Section A: What is the UK Graduate Visa?
The Graduate Visa is a post-study work route for international students who have successfully completed an eligible course in the UK and want to remain after their studies. Unlike most UK work visas, it is an unsponsored route, so you do not need a job offer or employer sponsorship to apply.
Graduate Visa holders can work across different roles and sectors without a minimum salary requirement or general skill-level restriction. You can also change jobs, work full-time or part-time, be self-employed or undertake voluntary work. The main work restriction is that you cannot work as a professional sportsperson.
The route is temporary. It cannot be extended and does not provide a direct route to settlement. If you want to remain in the UK when your Graduate Visa ends, you will need to qualify for further immigration permission under another route.
1. How long does a Graduate Visa last?
The length of your Graduate Visa depends on when you apply and the qualification you completed.
If you apply on or before 31 December 2026 after completing a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or another eligible non-doctoral qualification, you will normally be granted permission for 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, this period reduces to 18 months.
If you have successfully completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification, the Graduate Visa continues to be granted for 3 years.
Your Graduate permission starts from the date the application is approved. The visa cannot be extended, so the period granted is the maximum time you can remain under the Graduate route.
2. Can you work on a Graduate Visa?
You can work in the UK on a Graduate Visa without employer sponsorship. There is no general restriction on the skill level of the job and no Graduate-route minimum salary threshold.
You can work full-time or part-time, take temporary or permanent employment and change employers without making a new Graduate Visa application. You can also take more than one job.
The restriction is on work as a professional sportsperson. Graduate Visa holders are not permitted to work in that capacity.
3. Can you be self-employed on a Graduate Visa?
Self-employment is permitted under the Graduate route. You can work as a freelancer, establish a business or combine self-employment with employed work while your permission remains valid.
The Graduate Visa itself does not provide a route to settlement, however, so anyone intending to build a longer-term business or career in the UK will need to consider whether they can qualify for another immigration route before their Graduate permission expires.
4. Can you study on a Graduate Visa?
Study is permitted on the Graduate route, although restrictions apply to courses that are eligible for sponsorship under the Student route. In practice, you can study on a Graduate Visa where the course is not one for which you would ordinarily qualify for a Student Visa.
An Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate may also be required for certain courses or research activities where the relevant ATAS rules apply.
5. What are the restrictions on a Graduate Visa?
The Graduate Visa offers broad freedom to work, but it remains a time-limited immigration route.
You cannot extend the Graduate Visa or apply for the route for a second time. You cannot work as a professional sportsperson and you cannot access public funds. Restrictions also apply to study where the course is eligible for sponsorship under the Student route.
The Graduate route does not lead directly to settlement. If you intend to remain in the UK beyond your Graduate permission, you will need to qualify for another immigration route, such as the Skilled Worker visa, before your permission ends.
DMS Insight for Applicants
The flexibility of the Graduate Visa can make the expiry date easy to overlook. You can change jobs, work without sponsorship and build UK experience, but the visa cannot be extended and the time available is fixed from the date of grant.
If your longer-term plan is to stay in the UK, use the Graduate period to identify which immigration route you could qualify for next and what you will need to secure before your permission expires. Waiting until the final months can leave too little time to resolve issues such as sponsorship, salary requirements or eligibility under an alternative route.
Section B: Can You Get a Graduate Visa?
To qualify for a Graduate Visa, you need to be in the UK and have, or have last had, permission as a Student and have successfully completed an eligible course of study. Your education provider must also have notified the Home Office that you successfully completed the course before you apply.
Eligibility under Appendix Graduate is based on three substantive requirements: successful completion, an eligible qualification and the required period of study in the UK. Together, these provide the 70 points required under the route. Each requirement has to be met; points under one requirement cannot compensate for failure to satisfy another.
You cannot qualify if you have previously been granted permission under the Graduate route or the Doctorate Extension Scheme.
1. Successful Completion Requirement
You must have successfully completed the course of study undertaken during the relevant period of Student permission. Your Student sponsor must be a higher education provider with a track record of compliance and must have notified the Home Office of your successful completion by the date of your Graduate Visa application.
In most cases, the relevant course will be the qualification recorded on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) used for your Student permission. A permitted change of course can also qualify where the Immigration Rules allowed you to change course without making a new Student application.
You do not need to wait for your graduation ceremony or for your degree certificate to be issued. The relevant trigger is successful completion and your Student sponsor reporting that completion to the Home Office. If you are unsure whether this has happened, check with your education provider before applying.
2. Qualification Requirement
The course you completed must lead to an eligible qualification. This will usually be a UK bachelor’s degree, UK postgraduate degree, PhD or other doctoral qualification.
Certain professional qualifications can also qualify. Appendix Graduate includes specified legal professional courses, foundation programmes in Medicine or Dentistry, postgraduate teaching qualifications and professional courses where successful completion makes the applicant eligible for a job regulated by UK law or a UK public authority.
Not every course undertaken with Student permission therefore qualifies for the Graduate route. You need to check that the qualification completed falls within the categories permitted under Appendix Graduate.
3. Studying in the UK Requirement
You also need to have spent the required period studying the qualifying course in the UK while holding Student permission.
If the course was 12 months or shorter, you will generally need to have studied in the UK for the full duration of the course. If the course was longer than 12 months, you will generally need to have studied in the UK for at least 12 months.
Appendix Graduate contains specific provisions dealing with permitted study abroad and historic periods of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those provisions can affect how qualifying study time is calculated in individual cases, so applicants whose course involved substantial periods outside the UK should check their position against the rules rather than assuming that time spent overseas automatically prevents them from qualifying.
4. What Immigration Status Do You Need to Apply?
A Graduate Visa application has to be made from inside the UK. At the date of application, you must have, or have last been granted, permission as a Student or Tier 4 (General) Student.
You should apply while your current Student permission remains valid.
5. Does Your University Have to Confirm Your Course Completion?
Yes. Your Student sponsor has to notify the Home Office that you have successfully completed the relevant course before you submit the Graduate Visa application.
The notification is made by the education provider directly to the Home Office. You will still need the CAS reference number connected with the course when making your application. If you no longer have the CAS number, you can ask your education provider to provide it.
DMS Insight for Applicants
Receiving your final results does not by itself mean you are ready to apply for the Graduate Visa. Your education provider also needs to have reported your successful completion to the Home Office, but then it’s for UKVI to decide whether the immigration requirements are met.
Issues such as time spent studying outside the UK, a change of course or previous immigration permission can still affect eligibility. If your study history has not been straightforward, check the Graduate rules against your circumstances rather than relying on the completion notification alone.
Section C: How to Apply for a Graduate Visa
A Graduate Visa application is made online from inside the UK. You should apply once your education provider has reported your successful course completion to the Home Office and before your current Student permission expires.
You do not need to wait for your graduation ceremony or degree certificate before applying. The relevant point is when your education provider has made the required completion notification.
1. When Can You Apply for a Graduate Visa?
You can apply once your education provider has notified the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course.
You should not submit the application simply because you have received your final results. If you are unsure whether the notification has been made, check with your education provider before applying.
Your application should be submitted while your Student permission remains valid. If your permission is close to expiry, timing becomes particularly important because an application made after permission has expired is subject to the rules applying to overstayers.
2. Graduate Visa Application Process
The application is completed through the online Graduate Visa form on GOV.UK.
As part of the process, you will need to pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge and prove your identity. Depending on the instructions given during the application, you will either use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app or attend a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your fingerprints and photograph.
| Stage | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| Check you are ready to apply | Confirm your education provider has reported successful completion to the Home Office. |
| Complete the online application | Submit the Graduate Visa form through GOV.UK. |
| Pay the fees | Pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge. |
| Prove your identity | Use the UK Immigration: ID Check app or attend a UKVCAS appointment, as directed. |
| Provide documents | Submit the documents required for your circumstances. |
| Wait for the decision | UKVI will usually decide the application within 8 weeks once the application, identity checks and documents have been completed. |
You should not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while the application is pending. Leaving the Common Travel Area before a decision is made will cause the Graduate Visa application to be treated as withdrawn.
