A Post-Study Work visa, officially known as the Graduate visa, gives you permission to stay in the UK after successfully completing a course in the UK.

It’s currently two years for bachelor’s and master’s graduates and three years for PhD graduates, but this is changing: from 1 January 2027, non-PhD graduates will only get 18 months, so timing matters more than ever if you’re applying soon.

The Graduate visa is a great option for international students, since you don’t need a sponsor or job offer to obtain it, and once you have it, you’re free to switch careers and jobs while you figure out your next step.

Get Expert Visa Advice

What’s the Graduate Visa Route in the UK?

International students in the UK have several visa options following graduation that allow them to stay in the country. Of these, the Graduate visa route is one of the most commonly used, since it’s an unsponsored route that lets you look for employment opportunities for up to two or three years after completing your course.

Students of any skill level and any degree level are eligible to apply for the Graduate visa to extend their stay in the UK. However, the validity of your visa depends on your degree level, and, from 2027, on when you apply.

Graduate Visa: Updates from the UK Government for 2027

The Graduate visa was introduced relatively recently, in July 2021. Since it’s a newer visa route that continues to change, it’s worth understanding the timeline before you start your application:

  • 2012: the UK removes the Tier 1 Post Study Work visa
  • July 2021: the UK introduces the Graduate visa route
  • Early 2024: the UK government conducts a rapid review of the Graduate visa route and its implementation
  • Late 2024: the government announces the Graduate visa route will remain in place for the time being
  • May 2025: the Immigration White Paper proposes reducing the Graduate visa from two years to 18 months
  • October 2025: a Statement of Changes confirms the reduction
  • 1 January 2027: the 18-month rule takes effect for non-PhD applications made on or after this date; applications made on or before 31 December 2026 still receive the full 2 years

Since its introduction, the Graduate visa route has been especially popular among Indian nationals. Take a look below at the most recent key statistics for the route.

Graduate Visa: Key Statistics

When considering studying abroad, one factor worth weighing is how you can find work in that country after completing your course, if that’s part of your plan. Many countries have specific immigration laws for international students looking for work after their studies. The Graduate visa route remains a popular choice for Indian nationals in the UK, as shown below:

Category Details
Top Nationalities for Graduate Route Grants (Year Ending December 2025) India (90,153), Nigeria (42,220), Pakistan (30,464)
Average Annual Earnings of Indian Graduate Visa Holders £25,465 (most recently published Home Office breakdown)

PSW Visa in the UK: Validity

The Graduate visa is currently valid for two years for bachelor’s or master’s students and three years for PhD or doctoral students, provided you apply on or before 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, non-PhD applicants will receive 18 months instead.

You’re not allowed to extend the Graduate visa under any circumstances, and you’ll need to consider other visa categories afterwards if you wish to stay in the UK. Your visa starts from the day your application is approved by the Home Office. Now let’s look at how to determine if you’re eligible.

Master’s in the UK for Indian Students

Eligibility

The Graduate visa allows you to stay in the UK without needing an employer to sponsor your visa, which means many international students are eligible to apply. You can apply for a Graduate visa if you meet the following criteria:

  • You’re in the UK at the time of your application
  • Your current visa is a Student visa
  • You studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or other eligible course for a minimum period on your Student visa
  • Your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve completed your course

Which Courses Are Eligible?

If you’ve studied one of the following courses in the UK on a Student visa, you’re eligible to apply for a Graduate visa:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Master’s degree
  • PhD or doctorate
  • Law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
  • Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
  • Bar Practice Course in England and Wales or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland
  • Foundation programme in medicine or dentistry
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)

You’ll likely also be able to apply if your course makes you eligible for a job regulated under UK law or a UK public authority. If you’re unsure, check with your education provider about your course’s eligibility.

You need to have studied in the UK for either:

  • At least 12 months, if your course’s total length is more than 12 months
  • The total length of your course, if it’s shorter than 12 months

Your education provider must inform the Home Office that you’ve successfully completed your course.

What if You Switched Courses?

Switching your degree programme after arriving in the UK doesn’t affect your Graduate visa application, as long as you did so without applying for a new Student visa.

In short, if your university allowed you to switch programmes without a new study visa, this won’t affect your Graduate visa application, as long as you’ve completed the course you switched to.

How Long You Can Stay on a Graduate Visa?

