The Graduate Route: staying in the UK after you study
This is the part of the journey that decides whether a UK degree pays for itself. It is also about to get shorter, which changes when you should start.
Figures assessed against official UK government sources on 22 September 2026.
The short answer
The Graduate visa lets you stay and work after finishing an eligible UK degree, without needing a job offer or a sponsor.
2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026. 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. 3 years for doctoral graduates.
£937
Graduate visa application fee.
About £1,035 / year
Healthcare surcharge at the standard rate, not the reduced student rate you paid before.
The 1 January 2027 cut
The same degree is worth six months more if your application lands on or before 31 December 2026. That is a real difference in earning time, in the window you have to find a sponsor, and in whether the whole move adds up financially.
It is decided by when you apply, which depends on when your provider confirms you completed, which depends on your intake. So it belongs in the plan you make now, not in a decision you take at graduation.
Who can apply
- You currently hold a Student or Tier 4 (General) visa
- You are physically in the UK when you apply
- You have completed an eligible UK degree
- Your education provider has confirmed your completion to the Home Office
That fourth one is not in your hands and it is the usual cause of delay. Your university reports completion on its own schedule, and you cannot apply before it does.
What it costs, and the surcharge surprise
The fee is £937. The part people do not budget for is the healthcare surcharge, which on this route is charged at roughly £1,035 a year rather than the reduced £776 student rate.
So the surcharge alone on a two-year Graduate visa is substantially more than the fee. Work out both numbers together, in the same way the student visa costs need adding up together.
What it lets you do
- Work in most jobs, at any skill level, with no minimum salary
- Be self-employed
- Look for work, including while unemployed
- Do unpaid voluntary work
Professional sport is the exclusion. No sponsor and no job offer is needed, which is the whole value of the route.
What happens when it ends
It cannot be extended. To stay beyond it you switch to another route, usually the Skilled Worker visa, which does require a sponsoring employer.
Which is why the 18-month version matters so much. Finding a sponsoring employer inside 18 months is a materially harder task than inside 24, and the clock starts the day the visa is granted rather than the day you start looking.
Common questions
- How long is the Graduate visa?
- 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. Doctoral graduates get 3 years either way.
- How much does the Graduate visa cost?
- £937 for the application, plus the healthcare surcharge at around £1,035 a year. Note that this is the standard surcharge rate, not the reduced £776 student rate, so it is a meaningful step up from what you paid as a student.
- Can I apply for the Graduate visa from Nigeria?
- No. You must be in the UK when you apply, and you must still hold a Student or Tier 4 visa at that point. It is not something you can arrange after going home.
- Can I work on a Graduate visa?
- Yes, in most jobs, including self-employment, and you can use it to look for work. Professional sport is excluded.
- Can I extend the Graduate visa?
- No. It cannot be extended. To stay longer you have to switch to another route, most commonly the Skilled Worker visa, before it expires.
Does your own plan actually hold up?
Pathminder checks your dates, your budget and your documents against the rules on this page, and tells you what is missing before it costs you an application fee.
Check your planFree. No card required.
Where these figures come from
Every number on this page is taken from official UK government guidance, not from agents or forums. Rules change, so check the source before you apply.