The International Student Advice Team (ISAT) provides support and advice to international students, as well as staff working with international students at Oxford Brookes.
Referring students to ISAT
ISAT Advisers are the University's designated immigration advisers and it is our job to keep up to date with the rapidly changing immigration rules and guidance issued by the Home Office.
If a student needs visa/immigration advice, they should be referred to ISAT. Please direct them to our contact page.
ISAT contacts for staff
Oxford Brookes Global: Sally Saca, ssaca@brookes.ac.uk
Pathway/Foundation courses: Sally Saca, ssaca@brookes.ac.uk
Social events programme, trips, arrivals activities: Alice Hart, alicehart@brookes.ac.uk
Global Buddies: Jasmin De Zilva and Alice Hart, global-buddies@brookes.ac.uk
Schools:
- School of School of Education, Humanities and Languages: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Law and Social Sciences: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Arts: Sheila Merenyi, s.merenyi@brookes.ac.uk
- Oxford Brookes Business School: Jasmin De Zilva, jde-zilva@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Biological and Medical Sciences: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions: Guenievre Laurent-Powers, glaurent@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Architecture: Sheila Merenyi, s.merenyi@brookes.ac.uk
- School of the Built Environment: Sheila Merenyi, s.merenyi@brookes.ac.uk
- School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics: Sheila Merenyi, s.merenyi@brookes.ac.uk
For general queries or if the named person is not available: isat@brookes.ac.uk
For visa compliance, please email the International Student Compliance Team at isct@brookes.ac.uk.
Students who need time away during the semester
As part of their visa responsibilities, students on a Student visa must attend all teaching or supervisory sessions and take part in all aspects of their course set by the faculty, including completing any assignments or in class tests so they make good progress. This is both for taught modules and independent study such as a dissertation or research project.
If a student is unwell, needs to travel home for an emergency, is completing their dissertation or research project, or wants to travel for tourism, our time away during the semester page explains what permission is needed, how long a student can be away for, and the visa implications.
FAQs
Changing course
CASs are now tied to the course not just to the institution and so a student must come and see ISAT for visa advice if they want to change course.
How long can an international student study in the UK?
The limit for undergraduate level study is normally five years; for below degree level study it is normally two years. Check with ISAT for details.
Can students study with us if they have a visa that is not a Student visa?
ISAT can have a look at the student's current visa to see if there are any restrictions on studying and whether they can remain on their current visa or whether they need to apply for a new visa.
When can a student study part-time?
Part-time study is allowed on a Student visa (previously Tier 4) when a student is retaking a module or writing up a postgraduate dissertation in order to complete a full-time course. If a student has questions about studying part time on a Student visa, please ask them to contact ISAT.
Part-time study is allowed on a Visitor visa for courses less than 6 months.
If a student wants to apply for any other part-time course they cannot do this with a Student visa but may be able to do it if they have another visa that does not prohibit study. In this case please contact ISAT.
A student is asking me for a letter to say they can work
You do not need to provide such a letter. It is the employer's responsibility to check with Home Office if they are not sure if they can employ a student. The employer should refer to the Home Office guidance document. The student does require confirmation of their semester dates; they can refer to the semester dates on the website as long as these are correct for your course.
A student wants me to extend their dissertation deadline so they can extend their visa
Oxford Brookes should only extend a dissertation with reference to exceptional circumstances and not to enable a student to extend their visa.
What are the English Language requirements for a Student visa?
The Admissions office will assess an applicant's English language qualifications to check they meet our requirements which are normally higher than the UKVI ones. The UKVI state that students studying on a Student visa at degreelevel or higher need a B2 qualification (IELTS 5.5) and those below degree level need at least B1 level need a Home Office approved test taken at B1 (IELTS 4.0).
Presentations
ISAT can come to your Faculty or department and present to staff or students. Please contact us if you are interested in any of these topics or have any suggestions for other areas.
- An Introduction to ISAT
- How to extend your student visa
- Studying on a student visa - student's responsabilities
- Information for later arrivals
- Cultural awareness
- Students, work and immigration
- Social events and activities for international students