Graduate Visa Cut to 18 Months: Should You Apply Before 31 December 2026?

The UK Graduate visa is being cut from 2 years to 18 months for bachelor’s and master’s graduates who apply on or after 1 January 2027. If you apply on or before 31 December 2026, you still get 2 years. PhD graduates keep 3 years. The key date is when you submit your application, and you can only apply once your university has reported that you completed your course.

Key points

• Apply on or before 31 December 2026: 2 years. Apply from 1 January 2027: 18 months.
• PhD and doctoral graduates still get 3 years.
• You must be in the UK on a Student visa, and your university must have reported your completion.
• The Graduate visa cannot be extended, so plan your next step early.
• Time on the Graduate visa counts towards the 4-year limit on new entrant Skilled Worker salary rates.

What is changing

The government proposed shortening the Graduate route in its May 2025 Immigration White Paper. The change was then written into the Immigration Rules. According to the GOV.UK Graduate visa page, as of October 2026:

When you apply	Visa length (bachelor’s or master’s)	Visa length (PhD/doctorate)
On or before 31 December 2026	2 years	3 years
On or after 1 January 2027	18 months	3 years

The visa starts from the day your application is approved, not the day you apply.

Who can beat the 31 December deadline

You can apply for a Graduate visa only if all of these are true:

1. You are in the UK when you apply.
2. Your current visa is a Student visa (or Tier 4 General).
3. You studied an eligible UK course for the minimum period on that visa.
4. Your university has told the Home Office you have successfully completed your course.
5. Your Student visa has not yet expired.

The fourth condition is the one that decides most cases. You do not need to wait for your graduation ceremony or certificate, but the completion report must be made before you apply.

Students likely to make it

• Master’s students on courses that finished over the summer of 2026 whose results are confirmed and reported by December.
• Bachelor’s students who completed in 2026 and still hold a valid Student visa.

Students unlikely to make it

• Anyone whose course ends in 2027. For example, a student finishing a master’s in early 2027 will get 18 months.
• Students waiting for resits, dissertation marking or exam boards that will not report completion until 2027.

If you are close to the cut-off, ask your university’s international student team when completions for your course will be reported to the Home Office. Some universities report in batches after exam boards meet.

Why the extra 6 months matter

The extra time gives you longer to find a sponsored job and to build experience. Many graduates use the Graduate visa as a bridge to the Skilled Worker route. With 18 months, there is less margin for a slow job search or a delayed certificate of sponsorship.

Planning a switch to Skilled Worker

The Graduate visa cannot be extended. Most people who want to stay longer switch to the Skilled Worker visa. Points to plan around:

• Skill level: new Skilled Worker jobs usually need to be at RQF 6 (degree level).
• Salary: the general threshold is £41,700 or the going rate. As a recent graduate you may qualify for new entrant rates: 70% of the going rate with a floor of £33,400, according to the when you can be paid less page.
• The 4-year limit: your total stay on new entrant terms cannot exceed 4 years, including time on the Graduate visa. A 2-year Graduate visa leaves up to 2 years of new entrant time; an 18-month visa leaves more, but you have less time to find the job.
• English: switching into Skilled Worker requires B2.

For the full picture, see our UK Skilled Worker visa guide and salary thresholds explainer.

Other onward routes

• Scale-up visa: if you join an approved fast-growing company. See UK Scale-up visa explained.
• Global Talent: if you become a recognised leader or potential leader in your field.
• Health and Care Worker: for eligible health roles, without the health surcharge.

Note that you cannot apply for a High Potential Individual visa if you have already been given a Graduate visa.

Costs

Item	Amount (October 2026)
Application fee	£937
Immigration Health Surcharge	£1,035 per year (so £2,070 for 2 years)

Fees are from the Home Office fees table. Fees can change, so check the current figure on GOV.UK on the day you apply.

If you take a public sector healthcare job, you may be able to switch to the cheaper Health and Care Worker visa, which has no health surcharge, or claim an IHS refund.

Checklist if you want the 2-year visa

1. Confirm with your university that your completion has been, or will be, reported before 31 December 2026.
2. Check your Student visa expiry date. You must apply before it runs out.
3. Make sure you are physically in the UK when you submit.
4. Prepare the fee and IHS payment.
5. Submit your application online on or before 31 December 2026. Do not leave it until the last day in case of technical problems.

What to do next

• Contact your university’s international office this month about completion reporting.
• Start your job search now so you are not relying on the full Graduate period.
• See our evergreen UK Graduate visa guide for the full how-to, and check the updates page and UK country hub for any further changes.
• If your case is unusual (for example, a course extension or a gap in your Student visa), speak to an OISC/IAA-regulated adviser or solicitor. This article is general information, not legal advice.