Volunteering and International students
Volunteering is a good way to get to know London, meet new people, and learn new skills. It can also improve your chances of getting paid work. It’s a very popular student activity here at UCL – over 1500 students took part last year.
The VSU exists to make getting involved in volunteering as easy as possible – whether you’re new to volunteering, or have volunteered a lot if the past, we’re confident that we have an activity for you.
Volunteering and Visas
If you're an international student, you will need to check your immigration status before volunteering. You can find more information about this at http://uclu.org/services/advice-welfare/information-sheets
If you have the right to work in the UK – for example, if you have an EU passport or a TIER 4 visa – then you will be able to volunteer and do not need to read any further.
If you do not have the right to work (for example, if you have a student visitor visa) the situation is more complicated. You are barred from taking on employment which includes ‘unpaid work’ but not ‘volunteering’. The difference between ‘unpaid work’ and ‘volunteering’ is defined by the UK Border agency as follows:
- there should be no payment, other than reasonable travel and meals expenditure actually incurred (not an allowance for the same);
- there should be no contractual obligations on the volunteer;
- the volunteer is providing a service for a registered voluntary or charitable organisation (or organisation that raises funds for either);
- the service is not a substitute for employment (i.e. fulfilling a role that a salaried worker would normally fulfil).
We believe that all of the volunteering available through the VSU would meet this definition and so, in theory, you would be permitted to take part in our activities. However, it is important to understand that an immigration official could take a different view, and regard your volunteering as unpaid work and a breach of the terms of your visa. To our knowledge, the difference between ‘unpaid work’ and ‘volunteering’ has never been tested in a court or immigration tribunal – thus, we cannot give categorical advice about whether any particular incidence of volunteering counts as work.
If you would like further advice, please contact UCLU’s Rights & Advice Centre http://uclu.org/services/advice-welfare