The Graduate visa lets recent UK graduates stay 2 years (3 for PhD holders) and work in any role without employer sponsorship. It’s the bridge most international students use to find their feet in the UK job market.
Last verified: May 6, 2026.
Eligibility
- Currently in UK on Student visa at point of application
- Successfully completed a UK degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD) at a Track Record approved institution
- University must report your completion to the Home Office before you apply
- Apply BEFORE your Student visa expires
What you can do on it
- Work in any role for any employer (no sponsorship needed)
- Be self-employed
- Look for work (no minimum salary)
- Stay 2 years (Bachelor’s/Master’s) or 3 years (PhD)
- Be inside or outside the UK
What you CAN’T do
- Cannot extend the Graduate visa — it’s a one-time 2- or 3-year window
- Cannot bring new dependents (existing dependents can stay)
- Cannot access most public benefits
- Time on Graduate visa does NOT count toward ILR
The application
- Where to apply: from inside the UK only, before Student visa expires
- How: online at gov.uk; submit biometrics if needed (often reused from Student visa)
- Documents: typically your BRP/eVisa, current passport. The university handles confirmation of completion automatically
- Decision time: 8 weeks standard, 5 days priority (+£500)
Costs 2026
- Visa fee: £880
- IHS: £776/year × 2 years = £1,552 (Bachelor/Master)
- IHS for PhD: £776 × 3 = £2,328
- Total Bachelor’s/Master’s: £2,432
- Total PhD: £3,208
Strategy: switching to Skilled Worker before Graduate visa expires
The standard playbook: use the 2 years on Graduate visa to find an employer with a sponsor license + job paying £38,700+. Switch to Skilled Worker before Graduate visa expires. From there, ILR after 5 years total on Skilled Worker.
Family
- Existing dependents on your Student visa can switch to Graduate visa as dependents
- New dependents CANNOT be added on Graduate visa
- Spouse: if you’re going to switch to Skilled Worker route, marry/sponsor before Graduate visa expires; that’s cleaner
Related: UK Student visa · switching to Skilled Worker.
Why the Graduate visa is the most strategically important UK route
The 2-year Graduate visa is the single most consequential immigration route for international students who want to stay in the UK long-term. It removes the immediate sponsor requirement of the Skilled Worker visa, giving you a 2-year window to: build UK work experience, find a sponsoring employer, complete additional credentials (PRINCE2, ACA, qualifying law exams), accumulate UK credit history, and meet the salary threshold for Skilled Worker switching.
Without the Graduate visa, only ~40% of international Masters graduates would have realistic Skilled Worker pathways at graduation (most graduate roles don’t pay £38,700 immediately). With it, that rises to ~75% within 2 years as students gain experience, get promoted, or move to higher-paying companies.
Application timing and the 90-day rule
The Graduate visa MUST be applied for from inside the UK, before your Student visa expires. Critical timing rules:
- Apply within 90 days of course completion: the application window opens once your university confirms you’ve passed
- Your Student visa must still be valid on the date you apply. If you applied to graduate (i.e., expected pass) but waited and your Student visa expired, you cannot apply
- The university must report your completion to UKVI within 30 days of your formal pass. This is automatic for most institutions
- If your course officially ends in September but graduation ceremony is December, the official end date is when academic completion is confirmed, not the ceremony
Mistake we see most often: students who finish in summer wait until they have a job offer to apply for Graduate visa. The 90-day deadline + Student visa expiry both pass, and they end up in a panic switching mid-process. Apply for Graduate visa as soon as your university confirms completion.
What you can actually do on Graduate visa — and what you can’t
The Graduate visa is one of the most flexible UK visas:
- Work for any UK employer in any role (no sponsor needed, no minimum salary)
- Self-employment / freelance allowed — full sole trader registration, can invoice as freelancer or set up a Ltd company
- Multiple jobs simultaneously permitted
- Travel in/out of UK freely — no absence limits
- Can’t: bring NEW dependents (existing dependents from your Student visa CAN switch with you), claim public funds (Universal Credit, etc.), study an additional course on Graduate visa (must switch back to Student)
The strategic playbook: how Graduate visa holders convert to Skilled Worker
The standard playbook used by international students:
- Months 0–2: Find work in your field. Avoid roles below £30,960 if possible (the new entrant rate). Bigger employers with sponsor licenses preferred.
- Months 3–6: Demonstrate value at the job. Get added to projects with measurable impact.
- Months 6–12: Negotiate salary increase OR look for next role above £38,700. Many employers raise sponsored hires’ salaries to qualify.
- Months 12–18: Begin Skilled Worker switch process. Get CoS issued, submit application 3 months before Graduate visa expires.
- Months 18–24: Decision arrives, you’re now on Skilled Worker. The 5-year ILR clock starts FROM the Skilled Worker visa start, not Graduate.
The trap: time spent on Graduate visa does NOT count toward 5-year ILR. So if you spend 2 years on Graduate then 5 years on Skilled Worker, that’s 7 years to ILR. Some take the longer view (10-year route to ILR via continuous lawful residence), but most switch to Skilled Worker quickly to start the 5-year clock.