3. What Documents Do You Need for a Graduate Visa?
The core documents are relatively limited. You will need a valid passport or other travel document establishing your identity and nationality and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number used for the relevant Student application.
You may also need evidence of your current immigration status. Where relevant, this may be evidenced through your digital immigration status or an eligible Biometric Residence Permit.
Additional evidence can be required depending on your circumstances. For example, you may need written consent from a government or international scholarship agency if it paid both your course fees and living costs during the relevant 12-month period. Relationship evidence may also be required where eligible dependants are applying.
Documents that are not in English or Welsh will generally need a certified translation.
| Document | When required |
|---|---|
| Passport or travel document | Required to establish your identity and nationality. |
| CAS reference number | Required from the Student application connected with the course you completed. |
| Evidence of immigration status | Required where applicable to evidence your current or previous Student permission. |
| Scholarship or sponsorship consent | Required where a relevant government or international scholarship agency paid both course fees and living costs in the previous 12 months. |
| Relationship evidence | May be required where eligible dependants are applying. |
| Certified translations | Required where relevant documents are not in English or Welsh. |
You do not normally need to submit a degree certificate simply to prove successful completion. The Home Office relies on the notification made by your education provider.
4. How Much Does a Graduate Visa Cost?
The Graduate Visa application fee is currently £937.
You also have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full period of permission. The current surcharge amounts published for the Graduate route are £1,152.50 for 18 months, £2,070 for 2 years and £3,105 for 3 years.
| Visa Period | Application Fee | Immigration Health Surcharge | Current Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 months | £937 | £1,152.50 | £2,089.50 |
| 2 years | £937 | £2,070 | £3,007 |
| 3 years | £937 | £3,105 | £4,042 |
These totals use the fees in force at the date of writing. Applicants should check the applicable charges when they are ready to submit because immigration fees can change.
5. How Long Does a Graduate Visa Take?
UKVI states that you will usually receive a decision within 8 weeks once you have submitted the online application, proved your identity and provided the required documents.
Processing can take longer where UKVI needs to verify evidence or investigate matters relating to the application. If the application is successful, your immigration status will be recorded electronically through an eVisa.
6. Can You Stay in the UK While Your Application is Pending?
If you make a valid Graduate Visa application while you still have Student permission and that permission expires before UKVI decides the application, section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 will normally extend your existing permission while the application remains pending.
Section 3C preserves the conditions attached to your previous permission during that period. It does not apply simply because an application has been submitted after your existing permission has expired.
The validity of the application matters. An application that is ultimately treated as invalid may not provide section 3C protection, so applicants should ensure the required form, fee, Immigration Health Surcharge, identity evidence and biometrics are dealt with correctly.
7. Common Graduate Visa Application Mistakes
| Issue | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Applying too early | Your education provider needs to have notified the Home Office of successful completion before the application is made. |
| Applying after Student permission expires | An out-of-time application does not automatically benefit from section 3C leave and the rules for overstayers may apply. |
| Using the wrong CAS reference | The application requires the CAS reference connected with the relevant Student application. |
| Missing scholarship consent | Written consent can be required where a relevant government or international scholarship agency funded both fees and living costs. |
| Travelling while the application is pending | Leaving the Common Travel Area before the decision will cause the application to be treated as withdrawn. |
DMS Insight for Applicants
Submitting something before your Student visa expires is not the same as making a valid application. Section 3C protection depends on a valid, in-time application, making validity particularly important where Student permission is close to expiry.
Don’t assume final results alone mean the application is ready to submit, and don’t leave the process so late that an avoidable issue with the application puts your immigration status at risk. Once the application has been submitted, avoid travel outside the Common Travel Area until UKVI has made its decision.
Section D: Can Your Dependants Stay on the Graduate Visa?
If your partner or children were already in the UK as your dependants under your Student or Tier 4 (General) permission, they can usually apply to stay as your dependants when you move onto the Graduate route.
