UK Graduate Visa Applications

Overview

The Graduate route is unsponsored and does not require a job offer. It allows employment at any skill level, self-employment and voluntary work, except as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach.

The period of permission depends on the qualification and application date:

• Applicants with a PhD or another doctoral qualification receive three years
• Other eligible graduates applying on or before 31 December 2026 receive two years
• Other eligible graduates applying on or after 1 January 2027 receive 18 months

The Graduate route does not lead directly to settlement and cannot be extended. Time spent on the route does not count toward the usual five-year qualifying period under routes such as Skilled Worker. However, it can count as lawful residence toward settlement under the 10-year Long Residence route, subject to the relevant requirements.

The route is therefore best used as a period in which to gain UK work experience and prepare to switch into a longer-term immigration category.

Who Can Apply?

You may be eligible if:

• You are in the UK
• You have, or last had, permission as a Student
• You successfully completed an eligible UK qualification
• Your most recent Student sponsor is a higher education provider with a track record of compliance
• Your education provider has notified the Home Office that you successfully completed the relevant course
• You completed the required period of study in the UK
• You have not previously been granted permission under the Graduate route or Doctorate Extension Scheme

The qualification must normally be a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, PhD or another specifically recognised professional qualification.

If the course lasted 12 months or less, the full course must normally have been studied in the UK. If the course lasted longer than 12 months, at least 12 months must normally have been studied in the UK. Limited historical exceptions apply to permitted study abroad and certain periods of pandemic-related distance learning.

Key Requirements

• The application must be made from inside the UK
• The applicant must have, or have last held, Student permission
• The qualifying course must have been successfully completed
• The education provider must have reported successful completion to the Home Office
• The applicant must satisfy the UK study requirement
• The application should be submitted before the Student permission expires
• The applicant must not previously have held Graduate permission or permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme
• Written consent may be required where a government or international scholarship agency paid both tuition fees and living costs during the preceding 12 months
• The relevant suitability requirements must be met

There is no separate English-language or maintenance-funds requirement for the main Graduate application. However, the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge must be paid.

How It Works

1. Eligibility assessment. We confirm that the qualification, education provider and period of UK study satisfy the Graduate Route requirements.
2. Completion check. We confirm that the education provider has reported successful course completion to the Home Office. It is not normally necessary to wait for the graduation ceremony or physical degree certificate.
3. Timing assessment. The application must be made from inside the UK after successful completion has been reported and before the applicant’s Student permission expires.
4. Application preparation and submission. We prepare and submit the application with the required identity and immigration information.
5. Future-route planning. We assess potential routes such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder or an appropriate family route well before the Graduate permission expires.