Lana Oconnell
If you're an international student in the UK, you may need to pay National Insurance (NI) contributions and income tax. Whether or not you need to pay depends on whether you're working in the UK and how much you're earning. If you're not planning on getting a part-time job, you don't need to worry about getting a National Insurance number. However, if you are working, you'll need to apply for an NI number and start paying NI contributions if your earnings are over a certain threshold. International students are also required to pay income tax if their earnings exceed their Personal Allowance (PA) threshold. It's important to note that refunds for NI contributions are not possible, but you may be able to reclaim overpaid income tax.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who has to pay National Insurance? | International students who work in the UK are required to pay National Insurance contributions. |
| Who is exempt from National Insurance? | International assignees who are sent to the UK by their overseas employers (known as 'posted workers') remain subject to their home country's social security legislation. |
| How much do you have to pay? | National Insurance is typically around 11%-12% of your income. |
| When do you start paying National Insurance? | As soon as you start working. |
| How do you pay National Insurance? | Your employer will deduct National Insurance payments from your pay (this is known as PAYE or Pay As You Earn). |
| What if you don't have a National Insurance number? | You can apply for a National Insurance number online or by calling 0845 6000643. Your employer will usually issue you with a temporary one so you can start work. |
| What if you leave the UK? | You might want to continue making voluntary contributions if you intend to claim a UK state pension or to return to the UK in the future. |
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What You'll Learn
National Insurance number application
International students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance (NI) contributions if they work in the UK. If you are an international student aged 16 or over, you will have to pay UK NIC like any other employed or self-employed individual in the UK. However, if you are a 'posted worker', you may be subject to your home country's social security legislation instead of paying UK contributions.
To obtain a National Insurance number, you need to apply online. You will need to prove your identity when you apply, so make sure you have the necessary documents ready. You can still apply if you do not have any of the required documents, but you may need to attend an appointment in person to prove your identity. It can take up to 4 weeks to get your National Insurance number. You can start working before receiving your National Insurance number as long as you can prove your right to work in the UK, but you must inform your employer that you have applied for one and provide it to them once you receive it. Jobcentre Plus may invite you for an interview to discuss your circumstances and the need for a National Insurance number.
If you leave the UK and are no longer liable to pay mandatory NIC, you may be able to make voluntary contributions if you intend to claim a UK state pension or return to live in the UK in the future. Class 2 and Class 3 contributions can be paid on a voluntary basis, but Class 2 contributions are cheaper and protect more benefits than Class 3.
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National Insurance contributions
International students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance contributions if they work. National Insurance is a mandatory government tax deducted from your pay if you earn over £242 per week, and it typically amounts to around 11%-12% of your income. Students are not exempt from paying tax and National Insurance contributions, and the amount they pay depends on how much they earn.
If you are an international student in the UK aged 16 or over, then you will have to pay UK National Insurance contributions like any other employed or self-employed individual in the UK. This also applies if you are on a Student Visa and have the right to work in the UK alongside your studies. You will need a unique National Insurance number to ensure that your National Insurance contributions and tax payments are properly recorded against your name. You can apply for a National Insurance number online, and you will need proof of your identity to do so. You can start working before receiving your National Insurance number, but you must inform your employer that you have applied for one and provide it to them once you receive it. If you already have a National Insurance number from previously working or studying in the UK, you do not need to reapply.
If you leave the UK and are no longer liable to pay mandatory National Insurance contributions, you may be able to continue making contributions on a voluntary basis if you intend to claim a UK state pension or return to live in the UK in the future. Class 3 contributions can be paid voluntarily, but you need to satisfy certain conditions, such as having lived in the UK for a continuous three-year period or having paid a set amount in National Insurance contributions for three years or more. Class 2 contributions can also be paid voluntarily if you will be self-employed or employed abroad, and they are cheaper than Class 3 contributions while protecting more benefits.
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Tax and National Insurance deductions
International students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance Contributions (NIC) if they work in the UK. This is a mandatory government tax deducted from your pay if you earn over £242 per week. Typically, it amounts to around 11-12% of your income. Students are not exempt from paying tax and NIC (the amount you pay depends on how much you earn).
