Graduate Visa UK: Essential Guide for International Students

If you want to work in the UK post-graduation, you’ll need one very important thing: a valid visa.

Fortunately, there are many options available. 

One of the most popular UK work visas for international students is the Graduate visa. With this visa, you can stay in the UK for at least two years as long as you have successfully completed an eligible course at an eligible British institution. While a Graduate visa is usually valid for two years, yours will be valid for three years if you hold a PhD or other doctoral degree. 

You are only eligible for this visa if your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa. It’s also important to note that you can only apply for your Graduate visa after you have completed your full course but before your current visa expires. You also need to be in the UK when you apply. 

One of the best parts of this visa is that you don’t need to have a job offer or be sponsored by an employer to stay in the UK. With a graduate visa, you can look for work, work for multiple employers, or even work for yourself. 

How can you apply for a Graduate visa in the UK?

To apply for a Graduate visa in the UK, you’ll need to visit GOV.UK and create a UK Visas and Immigration account. You’ll need to follow the steps listed on the platform, including verifying your identity and providing your Confirmation of Accepted Studied (CAS) number on your current Student visa.

Next, you’ll need to await the government’s decision. Processing times vary depending on the number of applications received and the complexity of your application. However, the UK government estimates that most people receive a decision within 8 weeks. 

While you’re waiting for a decision on your visa, you should avoid traveling outside the UK. Doing so could affect your application and potentially prevent you from re-entering the country.

If you’re not entitled to apply for a Graduate visa, don’t stress. There are many other work visas in the UK that we’ll explore in the next section.