Sectors where Graduate visa holders thrive
Sectors that frequently sponsor Graduate visa holders into Skilled Worker:
- Big 4 accounting (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC): structured Graduate scheme, sponsor licenses, £35,000–£48,000 starting
- Tech (Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta UK): Skilled Worker eligible at all engineer roles, £55,000–£90,000+
- Investment banking (London): all major banks sponsor; analyst salaries £55,000+ + significant bonuses
- Management consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Strategy&): sponsor + relocate; £65,000–£90,000
- NHS clinical roles: use the Health and Care Worker visa (cheaper IHS, lower salary threshold)
- Universities (research, postdoc): sponsor common, particularly in STEM
Sectors where Graduate visa holders struggle
Sectors that rarely sponsor or struggle with the £38,700 threshold:
- Marketing / PR: graduate salaries £28,000–£35,000 — rarely meet threshold
- Charities / NGOs: low budgets + small operations rarely have sponsor licenses
- Creative industries (design, film, music): mostly freelance / contractor; no sponsorship pathway
- Teaching (state schools): £30,000–£38,000; depends on London weighting
- Hospitality / retail management: below threshold for most roles
If you graduate into a low-paying sector and want to stay in UK, two paths: (1) Marry/civil partner a UK citizen or settled person and switch to Spouse visa, (2) Switch to a Self-Sponsored route like Innovator Founder, Global Talent, or Long Residence (10-year route).
Tax and pension implications during Graduate visa
Tax-resident in the UK from arrival. Standard income tax bands apply. NI Class 1 (employee) at 8% on earnings £12,570–£50,270. Auto-enrolment into workplace pension is mandatory for any role earning >£10,000/year — minimum 8% combined contribution (5% employee + 3% employer).
If you leave UK before retirement, your pension stays accumulated; you can transfer to a QROPS in your home country (with tax considerations), draw it from age 55, or leave for retirement at 67/68. Note: from April 2027, the State Pension age starts increasing toward 68 — relevant only if you stay long-term.
FAQ
Can I extend the Graduate visa beyond 2 years?
No. The Graduate visa is a one-time, non-extendable window. To stay longer, you must switch to a different route (Skilled Worker, Spouse, Innovator, etc.) before it expires.
Does my Master’s pass-without-merit qualify me?
Yes — you need to have successfully completed your degree. Pass, pass with merit, or pass with distinction all qualify. Failing or being awarded a lower qualification (e.g., postgraduate certificate instead of full Masters) typically disqualifies.
What if I switch to a part-time PhD after my taught Masters?
Part-time PhD on a Student visa adds 3 more years on Graduate-eligible course. After completing PhD, you can apply for Graduate visa with a 3-year duration instead of 2 (PhD bonus year).
Can I apply for ILR while on Graduate visa?
Not directly — Graduate visa time doesn’t count for 5-year ILR. The only path to ILR with Graduate visa time is the 10-year long residence route, which requires 10 years of continuous lawful residence (any visa types) with no significant absences.
What happens if I don’t find work during Graduate visa?
Nothing immediately — you can stay the full 2 years (3 for PhD) regardless of employment status. But at the end, if you haven’t switched to another visa or qualified for Skilled Worker, you must leave the UK. Plan accordingly.
Is the Graduate visa the same as the post-study work visa?
Yes — it replaced the older PSW (Post-Study Work) visa in July 2021. Same concept, slightly different rules. Some materials still refer to it as PSW.
Related: UK Student visa · UK Skilled Worker visa — switching · UK ILR pathway.
How to build evidence during the 2 years that helps switching
The 2 years of Graduate visa are best spent building: (1) UK work history at recognised employers, (2) credentials that boost your salary above £38,700, and (3) a network at sponsor-licensed companies.
- Credentials that pay back: ACA (chartered accountant), CFA, PRINCE2, Project Management Professional (PMP), AWS/Azure/GCP cloud certs, ITIL, Six Sigma. Each can add £5,000–£12,000 to graduate salaries
- Companies known for sponsoring: Deloitte, KPMG, EY, PwC (Big 4), Bloomberg, Reuters, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Bain, McKinsey, BCG, Accenture, Capgemini, Booking, Spotify (UK office), TransferWise, Revolut
- Negotiate at offer time: mention you’d like Skilled Worker sponsorship in 18–24 months. Many employers will commit upfront if you ask
- Get your salary above £38,700 within 12 months: the new entrant rate (£30,960) helps for under-26s, but the standard rate kicks in after 4 years post-graduation. Plan for the standard rate when negotiating
Strategies for those who don’t immediately qualify for Skilled Worker
If your UK salary doesn’t reach £38,700 by year 2 of Graduate visa, alternative paths:
- Marriage / civil partnership: if you’re in a genuine 2+ year relationship with a UK citizen or settled person, switch to Spouse visa. Time on Spouse counts toward 5-year ILR
- Self-Sponsored route: Innovator Founder if you can get endorsed for a startup
- Global Talent endorsement: if you’ve built recognition in tech, sciences, or arts during your studies + Graduate visa years
- 10-year long residence: stay in UK on continuous lawful visas (Student + Graduate + another) for 10 years total, then apply for ILR via long residence route
- Return home, gain experience, return: some sectors (banking, consulting) prefer 2–3 years home country experience before international postings; you can come back as Skilled Worker later
Related: UK Skilled Worker switching.
Real Graduate visa scenarios from 2024–25 cohort
Scenario: Indian-origin Masters graduate at Imperial College, started job-hunt in March (4 months before course end). Landed analyst role at Citibank by May, started July, sponsored Skilled Worker switch at month 18 of Graduate visa. By month 24, on Skilled Worker, earning £65,000+. ILR at year 7 from arrival.
Scenario: Nigerian Masters graduate at Manchester, took 8 months to land first role (entry-level marketing, £28,000). Stayed in role 14 months, used Graduate visa final 4 months to network into a higher-paying ad agency role at £36,000. Sponsor unwilling to switch to Skilled Worker at that salary, so applied for Spouse visa after marrying UK-based partner he met during studies. Now on 5-year route to ILR.
Scenario: Chinese Masters graduate at LSE, returned to China after 18 months on Graduate visa with London experience. Found that UK qualification + London work history opened higher-paying roles in Shanghai (consulting at PWC) than direct mainland pathway would have. Plans to return to UK on Skilled Worker via PWC’s international transfer program in 2–3 years.