Your Graduate visa will last for:

  • Two years if you’re a bachelor’s or master’s student applying on or before 31 December 2026, or 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027
  • Three years if you’re a doctoral student, regardless of when you apply

Your visa is valid from the day your application is approved by the Home Office.

When to Apply

Once you’ve received your final results and your university record reflects the completion of your studies, your university will typically email you confirming they’ve reported your status to the Home Office. That’s when you can apply for your Graduate visa.

You’ll need to apply while your Student visa is still valid, and you can’t travel overseas until you’ve received the outcome of your application. If your Student visa expires during this time, you can stay in the UK until you’ve received a final decision on your new visa. You can also check requirements for other routes, such as our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS, if English testing is a factor in your planning.

Expert View

“If you’re due to graduate in late 2026, when you submit your Graduate visa application could be the difference between an 18-month and a 24-month stay, so it’s worth planning your timeline around the 1 January 2027 cut-off rather than leaving it until the last minute.” – Rajashree Devi, Counsellor, StudyIn.

Processing Time for a UK Graduate Visa

You’ll likely get a decision within eight weeks of your application. It may take longer if your supporting documents need verification or you have to explain your personal circumstances.

Application Process for a UK Graduate Visa

Similar to your Student visa application, applying for a Graduate visa means submitting an online application via GOV.UK, with your partner or any other dependants applying separately. Before you begin, it’s important to gather your supporting documents correctly.

  1. Confirm your university has reported your course completion to the Home Office.
  2. Gather your supporting documents, including your passport and CAS reference number.
  3. Complete your online application via GOV.UK before your Student visa expires.
  4. Pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.
  5. Wait for your decision, typically within eight weeks.

Documents Required

The documents you submit with your Graduate visa application will determine whether you’re successful. You’ll be required to provide:

  • A valid passport
  • Access to your UKVI account and eVisa from your Student visa (physical Biometric Residence Permits are no longer issued, so you won’t need a BRP)
  • Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from when you applied for your Student visa; if you’ve misplaced it, your education provider will have a record
  • Proof of your relationship with your partner or children (if applicable)
  • A letter from your scholarship or sponsorship provider, if they paid towards your course fees and living expenses in the 12 months before your application
UK Student Visa Documents Checklist

Can My Dependants Apply?

If your partner or children joined you in the UK as dependants on your Student visa, they can apply as dependants for your Graduate visa. If your child was born in the UK while you were on a Student visa, they can also apply as a dependant.

PSW Visa in the UK: Fees

You’ll need to pay the £937 application fee, plus the healthcare surcharge, which varies depending on the length of visa you’re granted:

  • Two years: £2,070
  • Three years: £3,105

From 1 January 2027, non-PhD applicants will pay for 18 months of surcharge instead of two years, which works out slightly cheaper overall.

Get a Personalised Visa Application Breakdown

If You Work in the Public Healthcare Sector

You may be able to get a refund on your healthcare surcharge if you get a job in the public healthcare sector. This depends on a number of factors about your circumstances.

What You Can and Cannot Do

Graduate visa holders can engage in a number of different activities in the UK. Most international students use the opportunity to explore job opportunities, build key skills in an international environment, and make industry connections.

These experiences are especially valuable if you wish to stay in the UK after your Graduate visa expires, whether to find a sponsor for a Skilled Worker visa or to gain qualifications for another visa route. Here’s an overview of what you can and can’t do:

What You Can Do What You Cannot Do
Paid employment Apply for most public benefits or the State pension
Unpaid employment Work as a professional sportsperson
Look for work Study most education courses
Be self-employed –
Continue living in the UK with your partner and children, if eligible –
Do voluntary work –
Travel abroad and return to the UK –

Studying with a Graduate Visa

You can only study on a Graduate visa if your chosen course isn’t eligible for a Student visa. If you want to undertake further study, such as a master’s after your bachelor’s, you can simply extend your Student visa instead.

