Graduate Route Visa

The Graduate route is now live and taking applications. If you intend to apply for the graduate route, please do not do so until the University contact you to confirm that the Home Office have been informed of your course completion.

Key Features:

• The Graduate route will be available to international students who have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance on the date of application.
• Applicants must hold valid Student (or Tier 4) permission at the time of application.
• Successful Graduate route applicants are able to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for two years – PhD or doctoral graduates can stay for three years.

Points to consider:

• Those who graduated and whose Student (or Tier 4) visa leave expired before the route was introduced are not eligible.
• Individuals who already have permission as a dependant of a Student who is applying on this route can also apply to extend their permission as a dependant – however new dependants are not permitted on this route.
• The route does not count towards settlement – however Graduates will be able to apply to other routes at the end of their 2-3 year stay.

Frequently asked questions:

Does Graduate route require a new application?
The Graduate route requires a new visa application, which is only be possible from inside the UK.

How do I apply for the Graduate route?
Students wishing to apply for the Graduate route, who satisfy the academic and visa eligibility requirements, are able to submit an online application via the gov.uk website.

Is there a fee to apply for the Graduate route?
A Graduate route application requires payment of a visa fee of £700 and the Immigration Health Surcharge at the full rate of £624 per year.

What additional documentation or evidence is required to apply for the Graduate route?
Students need to know the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) they used for their most recent Student (or Tier 4) application in order to apply for the Graduate route. They must also provide photos or scans of all applicants’ passports and Biometric Residence Permits (BRP).

Will universities be expected to act as sponsors for those students on the Graduate route after they have graduated?
Individuals applying to the Graduate route do not need a sponsor – however, your Student visa sponsor must have notified the Home Office, by the date of your application under the Graduate route, that you have successfully completed the course of study that your Student visa was issued for. Please do not apply for the Graduate route until you have received confirmation from the University that the Home Office have been notified of your completion.

Will this route count towards settlement?
The route is non-extendable and does not count towards settlement. However, graduates who find an appropriate job and meet the requirements will be able to apply to work routes, including the Skilled Worker, which is a route to settlement.

What happens after I have applied for the Graduate route?
The UKVI will assess your application and provide you with a decision within 4-6 weeks of your Biometric Data submission. If successful you should receive your new BRP within 10 working days of the decision date.

Further information:

Information on the Graduate route published by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) on 26 March 2021:

• Guidance on the new Graduate route

The following detailed information on the Graduate route is based on information published by the Home Office on 4 March 2021:

• Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules – rules for the Graduate route are in the new Appendix Graduate, which will be added to the Immigration Rules collection at gov.uk when the route is implemented on 1 July 2021. Meanwhile it is only available in the Statement of Changes.
• Fact sheet: Graduate Immigration Route
• Apply for the Graduate Route

We will update this page with more information as it becomes available.