UK Graduate visa — eligibility, timing and how to apply

Who is eligible

You need a valid Student visa at the time of application, a UK bachelor's, master's or other eligible qualification completed with a licensed student sponsor, and your university must have told the Home Office you completed the course.

You must apply from inside the UK. Leaving the country and applying from abroad is not possible on this route.

The timing trap

Two dates matter: the date your university reports your completion, and the date your Student visa expires. You can only apply in the window between them.

If your Student visa expires before your results are reported, you lose the route. Track both dates from the start of your final term and chase your university if the report is late.

What you can and cannot do

You can work in most jobs at any skill level, be self-employed, volunteer, and switch employers freely. You cannot claim most public funds, work as a professional sportsperson, or extend the Graduate visa.

Planning the switch

Treat the Graduate visa as a fixed runway. Work backwards: to switch into Skilled Worker you need a job offer from a licensed sponsor at or above the applicable salary and skill threshold, and the switch application takes time.

• Month 1–3: target licensed sponsors, not just any employer.
• Month 4–9: convert experience into a sponsorable role.
• Month 10–15: negotiate sponsorship and submit the switch application.

Common mistakes

• Travelling home after final exams and trying to apply from outside the UK.
• Applying after the Student visa expiry date.
• Assuming an employer can sponsor you when they have no sponsor licence.
• Forgetting the IHS is charged for the full period upfront.

FAQs