No, you do not need to apply for Entry Clearance, as long as you will be in the UK for fewer than six months AND will not work, intern, or volunteer in the UK. You must present to the immigration officer upon your arrival in the UK the following documents:

1.A valid US passport that won't expire during your time in the UK

2.The letter of acceptance from your UK university listing the dates of your program.

3.Proof that you can meet the costs of your course and living expenses (including accommodation). Proof of funding can be in the form of documentation proving scholarship funding, federal financial aid, private loans, parental or personal bank account or whatever method you are using to fund your studies.

Entry clearance documents for students will be endorsed with a "Code 2" stamp, which states "No recourse to public funds. Work (and any changes) must be authorised".

This stamp entitles you to work with the above restrictions. You cannot work if your stamp reads "Work is prohibited". You do not need a separate work permit in addition to entry clearance.

No. Entry clearance (student visa) gives you permission to work, provided that you do not work for more than 20 hours per week during term and 40 hours per week during vacation.

Entry clearance (student visa) documents for students will be endorsed with a "Code 2" stamp, which states "No recourse to public funds. Work (and any changes) must be authorised". This stamp entitles you to work with the above restrictions. You cannot work if your stamp reads "Work is prohibited".

Visa and immigration requirements vary depending on:

• How long you’ll be studying in the UK

• Whether or not you plan on volunteering, interning, or working in the UK

• Whether you are US citizen

Use the following table to find out which category you'll be classified in, then go to our visa and immigration page to read instructions by category.

As part of the Government's recent initiative to attract more international students to the UK, earnings from part-time and vacation work can only be taken into account when assessing whether you can meet your expenses in the UK if:

•You are/will be studying at a publicly funded institution of further or higher education;

•Your institution is providing and guaranteeing employment; and

•It has provided details of how much you will earn.

A letter from your institution will be required confirming the above to assist your application for entry clearance to the UK, or permission to enter/remain in the UK

Find an employer who will offer the above. Ask the employer to complete Form WP2 available from the Overseas Labour Service of the DfEE  website or telephone 0990 210224.

The employer needs to return the form to the Overseas Labour Service (if you are a student in the UK - before your current leave to remain runs out. If you are not then you must leave the UK and ensure your prospective employer has obtained a permit before you return). You may have to wait at least 8 weeks before you hear whether or not the permit is to be issued. If you are currently in the UK as a student and the OLS decides to issue a permit, the OLS will automatically refer your case on to the Home Office so they can decide whether or not to allow you to remain in the UK.

If you are earning an Undergraduate or Graduate degree from a UK University you can apply for a visa to work in the UK following graduation.

The UK Border Agency provides advice on applying for the Tier 1 Post-Study Worker Visa.

Visit the UK Border Agency web pages and take the Points Based System test to see if you will qualify.

If you have a stamp in your passport stating that you have employment prohibition, it means that you cannot work. If you are a prospective student or a full-time student on a course of more than six months, but have been given a prohibition stamp you can apply to the Home Office to have this stamp changed to a restriction. Before you do this, you should get advice from your institution's International Office.

Breaching a prohibition on employment can be very serious. If you are caught, the penalties are severe, and you may find yourself being fined and subject to deportation.

Everyone who works in the UK must pay National Insurance contributions. You do not need a NI number whilst you are looking for work, but once you have started working you must apply for an NI number at any Local Benefits Agency office. When applying, you must provide evidence of your identity (e.g. your passport) and fill in the form there and then. After doing this ask a member of staff to issue you with a letter confirming that you have applied for a NI number.

It can take up to 16 weeks for the number to be issued, but remember, you do not need to have it before you start work.

International students with the employment restriction stamp ("Code 2") can work part-time during term-time (up to 20 hours a week) and up to 40 hours a week during vacations, as long as:

•They are not engaging in self-employment or the provision of services as a professional sportsperson or entertainer;

•They are not pursuing a career by filling a permanent full-time vacancy.

