Student Route Engagement Monitoring
Queen’s University Belfast holds a licence which permits us to sponsor international students to come to the UK to study. As a Sponsor, the University must comply with specific sponsorship duties, which are closely monitored by UKVI and are subject to audit.
The University needs to be able to demonstrate that you are actively and consistently following your course of study in order to continue to permit you to stay in the UK.
How is my Engagement Monitored?
Student engagement is monitored through a series of contact points (set by your School) which you must meet throughout the course of the academic year. These are as follows:
UG students: | 2 contact points in a rolling 4-week period |
PGT students: |
During taught modules: 2 contact points in a rolling 4-week period |
PGR students: | 1 contact point per month |
You will not be made aware which sessions have been set by your School as designated contact points. It is therefore imperative that you participate in all areas of your course in-person. Please note that virtual meetings will not count as a contact point met.
- QUB Engagement Monitoring Web App and QR Codes
- Postgraduate Research (PGR) Students
- Absence from Studies, Absence from Studies during holiday periods
- Off-Campus Study
- Student Support
- What happens if I fail to engage with my studies?
- What happens if I can evidence my engagement?
- Student Route Engagement Monitoring Presentation
- Key Contacts
The QUB Engagement Monitoring Web App should be used to record your attendance at QUB lectures, tutorials, seminars. When you attend class, an academic member of staff will display a QR code for you to scan using your phone.
To use this service, you must be a current student at the University, with an active user account, and have a strong Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Start by scanning the QR code and the Attendance Monitoring web page will be launched with the event details pre-populated.
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Logging in
Click on the 'Login to Submit' button and Login using your student email address and your usual University password. You may also be prompted for an additional authentication method.
- Navigation
- New Event
This tab will display the current scanned event. Verify the event details and hit 'Submit':
- Previous Events
This page gives you a list of the last 50 events on which you have been registered as an attendee (latest first):
Please Note: QR Codes will only be presented at sessions which have been set by your School as a designated contact point. In order to ensure that you do not miss a contact point, it is imperative that you engage with all areas of your studies and attend every class scheduled.
If you are a Postgraduate Research (PGR) student, QR Codes do not apply. It is therefore imperative that you upload your formal meeting records to the Queen’s Student Information System (Qsis) monthly, prior to the end of each month so that your engagement is logged.
All meetings must take place in-person. Meeting records logged as having taken place virtually will not be included and missed contact points will generate for students who log a ‘Virtual’ meeting.
Please consult the ‘training material and simulations’ section on the Qsis website for instructions on how to upload the reports.
Your School of study will upload contact points on your behalf upon submission of your Thesis and when you undertake your Viva.
Please Note: PGR students’ study continuously throughout the academic year and must continue to meet 1 contact point monthly, unless annual leave has been approved by their supervisor and an Authorised Absence form has been submitted.
If you need to take a period of absence from your studies please refer to the following important information:
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Temporary Withdrawal / Leave of Absence (LOA)
When you request a Temporary Withdrawal / Leave of Absence (LOA) from your School, your enrolment will be suspended on Qsis for duration of this absence and you will not be able to engage with your studies during this period.
Reasons for this type of absence may include: pregnancy, long-term illness, family problems at home, among other things.
The University will only continue sponsorship of your visa if you are on a Leave of Absence for a short time, usually 60 days or less, as per UKVI policy in an academic year.
You will need to be able to complete your course of study within the validity of your current visa.
- Authorised Absence (AA)
This is where a student takes a short period of absence from the University.
Reasons for this type of absence may include: a brief illness, a family visit, to attend a wedding or a funeral, or partake in a conference, among other things.
Any period of Authorised Absence should be requested using the below form:Once completed, please submit this through to your School for consideration. After an Authorised Absence form has been approved by your School, they will in turn upload this to the online Engagement Monitoring system.
The University will only continue sponsorship of your visa if you are on an Authorised Absence for a short time, usually 60 days or less, as per UKVI policy in an academic year.
You will need to be able to complete your course of study within the validity of your current visa.
Please Note: Students will continue to be registered during a period of Authorised Absence and can still make submissions, if required by their School.
- Combined Authorised Absence (AA) plus Temporary Withdrawal / Leave of Absence (LOA)
Undergraduate Students Postgraduate Taught Students Postgraduate Research Students Maximum cumulative absence (AA plus LOA) 60 days in an academic year.
You will need to be able to complete your course of study within the validity of your current visa.
Maximum cumulative absence (AA plus LOA) 60 days in an academic year.
You will need to be able to complete your course of study within the validity of your current visa.
Maximum cumulative absence 120 days (AA plus LOA) - no single period of combined absence may be longer than 60 days.
