Graduate Visa

The Graduate visa allows international students who have successfully completed an eligible course in the UK to stay and work, or look for work, without needing a job offer or an employer sponsor. Because it is not sponsored, you do not need a Certificate of Sponsorship to apply.

How long you can stay

• Applications made on or before 31 December 2026: 2 years for a bachelor's degree, master's degree or other eligible course.
• Applications made on or after 1 January 2027: 18 months for those courses.
• PhD or other doctoral qualification: 3 years.

The length depends on the date you apply, not the date you finish your course. If you are completing a bachelor's or master's course in late 2026, the timing of your application can make a real difference, provided your university has already reported your successful completion.

Key requirements

• You must be in the UK when you apply.
• You must hold a Student visa (or a Tier 4 (General) student visa) when you apply.
• You must have successfully completed an eligible course, such as a bachelor's degree, master's degree or PhD, as a student in the UK.
• Your education provider must have told the Home Office that you have successfully completed the course.

There is no English language requirement and no requirement to show funds for this route.

Documents and evidence commonly needed

• Your passport or other identity document.
• Details of your current Student permission and your course.
• Confirmation from your education provider that you have successfully completed the course, so you can apply once they have reported it.

How the application works

1. Finish your course and wait for your education provider to report your successful completion to the Home Office.
2. Check that your Student permission has not yet expired. You must still hold it, and be in the UK, when you apply.
3. Apply online from inside the UK and confirm your identity as instructed.
4. Keep your contact details up to date and respond promptly to any request from the Home Office for further information.

Because you cannot extend a Graduate visa, it helps to think about your next step from the start: which employers might sponsor you later, and whether your likely job and salary would meet the requirements of a work route.

Limits of the route

• You cannot extend a Graduate visa.
• The Graduate route is not a route to settlement.
• You can generally switch into another route, such as the Skilled Worker visa, if you meet its requirements. Planning that switch early, while you still have time left on your visa, is usually wise.

Recent and upcoming changes

The main change is the reduction in the length of the visa for most graduates: 2 years for applications made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. The 3 years period for PhD and doctoral graduates is unchanged.

Who this is for

The route suits graduates who want time to gain UK work experience, look for a sponsoring employer, start a career in a field where sponsorship is not immediately available, or simply stay on after their studies while they decide on their longer-term plans. It is only available to people who studied in the UK on a Student (or Tier 4 (General)) visa.

Common problems we help with

• Applying before the university has reported course completion.
• Student visas that expire before completion is confirmed.
• Timing an application around the 1 January 2027 change.
• Planning a later move to Skilled Worker, including checking salary and occupation requirements.

How Stonebridge can help

We confirm whether you are eligible and when you should apply, prepare and submit the application, and advise on your longer-term options, including switching to a sponsored work route before your Graduate visa ends.

To plan your next step after graduation, book a consultation.