The Graduate route does not generally allow you to bring a new partner or child from overseas who was not previously your Student dependant. Different rules apply to children born in the UK during your Student or Graduate permission.
1. Can Your Partner Stay as Your Dependant?
Your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner can apply as your Graduate dependant if they were previously granted permission as your dependant under the Student or Tier 4 (General) route.
They will also need to continue to satisfy the relevant relationship requirements. Depending on the nature of the relationship, this can include showing a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK or establishing a qualifying durable relationship.
A new partner who was not previously your Student dependant cannot generally use the Graduate route to join you from overseas.
2. Can Your Children Stay as Graduate Dependants?
A child who already held permission as your dependant under the Student or Tier 4 (General) route can usually apply to remain as your Graduate dependant.
Children under 18 also have to meet the relationship, care and age requirements in Appendix Children. An older child can continue as a dependant where they meet the applicable requirements and already hold dependant permission.
A child born in the UK during your current Student, Tier 4 (General) or Graduate permission can also apply as your dependant even if they did not previously hold Student dependant permission. The Graduate rules were amended with effect from 3 August 2026 expressly to cover children born in the UK while a parent holds Graduate permission.
A child born in the UK does not automatically become a British citizen solely because they were born here. If you intend to travel outside the UK with the child, you will need to secure the appropriate dependant permission before travelling.
3. How Long Can Graduate Visa Dependants Stay?
A dependent partner will normally be granted permission ending on the same date as the Graduate Visa holder’s permission.
For a dependent child, permission will normally expire on the same date as whichever parent’s immigration permission ends first.
Dependants do not have to submit their applications at exactly the same time as the main Graduate applicant, although the main applicant must either already hold Graduate permission or be granted it as part of the linked applications.
4. Do Graduate Dependants Need to Meet a Financial Requirement?
There is no separate maintenance funds requirement for Graduate dependant partners or children.
Each dependant has to make their own application and pay the relevant application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge. If a government or international scholarship agency paid the dependant’s living costs during the relevant period, written consent from that sponsor may also be required.
5. What Can Graduate Visa Dependants Do in the UK?
Graduate dependants can work, including through employment, self-employment or voluntary work. They cannot work as professional sportspersons, including as sports coaches.
They can also study, subject to any applicable Academic Technology Approval Scheme requirements, and they do not have access to public funds.
DMS Insight for Applciants
If you have dependants, your next immigration decision should be made for the family as a whole. A route that works well for you as a Graduate visa holder may have different eligibility, cost, work or settlement consequences for your partner and children. That will become particularly important before changing route. Check whether your dependants can move with you, what status they would receive and how the change could affect the family’s longer-term settlement position before committing to your next visa.
If your family circumstances change during your Graduate permission, check the immigration position before making plans for a partner or child to relocate to the UK. The position is different for children born in the UK, including the specific provision introduced in August 2026 for children born while a parent holds Graduate permission.
The main restriction to understand is that the Graduate route largely preserves an existing Student dependant family unit rather than creating a new route for family members to join you from overseas.
Section E: Working on a Graduate Visa
The Graduate route gives you broad permission to work in the UK without being tied to a particular employer. You can take a job, change employers or combine different types of work without making a new immigration application each time.
The important distinction is between your current right to work and any immigration permission you may need later. An employer does not need to sponsor you simply because you hold a Graduate Visa, but sponsorship may become relevant if you later want to switch into a sponsored work route.
1. Do You Need Sponsorship to Work on a Graduate Visa?
No. The Graduate Visa is an unsponsored route, so you do not need a Certificate of Sponsorship and your employer does not need a sponsor licence simply to employ you while your Graduate permission remains valid.
There is also no Graduate-route minimum salary requirement attached to your employment. Your pay and working arrangements will instead be governed by the usual employment law requirements applying to the role.
2. Can You Change Jobs on a Graduate Visa?
You can change jobs without applying for new immigration permission. Your Graduate Visa is not linked to a specific employer, occupation or vacancy.
You can also work for more than one employer at the same time. There is no immigration requirement to notify the Home Office each time you change employment while you remain on the Graduate route.
