If you have studied in the UK and you are wondering what happens once your course ends, the Graduate visa is likely the route you have heard about. It is the visa that lets you stay on and work after you finish your degree, without needing a job offer first. From 2027, the length of this visa is changing for most students. This article guides you exactly what that means, who qualifies, what it costs, and how to apply.
What is the UK Graduate Visa 18 Months
The Graduate visa, sometimes called the Graduate Route. It allows international students who have completed an eligible course in the UK to stay on afterward. You do not need a sponsor, a job offers, or a minimum salary. You can work in almost any role, be self-employed, or simply spend time looking for work.
The majority of recent bachelor’s and master’s degree holders are currently granted this visa for two years. Additionally, three years are granted to PhD and other doctorate grads. As of January 1, 2027, that is no longer the case. Those with a bachelor’s or master’s degree who apply on or after that date will receive 18 months rather than two years. PhD holders will still receive three years and are unaffected by this change. Therefore, the date you actually submit your application rather than the date you graduate determines the duration you receive if your course ends in late 2026.
Types of UK Graduate Visa Duration
18 Months (Undergraduate and Masters Graduates)
For applications submitted starting on January 1, 2027, this period will apply to graduates of both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The same group is still given two full years until then. In order to improve the graduate employment route, the UK government proposed further adjustments in its May 2025 Immigration White Paper, which included the reduced time.
3 Years (PhD and Doctoral Graduates)
PhD and other doctoral qualifications keep a three-year grant under the Graduate visa, both now and after the January 2027 change. This is worth noting for readers, since 2 years is not the actual PhD figure, doctoral graduates get a full extra year compared with undergraduates, and that gap does not shrink under the new rules.
Who Qualifies for Each Duration
The maximum degree you get determines the duration of your graduate visa, not the number of years you studied or the university you attended. Both a three-year bachelor’s degree and a one-year master’s degree are now eligible for the same two-year graduate visa, though this is anticipated to be shortened to eighteen months. The longer three-year visa is only available to graduates with a PhD or other doctorate degree. The majority of short vocational courses, foundation courses, and pre-sessional English programs are ineligible for the graduate visa.
Can You Extend Beyond 18 Months
No, the Graduate visa is a one-time grant with no extension option built in, no matter which duration you receive. Once it expires, your only way to remain in the UK legally is to switch into a different visa category before your permission runs out, most commonly the Skilled Worker visa. Many students find this surprising, since almost every other UK visa route allows some form of renewal.
UK Graduate Visa 18 Months Requirements
Completed a UK Degree
You need to have finished an eligible course at a UK institution that holds a Student sponsor licence, and that institution must confirm to the Home Office that you actually completed it. Dropping out partway through, or leaving before your final results, will normally disqualify you.
Valid Student Visa at Application Time
When you apply for a graduate visa, you must be in possession of a valid student visa (or the previous Tier 4 visa). The timing of your application is crucial because you cannot take this path if your student visa has already expired.
Apply From Inside the UK
This is not a visa you can apply for from abroad. You must be physically present in the UK when you submit the application, and you need to remain here while it is processed. There is no overseas or entry clearance version of the Graduate route.
English Language Requirement
There is no separate English test for the graduate visa. Because you already proved your English ability when you applied for your student visa, the home Office does not ask you to demonstrate it again at this stage.
Financial Requirement
The Graduate visa does not require you to demonstrate your ability to sustain yourself for a predetermined number of months or provide a bank account, in contrast to the student visa. The 28-day rule, which requires money to remain in an account for 28 days in a row before applying for a student visa, just does not apply in this situation. There is no maintenance fund test to pass, but you still need to budget for the application cost and the healthcare surcharge.
What Can You Do on UK Graduate Visa
Work Full Time in Any Job
You can take up full time work in any sector and at any skill level, from graduate schemes to retail, hospitality, or freelance projects. There are no salary threshold and no requirement that the job relates to your degree. The main things you cannot do are work as a professional sportsperson or coach, or claim most public funds.
Switch to Skilled Worker Visa
Because the Graduate visa cannot be renewed, most people use it as a bridge into the Skilled Worker route once they secure a suitable job offer from a licensed sponsor. You can switch at any point during your Graduate visa, and you do not need to wait until it is close to expiring.
Bring Dependants
If your partner or children were already your dependants on your Student visa, they can usually continue as dependants on your Graduate visa. New dependants cannot normally be added for the first time at this stage, which catches out some students who marry or have children while studying. Each dependant pays their own application fee and healthcare surcharge, and their permission ends on the same date as yours, or on whichever parent’s visa ends first for children.
Study on Graduate Visa
You are permitted to study while on a Graduate visa, though most people use this window to work rather than pursue further education. If you plan to start a new degree, it is worth checking whether switching back to a Student visa makes more sense for your situation, since the Graduate visa was not designed as a long-term study route.
Step by Step Application Process
Step 1 (Check Eligibility)
Verify that your university has informed the Home Office that you have completed your studies. Also that your subject and institution are eligible. When final results are confirmed, universities typically automatically contact UKVI. Nevertheless, if you are unclear, it is worthwhile to verify with your international student office.