If you are an international student in the UK aged 16 or over, then you will have to pay UK NIC like any other employed or self-employed individual in the UK. However, some international assignees who are sent to the UK to work by their overseas employers (known as ‘posted workers’) remain subject to their home country's social security legislation rather than paying UK contributions.
You will need to apply for a National Insurance number online once you are in the UK. You can start working before receiving your National Insurance number if you can prove you have the legal right to work in the UK. Inform your employer that you have applied for one and provide it to them once you receive it. You will need proof of your identity to apply for an NI number. Your employer will ask to see ID (e.g. your passport, your Biometric Residence Permit, your student ID card) to ensure you are who you say you are.
If you leave the UK and are no longer liable to pay mandatory NIC in the UK, you may be eligible to make voluntary contributions if you intend to claim a UK state pension or return to the UK in the future.
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Eligibility to work in the UK
International students in the UK on a student visa are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during term time. This includes paid and unpaid work, and internships. During official vacation periods, students are allowed to work full-time, which can include a full-time internship or placement. Undergraduate and Masters students can undertake an internship during the official vacation periods, but they must provide evidence of the academic calendar as confirmation of the vacation dates when they are permitted to work full-time.
A student visa does not permit international students to engage in business activity, which includes setting up a business, being employed by a company in which they hold 10% or more shares, or working for a company where they hold a statutory role. Student visas also do not permit students to work in a position that would fill a permanent full-time vacancy.
International students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance (NI) contributions if they work in the UK. They will need to apply for an NI number once they are in the UK, and they can start working before receiving it, provided they can prove they have the legal right to work in the UK. They must inform their employer that they have applied for an NI number and provide it to them once they receive it.
If an international student is a 'posted worker', meaning they are posted to work overseas by a UK employer, they may continue to pay UK National Insurance rather than social security in the other country. However, if there is no social security agreement in place with the other country, they will need to consider the domestic rules of that country.
International students who plan to stay and work in the UK after graduating may be eligible for the Graduate route, which allows them to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for up to two years (or three years for PhD or doctoral qualification graduates). They may also be eligible for a UK ancestry visa if they are a Commonwealth citizen or British subject and can prove that a grandparent was born in the UK or the Republic of Ireland before 1922. Alternatively, they can apply for a Skilled Worker visa, which is a sponsored visa route that requires a qualifying job offer from an employer with a sponsor license.
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Voluntary NIC payments
International students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance Contributions (NIC) if they work in the UK. This is the case for anyone employed in the UK on a local UK contract, regardless of their nationality. However, international students who are posted to work overseas by a UK employer (known as 'posted workers') may be subject to their home country's social security legislation instead of paying UK NIC.
If an international student leaves the UK and is no longer required to pay mandatory NIC, they may consider making voluntary NIC payments if they plan to claim a UK state pension or return to live in the UK in the future. Class 3 NIC contributions can be paid voluntarily to continue building a UK state pension, provided certain conditions are met. These conditions include having lived in the UK for a continuous three-year period or having paid a set amount of NIC for three years or more before leaving the country.
Class 2 NIC contributions can also be paid voluntarily, but only if the individual will be self-employed or employed abroad. Class 2 contributions are more cost-effective than Class 3 and offer more benefits. Individuals can seek advice from the Future Pension Centre or the International Pension Centre, depending on their age, to determine if they will benefit from making voluntary NIC payments.
To apply for voluntary NIC payments, individuals can now do so online. They may be required to provide additional information, and their application will be assessed by HMRC. If approved, payment dates and amounts will be communicated.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, international students in the UK are required to pay National Insurance Contributions (NIC) if they work in the UK.
The amount of National Insurance paid depends on how much you earn. Typically, it amounts to around 11%-12% of your income.
International students can apply for a National Insurance number online. They will need proof of identity, and may be invited for an interview to discuss their circumstances.
If you already have a National Insurance number, you do not need to reapply. You can start work without one, but you must apply for one straight away if you don't already have it.
If you leave the UK, you are no longer required to pay NIC. However, you may choose to continue paying NIC on a voluntary basis if you intend to claim a UK state pension or return to the UK in the future.