3. Can You Work Before Receiving a Decision on Your Graduate Visa?
If you make a valid Graduate Visa application while you still have Student permission, your existing Student conditions will normally continue while the application is pending.
There is, however, a specific exception for work. If you have successfully completed your course and meet the requirements in Appendix Student, you can start employment in a full-time permanent vacancy while waiting for the Graduate Visa decision. The exception applies where you studied a full-time degree-level course or above with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, applied while holding Student permission and the Graduate application remains pending.
Other Student-route restrictions can continue to apply until Graduate permission is granted, so submitting the Graduate application does not simply give you all of the conditions of the Graduate route immediately.
4. How Do You Prove Your Right to Work?
Graduate Visa holders generally evidence their immigration status digitally through their eVisa.
When starting a job, you can generate a right to work share code through the Home Office online service and give the code together with your date of birth to the employer. The employer can then use the online service to confirm that you have permission to work and check whether any restrictions apply.
A share code is time-limited, so you may need to generate a new one if an earlier code has expired before the check is completed.
5. Will You Need Sponsorship Later?
Possibly. Holding a Graduate Visa does not create any obligation for your employer to sponsor you, either now or in the future.
If you want to remain in the UK through a sponsored work route after your Graduate permission ends, you will need to meet the requirements of that route at the time you apply. For the Skilled Worker route, this includes sponsorship by an authorised employer and satisfying the relevant requirements for the job and salary.
Whether an employer is willing and able to sponsor you is therefore a separate issue from whether they can employ you on your current Graduate Visa.
DMS Insight for Applicants
Graduate Visa flexibility can disguise a longer-term problem: being allowed to take a job now does not mean that job can support your next visa.
If Skilled Worker sponsorship is your likely plan, you will need to assess more than whether an employer is willing to hire you. Find out whether it holds a sponsor licence, whether your occupation can qualify for sponsorship and whether your salary is capable of meeting the rules that would apply when you switch. Discovering that your role cannot be sponsored shortly before your Graduate Visa expires can leave very little time to change course.
Section F: What Happens When Your Graduate Visa Ends?
If you want to remain in the UK after your Graduate Visa, you will need to qualify for another immigration route. The route you move into will depend on your work, career, business or personal circumstances at the time.
For many graduates who have secured employment, the Skilled Worker visa will be the main option. Other routes may be available where you meet their specific requirements.
1. Can You Switch From a Graduate Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa?
You can apply from inside the UK to switch from a Graduate Visa to the Skilled Worker route if you meet the requirements in force when you apply. This will usually require a job with an employer authorised to sponsor Skilled Workers, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship and a role and salary that meet the applicable Skilled Worker rules.
Not every job you can do on a Graduate Visa will qualify for Skilled Worker sponsorship. If this is your intended next route, check the position early enough to establish whether both the employer and the role can support the application.
For a detailed explanation of the switching requirements, timing and practical issues, see our guide to switching from a Graduate Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa.
2. What Other Visas Can You Switch to?
Skilled Worker is not the only potential option. Your circumstances may allow you to switch into another route from inside the UK.
The Global Talent visa may be available to applicants who qualify as leaders or potential leaders in an eligible field, or who hold a qualifying prestigious prize. The route does not require a conventional sponsored job offer.
The Innovator Founder visa may be relevant if you intend to establish an eligible business in the UK and can obtain the required endorsement.
You may also qualify under a Family route based on your relationship and circumstances, or return to the Student route if you intend to undertake further eligible study and meet the requirements for new Student permission.
Other work routes can apply in more specific circumstances. The correct option depends on the requirements you can satisfy rather than simply which visa you would prefer to hold.
| Possible Route | When It May Be Relevant | Direct Route to Settlement? |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | You have an eligible sponsored job with an authorised employer and meet the applicable route requirements. | Yes |
| Global Talent | You qualify in an eligible field through endorsement or an eligible prestigious prize. | Yes |
| Innovator Founder | You have an eligible endorsed business and meet the route requirements. | Yes |
| Family | You qualify under the relevant family provisions based on your relationship and circumstances. | Potentially |
| Student | You intend to undertake further eligible study and qualify for Student permission. | No |
3. Does the Graduate Visa Lead to ILR?
The Graduate route does not provide a direct route to indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
If you later switch into a settlement route, you will need to meet the settlement requirements applying to that route. For example, the Skilled Worker route can lead to settlement after the relevant qualifying period where all of the ILR requirements are met.
