UK Graduate Visa: Eligibility, Fees and How to Apply in 2026

The UK Graduate visa lets international students stay and work in the UK after finishing a degree, without a job offer or sponsor. As of October 2026, it lasts 2 years for bachelor’s and master’s graduates who apply on or before 31 December 2026 (18 months from 1 January 2027) and 3 years for PhD graduates. It costs £937 plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, and you must apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires.

Key points

• You must hold a Student visa (or older Tier 4 (General) visa), be in the UK, and have had your successful completion reported to the Home Office by your university.
• Fee: £937, plus a surcharge of usually £1,035 a year (GOV.UK).
• You can work in most jobs, be self-employed and change jobs freely. You cannot extend the visa.
• Partners and children can only stay with you if they were already your dependants on your Student visa (with an exception for children born in the UK).
• Timing matters: see our post on the Graduate visa cut to 18 months if you finish your course in late 2026.

Who is eligible for the Graduate visa?

According to GOV.UK, you can apply if all of the following are true:

1. You are in the UK.
2. Your current visa is a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
3. You studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for the minimum required time on that visa.
4. Your education provider has told the Home Office that you have successfully completed the course.

Eligible courses

GOV.UK lists the qualifying courses. You usually need one of these:

• a UK bachelor’s degree
• a UK master’s degree
• a PhD or other doctoral qualification
• certain professional courses: an SRA-approved law conversion course, the Legal Practice Course, the Solicitors Course, the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, the Bar Practice Course or Bar Course, a PGCE or a PGDE
• a course that made you eligible for a regulated profession (your provider can confirm this)

Your provider must be a licensed student sponsor with a track record of compliance.

How long you must have studied in the UK

Course length	Minimum UK study needed
12 months or less	The full length of the course
Longer than 12 months	At least 12 months

“Studying in the UK” means you were in the UK whenever your provider needed you to be there. If part of your course was taught abroad or online, check the GOV.UK course page and ask your university before you rely on that time.

Who cannot use this route

You cannot apply if you are outside the UK, if your current permission is not a Student or Tier 4 (General) visa, or if your provider has not reported completion. You also cannot extend a Graduate visa, so the route is a one-time option.

How long the Graduate visa lasts

Qualification	Applied on or before 31 Dec 2026	Applied on or after 1 Jan 2027
Bachelor’s, master’s or other eligible course	2 years	18 months
PhD or other doctoral qualification	3 years	3 years

The visa starts on the day your application is approved, not the day you apply. The 18-month cut is set out on the GOV.UK Graduate visa page and was introduced by Statement of Changes HC 1333. It is already law, not a proposal. Our dedicated post on the 18-month change covers the deadline in detail.

How much the Graduate visa costs

As of October 2026, the costs for the main applicant are:

Item	Cost	Source
Application fee	£937	Fees table, 8 Oct 2026
Immigration Health Surcharge	£1,035 per year	GOV.UK IHS
2-year visa, total	£937 + £2,070 = £3,007	Calculated from the above
18-month visa, total	£937 + £1,552.50 = £2,489.50	IHS for over 1 year up to 18 months is 1.5 times the yearly rate
3-year PhD visa, total	£937 + £3,105 = £4,042	Calculated from the above

Each dependant makes a separate application and pays their own fee and surcharge. The surcharge for applicants under 18 is £776 a year.

If you are a doctor, nurse or work in health or adult social care, GOV.UK notes that the Health and Care Worker visa may be cheaper because its holders do not pay the surcharge.

Fees usually rise each April. Check the official fees table on the day you apply.

How to apply: step by step

1. Check your visa expiry date. You must apply before your Student visa ends. If you leave it too late, you lose the option.
2. Confirm your provider has reported completion. You do not need to wait for your certificate or graduation ceremony. If you are unsure whether the university has reported your completion, ask its international student or visa team.
3. Gather what you need. You will usually need your passport or other travel document and your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from your most recent Student visa. If you were sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency in the last 12 months, you need their written consent.
4. Apply online on GOV.UK. Pay the £937 fee and the surcharge during the application.
5. Prove your identity. Depending on your documents, this is done through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at an appointment. Appointments can add time.
6. Wait for a decision. GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while you wait.
7. Check your eVisa. Your status is digital. You view and share it through your UKVI account.

While your application is pending, avoid travelling outside the Common Travel Area. Leaving usually means your application is treated as withdrawn.

What you can and cannot do on a Graduate visa

You can	You cannot
Work in most jobs, at any skill level and salary	Apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension
Look for work and change jobs freely	Work as a professional sportsperson
Be self-employed	Extend the Graduate visa
Do voluntary work	Study on a course that is eligible for a Student visa
Travel abroad and return

Time on a Graduate visa does not count towards indefinite leave to remain on its own. Most graduates who want to stay long term switch to a sponsored route.

Bringing your partner and children

The family rules are narrower than many people expect. According to GOV.UK:

• Your partner must have been your dependant on your Student or Tier 4 (General) visa. You must still be in a relationship (married, in a civil partnership, or together for at least 2 years).
• A child under 18 usually must have been your dependant on your Student visa.
• A child born in the UK during your Student, Tier 4 or Graduate visa does not need to have been a dependant first. Being born in the UK does not automatically make a child British.
• A new partner you met after your studies cannot be added on this route. GOV.UK notes that new dependants may be able to join you if you switch to another visa, such as Skilled Worker.

Most master’s students who started courses on or after 1 January 2024 could not bring dependants on their Student visa, so they will usually be applying alone. Our guide to Student visa dependants explains who could.

Switching from the Graduate visa to Skilled Worker

The Graduate visa is often a bridge to the Skilled Worker visa, which can lead to settlement. Points to plan for:

• Skilled Worker roles generally need to be at RQF 6 (degree level) or above.
• The general salary threshold is £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher. A lower minimum can apply to new entrants, a category that can include people switching from the Graduate route. See our post on salary thresholds and going rates.
• New Skilled Worker applicants, including those switching in, need English at B2 level since 8 January 2026 (GOV.UK). A UK degree taught in English normally meets this.

Because the Graduate visa cannot be extended, start conversations with employers early. A sponsor needs a licence and must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship before your Graduate visa ends.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying after your Student visa has expired. There is no grace period for this route.
• Assuming completion has been reported. Universities report at different times. Ask.
• Travelling while the application is pending. This can withdraw your application.
• Counting on adding a new partner. The route does not allow it.
• Misreading the dates. The 2-year or 18-month length depends on the date you apply, not the date you finished your course.

Rules on post-study work have changed several times since 2025. Check our UK hub and latest updates before you apply. If your situation is unusual (for example a gap in your Student visa, study abroad periods, or a past refusal), speak to an OISC-regulated adviser or a solicitor.

What to do next

1. Write down your Student visa expiry date and your course end date.
2. Ask your university when it will report your completion to the Home Office.
3. If you finish in autumn 2026, decide whether you can apply by 31 December 2026 to get 2 years.
4. Budget for £937 plus the surcharge for each person applying.
5. If you want to settle in the UK, start looking for a licensed sponsor early in your Graduate visa.