If you come across an employer who needs confirmation of the arrangements for students, please refer them to the Department for Education and Skills website or to their local Jobcentre, who will be able to give them a standard letter outlining the changes.

While in the UK, students can work up to 20 hours a week during each term or semester and full-time during vacations. Entry clearance documents for students will be endorsed with a "Code 2" stamp, which states "No recourse to public funds. Work (and any changes) must be authorised". This stamp entitles you to work with the above restrictions. You cannot work if your stamp reads "Work is prohibited".

The accompanying spouse of a US student can work in the UK, provided that the student is given leave to remain in the UK for twelve months or more

If you are a doctor coming to the UK for graduate training in a hospital you are advised to seek entry clearance before you leave your home country. You must show that you are either:

•A medical school graduate who has limited or provisional registration with the General Medical Council and intends to undertake Pre-Registration House Officer employment for up to 12 months. They must not have already spent more than 12 months in Pre-Registration House Officer employment; or

•A doctor or dentist who is eligible for full or limited registration with the General Medical Council and intend to undertake graduate training in a hospital and/or Community Health Services. You will not be allowed to spend more than four years in Senior House Officer, or equivalent posts.

You must show that you intend to leave the UK on completion of your training, and that you can support yourself and any dependants adequately without needing to claim welfare benefits.

The Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES) enables overseas nationals to undertake either:

•Work-based training for a professional or specialist qualification; or

•A period of work experience; or

•A graduate training program.

Permits are issued for a limited period of time and you will not be allowed to stay on once your permit expires. An employer will not normally be allowed to apply for an ordinary work permit under the main work permit scheme until you have worked abroad for at least two years after completing your TWES placement. The criteria: A. Work-based training for a professional or specialist qualification:

•You should normally have an academic or vocational qualification at UK degree-level or N/SVQ level 4

•You should have relevant qualifications to do the training

•You should be training for a minimum of 30 hours per week, excluding any time for associated study

If you are a full-time student with US citizenship - Yes! But note that if your immigration status in the UK is that of a student, one of the conditions of your stay is that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants without working or recourse to public funds. This means that you cannot plan to work your way through university, as you might in the US. You must show that you have enough funds to pay for your studies and living expenses while in the UK. You must also apply for entry clearance (student visa) before arriving in the UK in order to work, unpaid or paid; if you are already in the UK but do not have entry clearance (student visa), you are not permitted to work, volunteer, or intern in the UK.

*The EEA consists of the 27 EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and United Kingdom) plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Practical training or "sandwich courses" (courses that include a period of work experience) may be necessary as a part of the full-time course you are following. All students can undertake work placements, which are part of "sandwich courses," provided that they meet certain criteria. If you are on such a course you may undertake a work placement if:

•You study at a recognized UK university or college;

•The placement is essential towards attaining your qualification;

•Time spent on the placement forms only a relatively small part of the overall course duration; and

•The placement does not go beyond the course completion date.

If you have a prohibition stamp in your passport and you have to undertake a work placement as a necessary part of your course you will need to apply to the Home Office to have the prohibition lifted. Before you do this, you should get advice from your institution's international office. Earnings from your sandwich course placement can now be taken into account.

The husband, wife or child (if under 18) of an international student admitted to the UK as a dependant can work, full- or part-time only if they have been granted 12 months or more leave to remain. Your dependants will be prohibited from working if they are given less than 12 months leave to remain.

If you and your dependants have to apply to extend your stay in the UK and their passports are stamped to say they cannot work, you should contact your institution's international office for advice about applying for the stamps to be changed.

International students and their spouses will automatically be subject to taxation rules. Most international students who take up part time and vacation employment are subject to the same rules as UK residents.

Everyone can earn or receive a certain amount of income in each tax year (April 6 to April 5 the following year) before paying tax. This personal allowance is currently £6,475 for a single person in the 2010-2011 tax year. If your income is below this figure in any one tax year you will not have to pay tax. Remember to mention this to your employer when you start work. Ask for a form P38(S) and fill in and sign the form before handing it back to your employer.