification of viva outcome is considered to be 'vacation' and you can work full time.
- The period between official notification of the viva outcome and unconditional approval of degree, which includes time working on corrections if applicable, is considered a return to full-time study. Working can be undertaken as follows:
- students who are not studying on a Tier 4/Student visa can continue to work full-time during this period unless the viva outcome is ‘revise and resubmit', in which case the University's 20 working hour restriction applies.
- students on a Tier 4/Student visa can only work for up to 20 hours a week in accordance with the conditions of their visa.
Please note that extensions to the deadline for submitting corrections on the grounds of employment would not be approved.