Graduate Visa

To apply for a Graduate visa, you must:

• Be in the UK.
• Have a valid Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.
• Have studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.
• Have successfully completed your course. (Your education provider must tell the Home Office that you have completed your course before you can apply for your visa).

Whether or not you are eligible for a Graduate visa will also depend on:

• The education provider for your course –  Your education provider (for example, your university or college) must be a licensed sponsor with a ‘track record of compliance’.
• The kind of course you took – You must usually have completed a UK bachelor’s degree, a UK master’s degree or a UK PhD doctorate to apply. Your education provider can tell you if your course is eligible for the Graduate route.
• How long you studied in the UK for – You must have studied in the UK for at least 12 months (if your course’s total length is more than 12 months), or for the total length of your course (if its total length is shorter than 12 months).

When you apply for a Graduate visa, you will need to have enough money to:

• Pay the visa application fee – It costs £822 to apply.
• Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – The IHS costs £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for under-18s.

You must apply online for a Graduate visa.

As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity. You will usually do this using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document, or by visiting a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

You must apply for your Graduate visa before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires.

You can apply as soon as your education provider has told the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course. You do not need to wait until you have graduated or have been given a certificate.

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually receive a decision on your visa within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK whilst you wait for a decision.

How long you can stay in the UK on a Graduate visa depends on the type of qualification you hold. Undergraduates and master’s degree students can stay for up to 2 years on a Graduate visa, whilst PhD students can stay for up to 3 years.

note:

You cannot extend your Graduate visa when it expires.

If you want to stay in the UK for longer, you will need to switch to another visa category such as a Skilled Worker visa, if you are eligible.

With a Graduate visa, you can:

• Work in most jobs.
• Look for work.
• Be self-employed.
• Continue living in the UK with your partner and children as your ‘dependants’, if they are eligible.
• Do voluntary work.
• Travel abroad and return to the UK.

You cannot:

• Apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
• Work as a professional sportsperson.

You can only study in the UK with a Graduate visa if your chosen course is not eligible for a Student visa. If your chosen course is eligible for the Student route, you can extend your Student visa instead.

If you are nearing the end of your studies and wish to apply for a Graduate visa, Smith Stone Walters can help. Our expert immigration advisors can assess your eligibility for this route and support you throughout the entire application process.

To find out more, please contact us today.