UK Graduate visa
The Graduate visa lets international students who complete a degree in the UK stay and work without a sponsor. Its length turns on the application date: two years for applications up to 31 December 2026, and 18 months after that.
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A Student visa ends with the course; what follows it is a separate route with separate conditions, and the route most graduates move to next is a sponsored one. For the sponsored route itself, see the UK Skilled Worker visa.
01
What is the Graduate visa?
The Graduate visa is the post-study route for international students who finish a degree in the UK. It permits work without a sponsor and without a job offer, which is the point of difference from every sponsored work route.
The route is granted once and is tied to a completed course at a licensed institution. The education provider confirms completion to the Home Office, and the application is made from inside the UK before the Student visa expires.
02
How long does the Graduate visa last?
Length depends on the application date and shortens at the start of 2027: applications up to 31 December 2026 carry two years and applications from 1 January 2027 carry 18 months. Doctoral and equivalent awards carry three years.
| Application date | Length | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 31 December 2026 | 2 years | Bachelor's or master's |
| From 1 January 2027 | 18 months | Bachelor's or master's |
| Either period | 3 years | Doctoral or equivalent |
The threshold falls between two graduating cohorts rather than between two academic years, so the gap between finishing a course and applying carries weight. Where that gap crosses the year end, six months of the route are at stake.
03
What does the Graduate visa cost?
Two amounts are paid together: an application fee of £937 and the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 for each year spent in the UK. On a two-year visa the surcharge alone comes to £2,070, paid at the point of application.
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £937 | Once, per person |
| Healthcare surcharge | £1,035 a year | Whole period, paid up front |
| Two-year total surcharge | £2,070 | Two years at the annual rate |
04
What work does the Graduate visa allow?
The Graduate visa carries considerably wider work rights than the Student visa. Self-employment is permitted and there is no cap on weekly hours, where the Student visa bars self-employment and limits hours during term time.
| Right | Student visa | Graduate visa |
|---|---|---|
| Self-employment | Not permitted | Permitted |
| Weekly hours in term time | Capped | No cap |
| Sponsor required | Not for study | No |
| Job offer required | No | No |
Free starter report
Let us draw up your free starter report
Five short questions. In return you get a one-page report setting out the steps, the documents, the official fees and the timings for the route you chose, each with its source.
05
What happens when the Graduate visa ends?
The Graduate visa cannot be extended, and time held on it does not count towards settlement on its own. Moving to another route before it expires is therefore the position for most holders, and the sponsored work route is the common destination.
Because the route cannot be extended, the planning question is which route follows it and when that application has to be made. For most graduates the answer is the Skilled Worker route, which requires an employer holding a sponsor licence.
06
What does British Global do at this stage?
British Global sets out the published timings in a written preliminary report, shows where the duration threshold falls against your own dates, and refers the file to a regulated adviser. It does not give immigration advice or prepare applications.
- A written report maps your course end date against the published thresholds.
- The document list and the order it is needed in are set out.
- The file is referred to an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority.
- Referrals are made for the administrative steps that follow arrival.
07
Frequently asked questions
Does the Graduate visa need a job offer?
No. The route is granted on the strength of a completed UK degree, and no job offer or sponsor is part of the published conditions.
Can the Graduate visa be extended?
No. It is granted once and cannot be extended; a different route has to be applied for before it expires.
Does time on the Graduate visa count towards settlement?
Not on its own. Time on this route does not count towards settlement, which is why the route that follows it matters.
Sources
- GOV.UK — The Graduate visa permits work without a sponsor after a UK degree; applications up to 31 December 2026 carry two years, applications from 1 January 2027 carry 18 months, and doctoral awards carry three years.
- GOV.UK — The Graduate visa application fee is £937 and the healthcare surcharge is £1,035 for each year of the visa.
- GOV.UK — A Student visa bars self-employment and limits working hours during term time, restrictions that do not apply on the Graduate route.
