As an international student who has successfully completed an undergraduate degree, master’s degree or equivalent from a UK higher education provider, you may be eligible to live and work in the UK for two or three years after graduation on a graduate visa.
The graduate route provides sponsored students, who have completed their higher education course at a UK institution, with the opportunity to stay and work, or look for work in the UK, immediately following graduation. Latitude Law can support you with your application, maximising your chances of approval.
The graduate visa is a specific visa type for international students who have completed an eligible course with a UK higher education institution.
It is designed to enable individuals to undertake work or look for work in the UK for two years (or three years for PhD graduates). This will be reduced to 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027.
It’s a flexible and unsponsored visa type, which allows working at any skill level, including self-employment, and requires no minimum salary.
Graduate Immigration Visa Application Support
The primary documents needed for a graduate visa application are as follows:
In some cases, there will be additionally required documents, such as:
In order to be eligible for the graduate route, sponsored students will normally need to have studied in the UK for a minimum of 12 months and must be present in the UK when applying. They must also have been sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance.
To qualify for the scheme, graduates must have successfully completed one of the educational qualifications outlined below:
Unlike other immigration routes, there is no maintenance requirement when applying for the graduate route.
Graduates who meet the criteria for this scheme will be able to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career throughout the duration of their time in the UK.
Applying for a graduate visa is an online process through the UK Government website. You must be on a valid student visa already, and have completed an eligible course. You must also apply before your current visa expires, taking the following steps:
It’s important not to apply for a graduate visa without expert support from an immigration specialist such as Latitude Law. Failed applications can be costly, both financially and to your life, as they may result in you being forced to leave the UK after your studies finish.
We’ll support optimising your application, and making sure you’ve gathered all the relevant evidence and documentation to ensure success at the first attempt.
Specialist Advice for your Graduate Visa Application
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There is an £937 application fee to be paid when applying for this route. All applicants will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged at £1,035 per year of visa.
No, this is not a settlement route by itself. Instead, the graduate route offers successful applicants the opportunity to gain flexible work experience in the UK after finishing their studies.
If you wish to continue living and working in the UK once their time as a graduate is over, they would be required to apply for an alternative immigration visa, which we can help with.
The standard processing time for a graduate visa in the UK is 8 weeks from the date of online submission. You must stay in the UK whilst awaiting your decision.
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A Skilled Worker visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. It is open to individuals wanting to work in the UK who have been offered an eligible job by an employer with an approved Sponsor Licence.
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