Graduate Visa

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) confirmed on 14 October 2025 that the duration of the Graduate Visa would change.

A Graduate Visa will be granted for:

• two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
• 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027.

Graduates who have completed a PhD or another doctoral-level qualification will continue to receive permission for three years.

Further details can be found on the UK Government website.

If you are eligible for the Graduate Visa, you'll be granted two years to remain in UK after your studies to work or look for work, or three years for PhD level students.

The Graduate Visa has various eligibility requirements, and as such, it is not guaranteed to students.

Eligibility requirements include that students have their eligible award confirmed at an Assessment Board whilst in the UK on a valid Tier 4/Student Route Visa. This means students who have resits to undertake in the last four months of their Visa ("grace period") may not be able to meet the requirement of obtaining their eligible award while in the UK on a Student Visa, depending on the date of their Assessment Board.

If you have any questions about when your award is expected to be confirmed, you should contact your course staff.

Following your award being confirmed to you, the VISA team will then notify the Home Office of your completion, and you will receive an email to notify you when this happens, at which point you can go ahead and apply for the Graduate Visa.

Students with outstanding tuition fee debt will not be eligible for the Graduate Route Visa. All outstanding debt must be cleared prior to the VISA team reporting your completion to the Home Office.