Cumulative LOA must not exceed 60 days.
Cumulative AA must not exceed 60 days, as per the PGR Research Regulations.
You will need to be able to complete your course of study within the validity of your current visa.
Please contact your School of study directly to request a Temporary Withdrawal / Leave of Absence (LOA) or to have an Authorised Absence form approved.
No missed contact points will generate for you during a period of approved Authorised Absence or on a Leave of Absence.
Please Note: the academic year runs from 1 September - 31 August for all levels.
Please refer to the below important information concerning absences during the holiday periods:
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Absences during Official University Closure Days
Undergraduate Students Postgraduate Taught Students Postgraduate Research Students
No implications and do not count towards total AA or LOA. No implications and do not count towards total AA or LOA.
Official closure days count towards both AA and LOA absence periods.
If counting an AA and/or LOA that runs over any official University closure days, these days should be included in the calculation, as per the PGR Research Regulations.
- Absences outside of Official Course Dates
Undergraduate Students
Postgraduate Taught Students Postgraduate Research Students No implications and do not count towards total AA or LOA. No implications and do not count towards total AA or LOA.
Please Note: your dissertation period is considered term-time.PGR students study continuously throughout each academic year.
Please Note: The precise timetable of activity varies between programmes and, due to the nature of the course, some courses have additional teaching / placements / professional practice requirements which fall outside of the normal semester dates.
Student visa holders are granted permission to be in the UK to study. It is understood that on occasion you may need to remain registered but undertake a period of study outside the UK.
Off-Campus Study is only permitted in limited circumstances, as listed below:
Fieldwork / Data Collection |
Exchange / Study Abroad Semester |
Programme related Research that MUST be conducted at another location |
Writing up Thesis Overseas (PhD / Doctorate only) |
The maximum permitted overseas research period is normally 6 months in a rolling 12-month period.
Please be aware that your engagement will continue to be monitored whilst you are on any period of 'Off-Campus Study', therefore it is imperative that you maintain contact with your School and respond to any communications received.
Any period of Off-Campus Study should be requested using the below form:
ISS must be able to confirm that it knows of a sponsored student’s whereabouts, and that any time spent off-campus has been authorised so that the relevant report can be made to UKVI regarding their change of location.
Please submit the completed form through to your School well in advance of your period of Off-Campus Study.
The University has a range of resources to help you with your studies.
Please refer to the MyQueen’s webpage, to find out more about the range of support services available to you.
The services offered by the Student Wellbeing Service are free and available to registered students at the University.
Support is available at all levels of your student journey.
The Immigration Support Service (ISS) will contact any students with missed contact points monthly via email regarding their lack of engagement across the previous month.
If you miss 1 or 2 contact points
- ISS will be in touch via email to explain the implications on your student visa if you fail to re-engage with your course of study
- Your School will also follow up accordingly, prompting you to re-engage with your studies
- ISS will continue to contact you monthly until you successfully re-engage
If you miss 3 or more consecutive contact points
2 or more if you are a Postgraduate Research student
2 or more if you are a Postgraduate Taught student undertaking your dissertation
- You will be invited to attend a student support meeting with your School once you reach 60 days of non-engagement
- If you fail to attend this meeting and do not successfully re-engage with your studies, you will receive one final opportunity to explain your lack of engagement to the Immigration Support Service
Please Note: Once a student misses 60 days due to unauthorised absences the University must report them to UKVI as withdrawn and cease sponsorship of their visa.
If your visa is cancelled, you will be required to leave the UK within approximately 60 days from the date the UKVI report is made. It is therefore imperative that you actively and consistently follow your course of study.
Please contact your School and ISS if there is anything preventing you from doing so to make us aware of your situation. If you are unwell, please refer to the 'Absence from your Studies' section above.
In cases where students have missed contact points noted but attendance can be evidenced, engagement can be updated retrospectively by one of your School’s designated engagement monitoring contacts.
In-person contact points confirmed by School staff are preferable, however we will also accept confirmation of submissions, assessments undertaken, exams sat etc.
If you find yourself in this situation, please ask the staff member best placed to confirm your engagement to email this through to your School citing the specific date of attendance and/or submission. They should also copy isscompliance@qub.ac.uk into this email.
Technical Support - issues with the app / Scanning QR codes: | engagement-monitoring@qub.ac.uk |
International Student Compliance: | isscompliance@qub.ac.uk |
Immigration Advice: | immigration@qub.ac.uk |
School Contacts: |
https://www.qub.ac.uk/contact/Schoolofficecontactdetails/ https://www.qub.ac.uk/about/Leadership-and-structure/Faculties-and-Schools/ |