Step 2 (Gather Documents)
Your passport or other travel document, the details of your Biometric Residence Permit (or eVisa, if you already have one), and your course’s Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number are all required. Paper documents are less important than they once were because the majority of the procedure now takes place totally online.
Step 3 (Apply Online via UKVI)
The application is submitted through the UK government’s website. You will fill in personal details, course information, and answer questions about your background and any dependants.
Step 4 (Pay Application Fee)
You pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge together as part of the same online process. Both are required before your application can move forward.
Step 5 (Biometrics Appointment)
Depending on how you apply, you may need to scan your identity document using the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app, or attend an appointment to give fingerprints and a photograph. Many recent applicants are able to complete this step entirely through the app, without visiting a service point.
Step 6 (Receive Your eVisa)
Physical Biometric Residence Permit cards have now been phased out. Once your application is approved, your immigration status is stored digitally as an eVisa, which you access by creating a UKVI account online. You prove your status to employers or landlords by generating a share code rather than showing a physical card.
Fees and Processing Time
Application Fee (2026 Amount)
The application fee is currently £937, following an increase from £880 on 8 April 2026. This fee is the same whether you are applying for the 18 month, two year, or three year grant, and the same figure applies to any dependants included on the application.
Healthcare Surcharge
On top of the application fee, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 for each year of permission granted. Graduate visa applicants pay the full adult rate rather than the discounted student rate, so an 18 month grant costs roughly £1,553 in surcharge alone, a two year grant costs £2,070, and a three year PhD grant costs £3,105. This is paid in full at the point of application, not spread out over your stay.
Standard vs Priority Processing Time
Most Graduate visa decisions arrive within eight weeks of submitting your application and biometrics. There is currently no priority or super priority service for this particular route, unlike many other UK visa categories, so applicants cannot pay extra to speed things up. It is worth applying as early as your eligibility allows, since you can remain in the UK on your existing Student visa conditions while your Graduate visa is being decided.
UK Graduate Visa vs Skilled Worker Visa
Key Differences
The Graduate visa needs no sponsor, no job offer, and no minimum salary, while the Skilled Worker visa requires all three. The Graduate visa is a fixed, non-renewable grant, whereas the Skilled Worker visa can be extended repeatedly as long as your job and sponsor remain in place. Skilled Worker visa holders also build up time toward settlement, something the Graduate visa does not offer on its own.
Which is Better for PR
Neither visa hands your permanent residence directly, but only one of them puts you on a realistic path to it. Time spent on the Graduate visa does not count toward the years needed for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Time spent on the Skilled Worker visa does count, so graduates who want to eventually settle permanently in the UK generally need to switch into Skilled Worker, or another eligible route, well before their Graduate visa expires.
How to Switch
Switching involves finding an employer who holds a Home Office sponsor licence, receiving a Certificate of Sponsorship from them, and then applying to change your visa category before your Graduate visa runs out. You can apply for this switch from inside the UK, and there is no need to leave the country or return to your home nation to do it.
FAQs
Can I extend after 18 months?
No. The Graduate visa cannot be extended under any circumstances, regardless of whether you were granted 18 months, two years, or three years. To remain lawfully in the UK once it ends, you need to switch into a different visa route beforehand.
Does it lead to UK PR?
Not directly. The Graduate visa itself does not count toward the residence requirement for settlement. It works as a stepping stone, giving you time to find sponsored work or another route that does count toward permanent residence.
What if I cannot find a job in 18 months?
If your visa is due to expire and you have not secured sponsored work, your options are to switch into another eligible category if you qualify, apply for a different visa such as a family or investment route if applicable, or return home once your permission ends. Overstaying is a serious immigration breach and can affect your ability to return to the UK in future, so it is worth reviewing your options several months before expiry rather than waiting until the last moment.
What if my university lost UKVI licence?
The Home Office will often give you a grace period, generally about 60 days, if your university’s sponsor license is withdrawn while you are still enrolled. During this time, you can transfer to another licensed sponsor or change your visa category instead of being forced to leave the UK right away. If this situation occurs, you should get in touch with your university’s international office and seek independent immigration advice as soon as possible. Because eligibility for a graduate visa is contingent upon successfully completing your course at a licensed institution that reports your qualification to the Home Office.
Is it same as Post Study Work Visa?
Effectively, yes “Post Study Work visa” and “PSW visa” are the informal, commonly used names for what is officially called the Graduate Route or Graduate visa. Some readers may also encounter the older Tier 1 Post Study Work visa from previous years, which was a separate scheme closed some time ago, so the two should not be confused when researching older sources.
Ready to Plan Your Next Step
You may make well-informed decisions about when to finish your study, when to submit your application, and when to start your job hunt by knowing how long your graduate visa will last before you apply. Before making any final decisions, it’s advisable to consult a qualified immigration adviser or your university’s international student office. If you’re planning your next steps after studying in the UK, such as switching to a Skilled Worker visa, comparing post-study work opportunities in other countries, or making sure you apply within the correct timeframe.
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