UK GRADUATE VISA

A Graduate visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 18 months after successfully completing a course in the UK. You must be in the UK when you apply.

Eligibility

You can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:

you’re in the UK
your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
you studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course
You can ask your education provider if you’re not sure whether they’ve told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course.

Check if your course is eligible and how long you need to have studied in the UK.

If you’re not eligible for a Graduate visa, you may be eligible for another type of visa to stay in the UK.

How long you can stay

2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026

18 months if you apply on or after 01 January 2027

3 years if you have a PHD or other doctoral qualification.

Your visa will start from the day your application is approved.

If you want to stay longer in the UK you cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa.