Academic engagement monitoring
As a Student visa Sponsor, we are responsible for monitoring Student visa holders' engagement with their studies, and reporting any changes to the Home Office. In line with Home Office guidance, the University of Bath has an academic engagement monitoring policy in place. 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 guidance to students who do not engage with their studies regularly
- comply with our responsibilities as a Student visa 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 the University of 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 a 1st year Integrated PhD student, your academic engagement will be monitored through a mix of physical and online engagement points. The following engagement points will be recorded:
- physical attendance at timetabled sessions, including lectures, seminars, labs, tutorials, workshops, studios, etc. evidenced by using SafeZone app check-in function
- coursework or assessment submissions on Moodle
- viewing lectures on Panopto for a minimum of 50 aggregated minutes of a specific lecture/day
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. Academic engagement will not be monitored during vacation, reading weeks, strikes, revision and assessment periods.
Alternative engagement monitoring 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.
Dissertation period
During this period, you are expected to be completing your dissertation / undertaking your project (practicum). Your academic engagement is monitored via monthly online engagement tasks that you will be required to complete promptly.
If you are undertaking a placement / study abroad / fieldwork
You are required to complete placement and other related online tasks. During fieldwork, you need to remain in regular contact with your supervisor.
If you are a doctoral student (including visiting scholars)
If you are a doctoral student, your engagement is monitored via monthly in-person supervisory meetings recorded by your supervisor. Once in submission pending stage, some of your meetings may take place online.
If you have submitted your thesis, your engagement is monitored via monthly online engagement tasks that you will be required to complete promptly.
Lack of engagement - Taught and Doctoral students
Taught students
The Student Immigration Service (SIS) reviews engagement data for all taught Student visa holders retrospectively every 2 weeks. Where consecutive lack of engagement is identified, the following process is followed:
If you have not met your weekly engagement points for 2 or 4 weeks, where no authorised absence is recorded, we will contact you to remind you of your academic engagement responsibilities.
After 6 weeks of non-engagement, you and your Director of Studies will receive an advanced warning of your Moodle access removal. At this stage, your Director of Studies may initiate the Procedure to respond to poor attendance if they have any concerns about your attendance or engagement with your studies.
After 8 weeks of non-engagement, your Moodle access will be removed and you will be asked to urgently contact SIS. Your Director of Studies will be notified.
After 9 weeks of non-engagement, you will be required to attend a Compulsory meeting with the SIS and your Director of Studies where evidence of physical engagement will be sought. Where appropriate, a tailored Support for Study Action Plan may be implemented to continue sponsoring your Student visa.
After 10 weeks of non-engagement, and without alternative physical engagement evidence or a Support for Study Action Plan in place, your Student visa sponsorship will be withdrawn. Your studies will be suspended under Regulation 3.1. This will lead to your visa being cancelled and you will be required to leave the UK.
Dissertation period
If you do not engage with the monthly online task, you will receive reminders to complete it. The task can only be completed within the month it was sent.
If you fail to engage for 2 consecutive months, you will be required to attend a Compulsory meeting with the SIS and your Director of Studies where evidence of your engagement with dissertation will be sought to prevent Student visa sponsorship withdrawal.
Non-engagement from the preceding teaching period will be carried forward into the dissertation period. This may result in earlier visa sponsorship withdrawal where the duration of non-engagement reaches 60 days.
The non-engagement escalation process is detailed in the Academic engagement monitoring policy.
Doctoral students (including visiting scholars)
If there is no record of a monthly meeting, the Student Immigration Service (SIS) will contact you and your doctoral supervisor, asking for the missing record to be completed. If the meeting did not take place, the next meeting must be recorded.
If 2 consecutive meetings are missed, a reminder will be sent to you, your doctoral supervisor and the Doctoral College, requesting engagement related information and providing timeline for your Student visa sponsorship withdrawal if non-engagement continues.
If the 2 meetings remain outstanding and no evidence of engagement or response is received, a final reminder will be sent to inform you, your doctoral supervisor and the Doctoral College of the imminent visa sponsorship withdrawal if the successive meeting does not take place.
Once 3 consecutive meetings are missed, your Student visa sponsorship will be withdrawn immediately, and you will be recommended to the Academic Registry for suspension or withdrawal from the course under Regulation 3.1. This will lead to your visa being cancelled and you will be required to leave the UK.
If, at any stage, your doctoral supervisor is unable to confirm you are engaging with your research, they will follow Procedure to respond to poor attendance, notifying the SIS accordingly.
Doctoral students who have submitted their thesis
If an engagement point is missed, we will contact you to remind you of your academic engagement responsibilities, notifying your doctoral supervisor.
If 2 engagement points are missed, you will be required to attend a Compulsory meeting with the SIS to explain the reason(s) for your non-engagement.
If 3 engagement points are missed, and there is no explanation for the lack of engagement, your Student visa sponsorship will be withdrawn and you will be recommended to the Academic Registry for suspension or withdrawal from the course under Regulation 3.1. This will lead to your visa being cancelled and you will be required to leave the UK.
The non-engagement escalation process is detailed in the Academic engagement monitoring policy.
Lack of engagement - Students on placement/study abroad
If an engagement task is missed, Student Immigration Service (SIS) will contact you to remind you to complete the outstanding task by a given deadline. We will also notify your Placement team it the task remains incomplete.
If the task remains outstanding past the set deadlines, and there is no alternative evidence of engagement, you will be invited to attend a Compulsory meeting to explain the reason(s) for your non-engagement and discuss its consequences.
If the task remains outstanding following the Compulsory Meeting, and without an alternative engagement evidence, your Student visa sponsorship will be withdrawn. Your studies will be suspended under Regulation 3.1. This will lead to your visa being cancelled and you will be required to leave the UK.
The non-engagement escalation process is detailed in the Academic engagement monitoring policy.
Consequences of low engagement
If your engagement with your course is insufficient, your department will contact you to understand the reasons and determine whether any support is needed. It is essential that you respond promptly to any communication from your department or other University staff.
If 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.
In certain circumstances, and where appropriate, the University may initiate the Missing Student Protocol to ensure your wellbeing.
Failure to attend and actively engage with your course can have serious consequences, including the suspension of your studies and withdrawal of Student visa sponsorship
Attendance includes both physical presence, where required, and virtual participation in scheduled academic activities such as online lectures, seminars, and meetings.
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 the Student Immigration Service and your Director of Studies or doctoral supervisor.