The Graduate route after study

What Is the Graduate Route?

The Graduate Route is a UK immigration route introduced in July 2021. It replaced the old post-study work visa (Tier 1 PSW) that was removed in 2012. The route allows international students who complete a qualifying UK degree to stay and work in the UK without needing a sponsor.

If you hold a bachelor's or master's degree, the grant is 2 years for an application made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for an application made on or after 1 January 2027. If you hold a PhD or other doctoral qualification, the grant is 3 years either way. During this time, you can work in any job, start a business, or do freelance work. There is no minimum salary requirement and no skill level restriction.

The Graduate Route is a one-time visa. You cannot extend it or apply for it again. Once it expires, you must either leave the UK or switch to another visa route, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

Graduate Route Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Graduate Route, you must meet all of the following conditions. For a detailed breakdown of each requirement, see our Graduate Route requirements guide.

You Must Hold a Valid Student Visa

You must be in the UK on a Student visa (or Tier 4 student visa) at the time you apply. You cannot apply from outside the UK. Your Student visa must not have expired: the rules require the Graduate application to be made before it does.

You Must Have Completed a Qualifying UK Degree

The course is usually a UK bachelor's degree, a UK master's degree, or a UK PhD or doctorate. GOV.UK also lists a law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland; the Bar Practice Course in England and Wales or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland; a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE); and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). A course that made you eligible for a job regulated by UK law or a UK public authority may also count — your education provider can say whether yours does.

The degree must have been studied at a higher education provider with a "track record of compliance" with immigration rules. Most UK universities have this status. Your university will confirm your eligibility by reporting your course completion to the Home Office.

Your University Must Confirm Your Course Completion

Your Student sponsor (your university) must notify UK Visas and Immigration that you have successfully completed your course. This is done through the Student sponsor system. You do not need to have physically received your degree certificate. The notification is enough.

You Must Meet the Study in the UK Requirement

You must have spent a minimum period studying in the UK. If your course lasted 12 months or longer, you must have spent at least 12 months in the UK. If your course was shorter than 12 months, you must have been in the UK for the full duration of the course.

There are limited exceptions for time spent outside the UK due to COVID-19 or approved distance learning arrangements. Check the GOV.UK Graduate Route page for details on exceptions.

How to Apply for the Graduate Route

The application process is straightforward. You apply online from inside the UK.

Step 1: Wait for Your University's Confirmation

Your university must report your successful course completion to UK Visas and Immigration. This usually happens automatically after your results are confirmed. Contact your university's international student support team if you are unsure about timing.

Step 2: Apply Online

Complete the online application on GOV.UK. You will need your passport or other travel document, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies reference number from the Student visa application for the course you completed. Biometric residence permits stopped being issued at the end of 2024 and immigration status is now held online as an eVisa, which is proved with a share code that lasts 90 days. GOV.UK still lists a biometric residence permit as a way to prove a valid Student visa: a card can be used for 24 months after the expiry date printed on it, or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first.

Step 3: Provide Your Biometrics

You either use the "UK Immigration: ID Check" app to scan your identity document, or have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services service point. GOV.UK tells you which applies when you start the application. For more on biometric enrolment, see our biometrics guide.

Step 4: Pay the Fees

You must pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge at the time of your application. See the costs section below for exact amounts.

Step 5: Wait for a Decision

Most Graduate Route applications are decided within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK and continue working (if your Student visa allowed it) while you wait for a decision.

Graduate Route Costs in 2026

The Graduate Route involves two main costs. For a full breakdown of all UK visa fees, see our UK visa fees guide.

• Application fee: £937
• Healthcare surcharge: £1,035 per year on this route. GOV.UK gives the totals as £1,152.50 for 18 months, £2,070 for 2 years and £3,105 for 3 years. Note this is the standard rate, not the lower £776 a year that Student visa holders pay.

Total cost for a 2-year Graduate Route visa: approximately £3,007.

Total cost for an 18-month Graduate Route visa (applications made on or after 1 January 2027): approximately £2,089.50.

Total cost for a 3-year Graduate Route visa (PhD or other doctorate): approximately £4,042.

There are no additional sponsor fees or certificate of sponsorship costs because the Graduate Route does not require a sponsor.

What Can You Do on the Graduate Route?

The Graduate Route gives you broad work rights. For a detailed explanation of what you can and cannot do, see our Graduate Route work rights guide.

• Work in any job, at any skill level, for any employer
• Work full-time or part-time
• Work for multiple employers at the same time
• Be self-employed or freelance
• Start your own business
• Do voluntary work

The published restrictions are that you cannot work as a professional sportsperson, and you have no access to public funds (most benefits) or the State Pension. Study is also limited: you can only study a course that would not be eligible for a Student visa.

Graduate Route vs Skilled Worker Visa

The two routes work differently. We set the published rules side by side in our Graduate Route vs Skilled Worker guide.

The Graduate Route needs no job offer and no sponsor. It allows work in any role at any skill level, it cannot be extended, and the time does not count towards settlement.

The Skilled Worker visa needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a job that meets the published salary and skill rules. It can be extended, and the time counts towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain).

Many graduates use the Graduate Route first, then switch to a Skilled Worker visa once they find a suitable sponsored role.

Switching from the Graduate Route to Another Visa

You can switch from the Graduate Route to most other visa routes from inside the UK, including:

• Skilled Worker visa - the most common switch. See our switching guide.
• Innovator Founder visa - if you want to start a business.
• Family visa - if you have a qualifying UK-based partner.
• Global Talent visa - if you are recognised as a leader or emerging leader in your field.

A switching application must be made before the Graduate Route visa expires, and these applications take several weeks to decide. A Skilled Worker application made inside the UK is usually decided within 8 weeks.

Does the Graduate Route Count Towards Settlement?

No. Time spent on the Graduate Route does not count towards the 5-year qualifying period for settlement (indefinite leave to remain).

The qualifying period only starts once you hold permission on a route that counts, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

For example, 2 years on the Graduate Route followed by a switch to a Skilled Worker visa still leaves 5 full years to complete on the Skilled Worker visa. The Graduate Route time does not reduce that period.

The government has proposed extending the standard settlement qualifying period from 5 years to 10 years. That is a proposal, not law, and the published qualifying period is still 5 years.

Bringing Dependants on the Graduate Route

The rules on Graduate Route dependants are restrictive. A partner or child can normally apply only if they already had permission to stay in the UK as a dependant on your Student visa.

There is an exception for children born in the UK. A child born in the UK during your last grant of Student permission can apply, and since 30 July 2026 so can a child born in the UK to someone who already holds Graduate route permission.

Otherwise you cannot add new dependants once you switch to the Graduate Route. A partner or child who was not already in the UK as your Student visa dependant cannot join you on the Graduate Route. They would need to apply on their own route (for example, as a Skilled Worker dependant if you later switch to a Skilled Worker visa).

The Graduate Route Review: What It Means in 2026

The UK government asked the Migration Advisory Committee to review the Graduate Route in 2024. The review examined whether the route was being used as intended and whether any changes were needed. For a detailed analysis, see our Graduate Route review 2026 guide.

The Committee recommended keeping the Graduate Route rather than closing it. The route remains open, but the length has since been cut. The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules published on 14 October 2025 shortened it to 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. People who completed a PhD or other doctorate keep 3 years.

Immigration policy can change again. Always check the official GOV.UK Graduate Route page for the latest information.

English Language Requirements

You do not need to take a separate English language test for the Graduate Route. Your English ability has already been assessed as part of your Student visa application. As long as you completed your degree in the UK, this requirement is automatically met.

If you later switch to a Skilled Worker visa or apply for settlement, you may need to prove your English level again. See our English language tests guide for details on which tests are accepted.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

These are the most frequent errors we see with Graduate Route applications:

• Applying too late. The rules require the Graduate application to be made before the Student visa expires.
• Not checking your university's track record. Not all UK institutions qualify. Your university must have a track record of compliance.
• Assuming it counts towards settlement. It does not.
• Leaving a switch late. A Skilled Worker application must be made before the Graduate Route visa expires, and one made inside the UK is usually decided within 8 weeks.
• Not meeting the UK study requirement. If you spent too long studying outside the UK (for example, on a distance learning arrangement), you may not qualify.

Where the Dates Fall

These are the points in the process that carry a deadline:

• Before graduation: the education provider must have a track record of compliance on the register of licensed sponsors, and the fees are payable at the point of application.
• On results day: the education provider reports successful course completion to the Home Office. The application cannot be made before that report, but it does not have to wait for a graduation ceremony or a certificate.
• Before the Student visa expires: this is the deadline for the Graduate application itself.
• During the Graduate Route: the time does not count towards settlement, and the route cannot be extended.
• Before the Graduate visa expires: this is the deadline for any application to switch to another route. An application made inside the UK on the Skilled Worker route is usually decided within 8 weeks.

Questions and answers