Academic engagement monitoring
As a Sponsor, we are responsible for monitoring Student visa holders' engagement with their studies, and reporting any changes to the Home Office. In line with UKVI guidance, the University of Bath has an academic engagement monitoring policy. This policy is applied consistently across the organisation.
The policy has been designed to ensure that any potential welfare issues, which may be indicated by poor attendance or poor engagement, are identified promptly so that appropriate support can be provided.
The Student Immigration Service has devised a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions guide FAQs to help you navigate the policy and process.
Who we monitor engagement for
This policy applies to all international students, including visiting students and scholars, studying under the sponsorship of the University of Bath on a Student visa.
Why engagement is monitored
Engagement is monitored so we can:
- provide appropriate advice and/or counselling to students who do not engage with their studies regularly
- comply with our responsibilities as a Sponsor, and maintain this status
- make sure we provide accurate information on funding to external government bodies
How engagement is monitored
As a student at Bath, you are considered to be academically engaging if you are actively and consistently following your course of study.
If you are a taught student
If you are an undergraduate, postgraduate taught or 1st year of Integrated PhD student, your academic engagement will be monitored through a mix of online and physical engagement points. The following engagement points will be recorded:
- physical attendance at teaching or study sessions, including labs, tutorials, workshops, studios, lectures, etc. using the SafeZone app
- coursework and assessment submissions on Moodle
- Panopto lecture attendance of minimum 50 aggregated minutes per lecture/day
- Zoom meetings attendance
- Microsoft Teams meetings attendance
During term-time, you are required to meet a minimum of one engagement point per week (online or/and physical), as well as one physical engagement point in any two-week period (term-time). Academic engagement will not be monitored during vacation, reading weeks, strikes, revision and assessment periods.
Alternative arrangements may be made for courses where standard engagement points are not possible. Students and/or departments are encouraged to make contact with the Student Immigration Service as soon as possible if alternatives must be found.
If you are encountering technical issues with the SafeZone app, please log in a ticket with DDat or visit IT Helpdesk at the Library.
Note: if you are on placement, fieldwork or study abroad programme, you are subject to alternative electronic engagement points which are monitored by the Student Immigration Service.
If you are a doctoral student
If you are a doctoral student, your engagement points include in-person meetings recorded by your supervisor once every three months and six-monthly progress reports.
If you are a visiting doctoral students on a Student visa, the Student Immigration Service will contact your supervisor quarterly to ask them to confirm you are actively engaging with your research and regularly attending on-campus research activities.
Lack of engagement (taught students)
The Student Immigration Service will review the engagement of all taught Student visa holders retrospectively on a fortnightly basis (online and physical engagement points). The following process will be followed in cases of lack of engagement:
If you have failed to meet your weekly engagement points after two consecutive weeks, where no authorised absence is recorded, the Student Immigration Service will contact you to remind you of your academic engagement requirements under your Student visa.
If you fail to meet your weekly engagement points after four consecutive weeks, the Student Immigration Service will email you again, offering you the opportunity to explain the reason(s) for non-engagement and to re-engage appropriately to avoid further escalation.
After six consecutive weeks of failing to meet your weekly engagement points, the Student Immigration Service will inform your Director of Studies and you will be sent a two-week warning of Moodle access removal. At this stage, your Director of Studies may also choose to initiate the Procedure to respond to poor attendance if they have any concerns about your attendance or engagement with your studies.
After eight consecutive weeks, your Moodle access will be removed and you will be asked to urgently contact the Student Immigration Service. Your Director of Studies will also be informed.
If you have not met the minimum engagement points for nine consecutive weeks, your Student visa sponsorship will be withdrawn for lack of academic engagement with your course. The Student Immigration Service will then recommend to the Academic Registry that you be suspended under Regulation 3.1. This will lead to your visa being cancelled and you will be required to leave the UK.
The escalation process is detailed in the Academic engagement monitoring policy.
Lack of engagement (doctoral students)
If you have failed to meet any two engagement points, the Student Immigration Service will contact your doctoral supervisor who will be asked to confirm by e-mail within 10 days that you are engaging with your studies. Reminders will be sent if necessary.
If more engagement points are recorded as missed, or if no acceptable explanation is given for your lack of engagement, the Head of Department may be contacted.
Lack of engagement (all students)
If at any stage, your Director of Studies or doctoral supervisor cannot confirm that you are engaging with your studies, they will be asked to follow the Procedure to respond to poor attendance.
Consequences for poor engagement
You will be contacted by your department if your engagement is poor. This is to find out if there is a problem and whether you require any support. You should respond immediately to any contact you receive from your department or any other member of staff.
In particular circumstances, and where appropriate, the University may decide that it is necessary to follow the missing student protocol.
The consequences of not attending and engaging with your course are severe. Attendance may mean physical attendance if required or virtual attendance (such as online meetings, seminars, lectures, etc.).
University of Bath Regulation 3.1 states:
"Students shall attend regularly. If a student's attendance is not satisfactory, or if a student is unable to attend for legal reasons, the Director of Academic Registry, authorised to act under power delegated by Senate, and following consultation with the student's Faculty or School, may determine that the student be precluded from continuing their studies and, where applicable, their registration be terminated. A student who is prevented for legal reasons from attending will, in the first instance, normally be suspended for a period not exceeding 12 months. Where registration is terminated, a person who ceases in this way to be a student of the University may make representations to the Vice-Chancellor, who may exercise statutory power to re-admit the student."
Support for disabilities or illness
If you are unable to meet your engagement or attendance requirements due to disability or illness, an alternative will be arranged if appropriate.
If you have any queries regarding this, please contact your Director of Studies or doctoral supervisor.