Time spent on the Graduate route does not form part of the five-year qualifying period for settlement as a Skilled Worker. It can, however, form part of a period of lawful residence relied on for long residence, subject to meeting the requirements of that route.
4. When Should You Start Planning Your Next Visa?
There is no single point at which every Graduate Visa holder should start preparing for their next application. The lead time will depend on the route you intend to use.
A Skilled Worker application can depend on your employer holding the correct sponsor licence, the job being eligible and the salary meeting the applicable rules. A Global Talent application may require endorsement before the immigration application can proceed, while an Innovator Founder application requires endorsement of the proposed business.
Identify the likely route early enough to establish whether you can meet its requirements and deal with any steps that depend on an employer, endorsing body or other third party.
DMS Insight for Applicants
Using the full Graduate Visa period before moving onto your next route is not automatically the best strategy. If your intended route has its own qualifying period for settlement, delaying the switch can also delay when that settlement period starts. The right timing depends on your priorities, costs and longer-term plans. For example, time spent on the Graduate route doesn’t count towards the five-year Skilled Worker settlement period, so if you already have a qualifying sponsored job, compare the benefit of remaining on the flexible Graduate route against starting the settlement clock sooner.
Summary
The Graduate Visa gives eligible international graduates a temporary period to remain in the UK after study without needing employer sponsorship. The route offers broad freedom to work and build UK experience, but it is time-limited and cannot be extended.
The main risks are procedural and strategic: applying at the wrong time, overlooking the provider completion notification or reaching the end of the visa without a viable onward route.
If you intend to stay in the UK longer term, use the Graduate period to establish which immigration route you could move into next and what you will need to qualify. For many graduates this will mean Skilled Worker sponsorship, although other routes may be available depending on your circumstances.
Need Assistance?
If you are considering applying for a Graduate Visa, or need advice about your options after your Graduate permission ends, our UK immigration solicitors can help.
DavidsonMorris advises international students and graduates on Graduate Visa eligibility and applications, as well as switching into longer-term routes including the Skilled Worker, Global Talent and family routes.
For advice on your circumstances and next steps, book a fixed-fee telephone consultation to speak with an immigration adviser.
Graduate Visa FAQs
Can I get a Graduate Visa?
You may qualify if you are in the UK with Student or Tier 4 (General) permission, have successfully completed an eligible course and meet the Graduate route requirements. Your education provider also needs to have notified the Home Office of your successful completion before you apply.
Do I need a job to apply for a Graduate Visa?
No. You do not need a job offer to apply for a Graduate Visa.
Do I need sponsorship for a Graduate Visa?
No. The Graduate Visa is an unsponsored route. You do not need a Certificate of Sponsorship and an employer does not need a sponsor licence simply to employ you while you hold Graduate permission.
How long does a Graduate Visa last?
If you apply on or before 31 December 2026, Graduate permission is normally granted for 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, this reduces to 18 months. PhD and other doctoral graduates continue to receive 3 years.
When can I apply for a Graduate Visa?
You can apply once your education provider has notified the Home Office that you successfully completed your eligible course. You should apply while your Student permission remains valid.
Do I have to wait until graduation to apply?
No. You do not need to wait for your graduation ceremony or degree certificate. You can apply once the required successful completion notification has been made to the Home Office.
Can I apply for a Graduate Visa from outside the UK?
No. A Graduate Visa application is an in-country application and has to be made from within the UK.
Can I apply after my Student visa expires?
You should apply before your Student permission expires. Appendix Graduate contains limited provisions relating to overstayers where the relevant exceptions in Part Suitability apply, so an applicant whose permission has already expired should not assume they can make a normal late Graduate application.
Can I work full-time on a Graduate Visa?
