UK Graduate Visa: Complete 2026 Guide

TL;DR

The UK Graduate visa lets non-UK students stay and work in the UK after finishing their degree, with no employer sponsor and no salary requirement. The fee is £880 plus £1,035/year IHS. Duration is currently 2 years for Bachelor's/Master's graduates and 3 years for PhDs — but from January 2027 the Bachelor's/Master's duration drops to 18 months. The visa cannot be extended; most holders switch to Skilled Worker before it expires.

How much does the UK Graduate visa cost?

The Graduate visa application fee is £880 (gov.uk Graduate visa). On top, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year of leave granted.

For a 2-year grant (current Bachelor's/Master's):

• £880 visa fee
• £2,070 IHS (£1,035 × 2)
• Total: £2,950

For PhD graduates getting 3 years: total ~£3,985. For applications submitted from January 2027 onwards (18 months for Bachelor's/Master's): total ~£2,432.

There is no IHS exemption for Graduate visa holders.

How long is the Graduate visa valid?

The reduction was announced in the May 2024 immigration white paper and confirmed for January 2027 implementation (House of Commons Library briefing). The trigger date is the application submission date, not the date your Student visa ends or your course completes — apply before 31 December 2026 to lock in 2 years.

Am I eligible?

You can apply if all of the following are true:

• You successfully completed an eligible degree at a UK Higher Education Provider with track-record-of-compliance status
• You completed the course on a Student visa (or its predecessor Tier 4 visa) with no significant gaps
• Your sponsor has confirmed your course completion to UKVI (this is automatic — they have a duty to do so)
• You apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires
• You haven't previously been granted leave under the Doctorate Extension Scheme or the Graduate route

You don't need a job offer, a sponsor, or English language certification — those were all proven during your Student visa application.

What documents do I need?

The Graduate route is one of the lightest UK visa applications by document count:

• Valid passport (and any old passport with previous UK visas)
• CAS reference number from your most recent Student visa application
• BRP (biometric residence permit) — your current immigration status
• TB test certificate if applying from a listed country (only relevant if you've left the UK and are re-applying — most Graduate applicants apply from inside)

You don't need to submit your degree certificate — UKVI verifies course completion directly with your Higher Education Provider via their compliance reporting.

The cleanest way to assemble the small bundle is our free Bundler, which generates a cover sheet and index UKVI caseworkers can scan in seconds.

Can I work on the Graduate visa?

Yes — and this is the route's main advantage. Graduate visa holders can:

• Work in any role at any skill level, including roles below the Skilled Worker minimum threshold
• Be self-employed or freelance
• Hold multiple jobs at once
• Start a business
• Volunteer
• Take internships, apprenticeships, or unpaid work

The only restriction is that you cannot work as a professional sportsperson. There is also no minimum salary requirement and no requirement to work for a sponsor licence holder.

This flexibility makes the Graduate visa especially valuable in the first few months after graduation, when you're still searching for a sponsored role and may be working internships, contract gigs, or part-time jobs while you look.

Can I switch from Graduate to Skilled Worker?

Yes — and most Graduate visa holders who stay in the UK long-term do this. Key points:

• You apply on form FLR from inside the UK while your Graduate visa is still valid
• You need a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed sponsor offering an eligible role
• The new-entrant minimum salary of £30,960 applies (instead of the £38,700 standard) if you switch directly from Graduate, for up to 4 years
• Time on the Graduate visa does not count toward the 5 years needed for Indefinite Leave to Remain — only Skilled Worker time counts. The Graduate visa is a bridge, not a step

If your Graduate visa is about to expire and you don't yet have a CoS, you cannot extend the Graduate visa — you must either switch to another route, or leave the UK before expiry.

What happens after the Graduate visa expires?

You must do one of the following before the end date on your visa:

1. Switch to Skilled Worker with a sponsored job
2. Switch to Spouse / Family visa if eligible
3. Switch to another route (Innovator Founder, Global Talent, Health and Care Worker)
4. Leave the UK and apply for a new visa from outside

Overstaying — staying past the visa end date without a pending application — has serious consequences for future visa applications, including a 1-year re-entry ban for short overstays and 10 years for longer ones.

What changes are coming?

Two structural changes shape the Graduate visa in 2026 and beyond:

• January 2027 duration cut: Bachelor's and Master's grants drop from 2 years to 18 months. PhD remains 3 years.
• Increased compliance scrutiny: The Home Office is reviewing whether to require Graduate visa holders to be in graduate-level employment, mirroring some other countries' post-study work routes. No firm proposals had been published as of May 2026; watch the House of Commons Library updates for changes.

Sources

• gov.uk: Graduate visa
• gov.uk: Immigration Rules Appendix Graduate
• gov.uk: Visa fees
• House of Commons Library: Changes to UK visa and settlement rules after the 2025 immigration white paper

Common questions

1. 01

   How much does the UK Graduate visa cost in 2026?

   The Graduate visa fee is £880 plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year of leave granted. For a 2-year grant, total cost is about £2,950 including IHS. PhD graduates getting 3 years pay an additional year of IHS (~£1,035 more).

2. 02

   How long is the Graduate visa valid?

   From January 2027, the Graduate visa duration reduces from 2 years to 18 months for Bachelor's and Master's graduates. PhD graduates retain the 3-year grant. Applications submitted before the change keep the longer duration; the cut-off date is the application submission date, not the start of leave.

3. 03

   Am I eligible for the Graduate visa?

   You qualify if you successfully completed an eligible UK degree (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD or other relevant qualification) at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, while holding a valid Student visa. Your sponsor notifies UKVI when you complete your course; this triggers your eligibility window.

4. 04

   Can I work on a Graduate visa?

   Yes — the Graduate visa permits any work at any skill level, except as a professional sportsperson. There is no minimum salary requirement, no employer sponsorship needed, and you can work multiple jobs or be self-employed. This makes it the most flexible work visa in the UK system.

5. 05

   Can I switch from Graduate to Skilled Worker?

   Yes — and this is the most common transition. You apply from inside the UK while your Graduate visa is still valid. The new-entrant reduced salary threshold (£30,960) applies if you're switching directly from Graduate. Time on Graduate does not count toward the 5 years needed for ILR; only Skilled Worker time does.

6. 06

   Can I extend the Graduate visa?

   No — the Graduate visa cannot be extended. It is a single grant. To stay in the UK after it expires, you must switch to another route (typically Skilled Worker, Spouse, or another work route) before the end date, or leave the UK and re-apply for a new visa from outside.