Graduate Visa: Key Benefits for Indian Students

The UK is a top choice for Indian students seeking higher education abroad, and the Graduate visa makes it an even more attractive option by offering an unsponsored route after studies. Indian nationals continue to lead Graduate Route grants by a wide margin. The key benefits for Indian students include:

  • A post-study work permit: the Graduate visa lets Indian students stay in the UK for up to two years (18 months from 2027) or three years for PhD graduates, giving them time to gain valuable skills and experience. The UK’s multicultural work environment and top employers make it easy to build a professional network.
  • No sponsor required: one of the biggest advantages of the Graduate visa route is that it requires no work sponsorship, so Indian students can graduate without needing an employer lined up straight away.
  • Three-year rights for PhD students: PhD students can stay in the UK for three years after completing their programme, tapping into the strong job market for PhD holders, especially in higher education, healthcare, and engineering.
  • Work rights for dependants: the Graduate visa is open to your partner or children who came to the UK with you as dependants on your Student visa. They can submit separate applications as dependants and, if successful, gain the right to work in the UK.
  • Ability to work in any sector: the Graduate visa doesn’t restrict you to a particular job or field, so you can use your time in the UK to explore different opportunities and shape your career on your own terms.

If You Want to Stay Longer in the UK

If you wish to stay in the UK after your Graduate visa expires, you’ll need to apply for a Skilled Worker visa or another relevant route. We’ve covered three popular options below.

What’s the Skilled Worker Route?

The Skilled Worker route requires a qualifying job offer from a Skilled Worker sponsor. You must meet the following requirements:

  • Have a confirmed job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office
  • Have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer
  • Do a job on the list of eligible occupations
  • Be paid a minimum salary, which depends on the type of work you do and the date you got your CoS
  • Meet the English language requirement, which you can satisfy with a degree from a UK institution

This is a great option if you wish to remain in the UK for longer. According to the most recently published Home Office breakdown, the five most common sectors for CoS use were:

  1. Human health and social work activities
  2. Information and communications
  3. Professional, scientific, and technical activities
  4. Financial and insurance activities
  5. Manufacturing

The cost of your application depends on the type of job offer you have, which we’ve covered below.

Skilled Worker Route: Cost

When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, budget for:

  • An application fee ranging from £819 to £1,618 if applying from outside the UK, depending on your circumstances
  • The healthcare surcharge, typically £1,035 per year

You’ll also need to show you have enough money to support yourself for at least a month after arriving in the UK, which is £1,270.

Skilled Worker Route: Immigration Salary List

When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, it’s important to understand the immigration salary list, which replaced the UK’s previous Shortage Occupation List. You can use it to find jobs in various areas of the UK and check their minimum salary rates, helping you narrow down roles that align with the Home Office’s requirements.

Innovator Founder Visa

If you want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK, you can apply for an Innovator Founder visa. You’ll need to show that your business idea is new, viable, scalable, and innovative, and get an endorsing body to assess that it meets the requirements. You can apply for this visa from outside the UK or switch to it from another visa while you’re in the UK.

Get Expert Advice on Staying in the UK After Graduation

Planning your career and life after your studies in the UK is an important step for any international student, and understanding your visa options after graduation is one of the most important parts of that planning.

If you’re planning to study in the UK, or are already there and considering a Graduate visa, we’re ready to support you. We can help you understand the UK’s immigration laws, your post-study career options, and how to submit your Graduate visa application correctly. Contact us today.

Register for Free Counselling

FAQs

Who Is Eligible for PSW in the UK?

The Graduate visa is the most common Post-Study Work route in the UK, available to bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral students who’ve successfully completed a course in the UK. It lets students extend their stay without a sponsor for up to two years, or 18 months for non-PhD applications made from 1 January 2027.

How Long Is a UK Graduate Visa Valid For?

The validity of your Graduate visa depends on your degree level and when you apply. Bachelor’s and master’s students applying on or before 31 December 2026 get two years; those applying from 1 January 2027 get 18 months. PhD or doctorate students get three years regardless of when they apply.

What Is the Benefit of a Graduate Visa in the UK?

The Graduate visa doesn’t require a sponsor, lets you stay in the UK for up to two or three years to explore career opportunities, and allows you to work in almost any field.

How Much Does a UK Graduate Visa Cost?

The application fee is £937, plus the healthcare surcharge, which is £2,070 for two years or £3,105 for three years, depending on the length of visa you’re granted.

Is the Graduate Visa Really Changing in 2027?

Yes. The reduction from two years to 18 months for non-PhD applicants was confirmed in an October 2025 Statement of Changes and takes effect for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates remain unaffected, keeping their three-year visa.