How long does the Graduate visa last?

For people who have completed an eligible course on a Student visa.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026

It's 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, but 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD graduates get 3 years.

You must be in the UK on a Student visa and have completed an eligible course.
It costs £937 plus the healthcare surcharge, usually £1,035 a year.
You can work in most jobs or be self-employed.
It can't be extended, but you may switch to another visa.

Key facts

2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026
18 months from 1 Jan 2027
£937 fee

Who the Graduate visa is for

The Graduate visa lets you stay in the UK after you finish a course of study here. You can apply if all of these are true:

you are in the UK
you are on a Student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa
you studied an eligible UK course for long enough
your university or college has told the Home Office you passed your course

You do not need to wait for your graduation certificate. You can apply once your education provider has confirmed you completed the course. You must apply before your Student visa runs out.

Which courses count

Eligible courses include:

a UK bachelor's degree
a UK master's degree
a UK PhD or other doctorate
some law courses, such as an approved law conversion course, a legal practice course or a bar practice course
teaching qualifications such as a PGCE or PGDE

How long you must have studied in the UK: at least 12 months if your course was longer than 12 months. If your course was shorter than 12 months, you must have studied here for the whole course.

How long you can stay

When you apply	Bachelor's or master's	PhD or doctorate
On or before 31 December 2026	2 years	3 years
On or after 1 January 2027	18 months	3 years

The date that matters is the date you apply, so applying before the end of 2026 gets you 6 extra months.

What it costs

You pay the £937 application fee and the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 for each year of your visa.

Visa length	Healthcare surcharge	Fee	Total
2 years	£2,070	£937	£3,007
18 months	£1,552.50	£937	£2,489.50

The 18 month figure follows the surcharge rule for visas of more than 1 year but 18 months or less: one full year plus half a year (£1,035 + £517.50).

What you can and cannot do

You can:

work in most jobs
look for work
be self-employed
do voluntary work
travel abroad and come back

You cannot:

claim most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension
work as a professional sportsperson

Your partner and children

Your partner and children can only stay with you if they are already in the UK as your dependants on your Student visa. A child born in the UK during your Student or Graduate visa can also apply. Each person applies and pays separately.

New partners or children cannot join you on a Graduate visa. They may be able to join you later if you switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa.

After you apply

You will usually get a decision within 8 weeks of proving your identity and sending your documents. You can stay in the UK while you wait.

The Graduate visa cannot be extended. If you want to stay longer, you need to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa, before it ends.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Check eligibility

Common questions

How much does a Graduate visa cost?

The application fee is £937, plus the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 for each year of your visa.

Can I work on a Graduate visa?

Yes, you can work in most jobs, look for work or be self-employed. You cannot work as a professional sportsperson.

Can a Graduate visa be extended?

No, it cannot be extended, but you may be able to switch to another visa such as a Skilled Worker visa.

Can my partner and children stay with me on a Graduate visa?

Only if they are already in the UK as your dependants on your Student visa, or your child was born in the UK during your visa. Their visa ends on the same date as yours.

Official sources

1.Graduate visawww.gov.uk/graduate-visa
2.Graduate visa: your partner and childrenwww.gov.uk/graduate-visa/your-partner-and-children

Checked against GOV.UK on 30 September 2026

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