Graduate
Must be in the UK holding a valid Student visa.
Must have successfully completed a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD.
The rest of the key points ↓↑
- Applications made on or after 1 January 2027 for non-doctoral degrees will receive 18 months (reduced from 2 years).
- Applications made before 1 January 2027 receive 2 years.
- PhD graduates receive 3 years regardless of application date.
- Does not lead directly to settlement.
Eligibility Checker
This is guidance, not legal advice. VisaExplain is not a law firm and is not regulated to give immigration advice. This tool applies published Immigration Rules to the answers you give and shows you the rule behind each result. It is general information — it is not a decision on your case, and it is not a substitute for advice from a qualified adviser.
Rules change, and your circumstances may include facts this tool does not ask about. Always check the official GOV.UK guidance, and take advice before you act. VisaExplain accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this tool.
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UKVI Compliance Notice
You must apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires
Your university must have reported your successful completion (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD)
4 questions still to answer
- Are you currently in the UK holding a valid Student visa?
- Have you completed an eligible UK degree?
- What level of qualification did you complete?
- When do you plan to submit your Graduate Visa application?
How an answer is produced
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01
What you enter
Your dates, visas, absences and circumstances.
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02
What we apply
The published Immigration Rules in force for those dates.
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03
What you see
A calculation, an explanation, and the rule it came from.
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04
What it cannot tell you
Whether an application will be granted, or what you should do.
What VisaExplain is not
VisaExplain is not a law firm and is not regulated to give immigration advice. It applies published rules to the information you enter. It is not a decision on your case, it does not know facts you have not given it, and it cannot tell you what to do.
How we produce our answers →Where the rules come from
Every route page cites the GOV.UK page or Immigration Rules Appendix it comes from, and every calculation records which dated policy version produced it.
The Graduate Visa allows international students to stay in the UK to work, or look for work, after successfully completing an eligible course.
Graduate Updates & Policy Breakdown
No published updates for this category yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visa duration depends on degree level and application date: PhD/doctoral graduates receive 3 years regardless of application date. Non-doctoral degrees (Bachelor's or Master's) receive 2 years for applications submitted before 1 January 2027, and 18 months for applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027.
Yes. You must be in the UK holding a valid Student visa (or Tier 4 student visa) when you apply. You must have successfully completed an eligible Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree reported by your student sponsor to the Home Office.
The Graduate Visa does not lead directly to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). However, time spent lawfully on a Graduate Visa counts toward the 10-Year Long Residence settlement route, and you can switch into a settlement-track visa (e.g. Skilled Worker) while your visa is valid.
No. You must be in the UK, holding valid permission as a Student, when you apply. If you leave before applying, or your Student permission ends first, the route closes to you. This is the most common way people lose access to it.
No. It cannot be extended. If you want to stay beyond it you need to switch to another route — most commonly Skilled Worker, which requires a licensed sponsor. Start looking early in the Graduate period, because sponsorship takes time on the employer's side.