The Graduate Visa Explained

This guide is for international students in the United Kingdom who are finishing, or have just finished, a course on a Student visa and want to understand the Graduate visa. After reading it, you will know who can switch, when and how to apply, how long the visa lasts, what it costs and what it allows you to do.

• Who can switch from a Student visa
• When and how to apply
• How long the visa lasts
• What it costs
• What you can and cannot do
• FAQ

Who can switch from a Student visa

The Graduate visa is a route for people who have already studied in the UK. According to the official GOV.UK Graduate visa page, it gives permission to stay in the UK for at least 18 months after successfully completing an eligible course here. It is not a route you can apply for from abroad: you must be in the UK when you apply.

GOV.UK lists four conditions, and all of them must be true:

• you are in the UK
• your current visa is a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa
• you studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time on that Student or Tier 4 (General) visa
• your education provider, such as your university or college, has told the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course

The main Graduate visa page does not set out which other courses count or the exact minimum study period. It refers readers to a separate GOV.UK check for course eligibility and how long you need to have studied in the UK. If you are unsure whether your university or college has reported your completion to the Home Office, GOV.UK says you can ask your education provider.

People who do not meet these conditions may qualify for a different type of visa. GOV.UK points to its general visa checker for this, and this guide does not cover those other routes.

When and how to apply

Timing matters on this route. There are two fixed points:

1. The earliest point: you can apply once your education provider has told the Home Office that you have successfully completed the course you took on your Student or Tier 4 (General) visa.
2. The latest point: you must apply before your Student or Tier 4 (General) visa expires.

You do not have to wait for your graduation ceremony or for your certificate. The trigger is your provider’s report to the Home Office, not the paperwork you receive.

Applications are made online. As part of the process, you prove your identity and provide your documents. Some applicants need an appointment to do this, and GOV.UK says the application may take longer if so. You find out whether you need one when you start the application. The main page does not list the specific documents; these are shown during the online application.

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while you wait. Your partner and children can also apply to stay in the UK if they are eligible.

How long the visa lasts

The length of the visa depends on your qualification and on the date you apply:

• 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
• 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027
• 3 years if you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification

The visa starts from the day your application is approved, not from the day you finish your course or the day you apply.

A Graduate visa cannot be extended. GOV.UK says you may be able to switch to a different visa to stay longer, giving the Skilled Worker visa as an example. Whether a switch is possible depends on the rules of that other route, which this guide does not cover.

What it costs

There are two charges when you apply:

• Application fee: £937
• Healthcare surcharge: usually £1,035 for each year you will be in the UK

Because the surcharge is charged per year, the total depends on how long your visa will last. GOV.UK provides a separate tool to check how much the application will cost, and the main page does not set out how the surcharge is worked out for part years.

If you work in public sector healthcare

Doctors, nurses and people who work in health or adult social care may be eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa instead. GOV.UK states that this visa is cheaper to apply for and does not require the annual immigration health surcharge. If you get a job in public sector healthcare after paying the healthcare surcharge, you may be able to get a refund. Eligibility for that visa and for a refund is decided under separate rules.

What you can and cannot do

With a Graduate visa you can:

• work in most jobs
• look for work
• be self-employed
• continue living in the UK with your partner and children, if they are eligible
• travel abroad and return to the UK
• do voluntary work

Voluntary work must be unpaid and for a registered charity, a voluntary organisation, an associated fundraising body, or a statutory body (a government-appointed body, such as Historic England).

With a Graduate visa you cannot:

• apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension
• work as a professional sportsperson

If your application succeeds, you will receive a full list of what you can and cannot do on the visa.

Studying on a Graduate visa

Study is allowed only if the course is not eligible for a Student visa. If it is eligible, the route is to extend a Student visa instead. Some people studying or researching sensitive topics may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.

For a question about your own circumstances, a regulated immigration adviser registered with the OISC or a solicitor regulated by the SRA can give individual advice.

FAQ

Can I apply for a Graduate visa from outside the UK?

No. GOV.UK states that you must be in the UK when you apply, and your current visa must be a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa. You must also apply before that visa expires.

Do I need to wait until I graduate to apply?

No. You can apply once your education provider has told the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course. GOV.UK says you do not have to wait until you have graduated or have been given a certificate. Your education provider can confirm whether it has reported your completion.

Can I extend my Graduate visa?

No. The Graduate visa cannot be extended. GOV.UK says you may be able to switch to a different visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, if you want to stay longer. Whether you qualify depends on the rules of that other visa.

How long does a decision take, and can I stay while I wait?

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while you wait. Applications may take longer if you need an appointment to prove your identity.

Official sources: gov.uk

Last verified: 22 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.