Graduate Visa

Getting Started

To be eligible, you must be in the UK on a valid Student Visa or Tier 4 (General) Visa at the time of application, and have successfully completed a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or other eligible course. Your education provider will need to notify the Home Office that you’ve completed your course before you can apply, so it’s worth confirming that process with your university or college in good time. Once granted, the visa is valid for 18 months for most graduates, or three years for those who have completed a PhD or doctoral qualification.

What You Can Do

The Graduate Visa offers a high degree of flexibility. You can work in most jobs, be self-employed, or take on voluntary work — all without needing employer sponsorship. Study is also permitted, provided the course is not one that would normally require a Student Visa. Your partner and children may be able to join you as dependants if they held that status during your Student Visa, and children born in the UK during your previous visa period may also be eligible.

Planning Your Next Steps

The Graduate Visa cannot be extended, so it’s worth thinking ahead about your longer-term options from the outset. You can switch to another visa route — such as the Skilled Worker Visa — if you meet the relevant requirements, and many graduates use this visa as a launchpad to do exactly that. One important thing to note on the settlement front: time spent on a Graduate Visa does not count towards most ILR routes, with the exception of the 10-year long residence route. If settlement is your goal, getting the right visa in place as early as possible will matter.