Yes. Graduate Visa holders can work without a general restriction on hours, salary or skill level, subject to the conditions of the route.
Can I change jobs on a Graduate Visa?
Yes. Your Graduate permission is not tied to a particular employer, so you can change jobs without making a new Graduate Visa application.
Can I be self-employed on a Graduate Visa?
Yes. Self-employment is permitted under the Graduate route.
Can I study on a Graduate Visa?
Study is permitted, although restrictions apply where the course is eligible for sponsorship under the Student route. ATAS requirements may also apply to certain studies.
Can my partner or children stay with me?
Existing eligible Student or Tier 4 dependants can usually apply to continue as Graduate dependants. The route does not generally allow a new overseas partner or child to join you. Separate provisions apply to qualifying children born in the UK, including children born during a parent’s Graduate permission.
Can I extend a Graduate Visa?
No. Graduate permission cannot be extended and you cannot normally obtain a second grant under the Graduate route.
Can I switch from a Graduate Visa to a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes, if you meet the Skilled Worker requirements in force when you apply. You will need an eligible sponsored job with an employer authorised to sponsor Skilled Workers and will need to satisfy the applicable job and salary requirements.
Can I switch to another visa after a Graduate Visa?
Potentially. Depending on your circumstances, other options may include Global Talent, Innovator Founder, a Family route or further Student permission. Each route has its own eligibility and switching requirements.
Does the Graduate Visa lead to ILR?
The Graduate route does not itself lead directly to indefinite leave to remain. If you later move into a settlement route, you will need to satisfy that route’s settlement requirements.
Does time on a Graduate Visa count towards Skilled Worker settlement?
Time spent on the Graduate route does not count towards the qualifying period for settlement as a Skilled Worker. It can, however, be relevant to a qualifying period based on long residence where the applicable requirements are met.
How long does a Graduate Visa application take?
UKVI usually aims to decide a Graduate Visa application within 8 weeks once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided the required documents.
Can I stay in the UK while waiting for a Graduate Visa decision?
If you make a valid application before your Student permission expires, your existing permission will normally continue under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 while the application is pending.
Can I travel while my Graduate Visa application is pending?
You should not leave the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a decision is made. Leaving the Common Travel Area while the application is pending will cause the application to be treated as withdrawn.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Graduate Visa | An unsponsored UK immigration route allowing eligible international graduates to remain in the UK for a limited period after successfully completing an eligible course. |
| Student Visa | The immigration route for eligible international students studying with a licensed Student sponsor in the UK. |
| Student Sponsor | An education provider licensed by the Home Office to sponsor eligible international students under the Student route. |
| CAS | Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. The electronic reference issued by a Student sponsor and used for a Student Visa application. The relevant CAS reference is also required when applying under the Graduate route. |
| Appendix Graduate | The section of the UK Immigration Rules setting out the validity, suitability and eligibility requirements for the Graduate route and its dependants. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | A charge paid as part of the Graduate Visa application giving access to NHS services during the period of immigration permission, subject to the usual rules on NHS charges. |
| eVisa | A digital record of a person’s UK immigration status and the conditions attached to their permission. |
| Dependant | An eligible partner or child who is permitted to remain in the UK on the basis of their relationship to the main visa holder. |
| Section 3C Leave | Statutory protection that can extend existing immigration permission and its conditions while a valid in-time application for further permission is pending, subject to the requirements of section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. |
| Skilled Worker Visa | A sponsored work route for eligible jobs with an approved UK employer that can provide a route to settlement where the relevant requirements are met. |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) | UK immigration status allowing a person to live in the UK without a time limit, where the requirements of an eligible settlement route are met. |
| Home Office | The UK government department responsible for immigration policy and administration, including decisions on Graduate Visa applications. |
Additional Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Government – Graduate Visa | https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa |
| UKCISA – International Student Guidance | https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information–Advice/Visas-and-Immigration |
| Universities UK International (UUKi) | https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/immigration-and-visas |
| British Council – Study UK | https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/moving-uk/visas-requirements |
| UK Home Office – Immigration Rules | https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules |
