UK Graduate Visa: Post-Study Work Rights & Application

The Graduate Visa is a post-study immigration route that allows international students who have successfully completed a qualifying UK degree to remain in the United Kingdom to work, or to look for work, after their studies are over. It is not a work visa in the traditional sense: it requires no job offer, no employer sponsorship, and no specific type of employment. Holders are free to work in any role, at any level, in any sector, or to be self-employed. It gives graduates unrestricted access to the UK labour market for a defined period after graduation.

The Graduate Visa replaced the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) route, which was closed in 2012. It was reintroduced in July 2021 in recognition of the importance of retaining international graduate talent in the UK.

Current Duration: What You Get Now

The Graduate Visa is currently granted for:

• Two years for students who have completed a bachelor's degree, master's degree, or other eligible postgraduate qualification.
• Three years for students who have completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification.

These durations apply to applications made up to and including 31 December 2026. The visa allows unrestricted work — there are no restrictions on the type, level, or hours of work you can do. You can also be self-employed.

Who Can Apply for the Graduate Visa?

To apply for the Graduate Visa, you must:

• Have successfully completed an eligible UK degree — bachelor's, master's, integrated master's, or PhD at a UK institution with a Student Sponsor Licence.
• Have held a valid Student Visa for that course.
• Apply from inside the UK — you must be in the United Kingdom on the date of your Graduate Visa application.
• Have a valid Student Visa at the time of application — your Student Visa must not have expired.
• Wait until your university has reported your successful completion to the Home Office.

No job offer is needed. No employer sponsorship is needed. No minimum salary is required. No English language test is required for the Graduate Visa application itself.

What Can You Do on a Graduate Visa?

Graduate Visa holders enjoy full, unrestricted access to the UK labour market. You may:

• Work in any job, at any level, in any sector — including roles that are not at degree level.
• Work for multiple employers simultaneously.
• Be self-employed or set up your own business.
• Look for work and take time to decide your career direction.

The Graduate Visa does not permit access to public funds. It is not a route to settlement in its own right — it does not lead directly to Indefinite Leave to Remain. However, time spent on the Graduate Visa can count towards the 10-year long residence route to ILR, combined with other qualifying leave.

Note: the Graduate Visa is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge — an important financial advantage compared with other routes.

The most common pathway for graduates who wish to remain in the UK long-term is to use their time on the Graduate Visa to secure sponsored employment and then apply for a Skilled Worker Visa. The Graduate Visa is explicitly designed as a bridge to the Skilled Worker route — it gives you time to find a qualifying employer, arrange sponsorship, and meet the Skilled Worker eligibility criteria (including RQF Level 6 role and the £41,700 general salary threshold from July 2025).

With the January 2027 reduction to 18 months for most graduates, planning this transition early is more important than ever. Other post-Graduate Visa routes include:

• Innovator Founder Visa — for graduates launching a business.
• Scale-up Visa — for those offered a qualifying role with a high-growth company.
• Global Talent Visa — for those with exceptional academic or creative talent.