International students can benefit from two years work experience in the UK after they complete their degree programme
Information and guidance workshops on the Graduate Route
The International Student Advice Service is hosting free online workshops to guide international students on the new Graduate Route, the Skilled Worker visa and other common work routes in the UK.
Applying to the Graduate Route
To apply, you will need to have completed your degree programme and have a valid student visa at the time of application. Applications for this work route must be made in the UK.
If you are successful in applying for this route, you will be able to stay and work, or look for work in the UK at any skill level. You will be able to be either employed or self-employed (except as a professional sportsperson).
IMPORTANT: To apply for a Graduate Route visa, you will need to check that you have enough time on your student visa to make an application in the UK. To be able to apply for this visa, your official confirmation of award must be published first.
Your Qualification
To be able to apply for the Graduate Route, you must have completed one of the following qualifications:
- an undergraduate degree
- a masters degree
- a PhD degree or other doctoral qualification
- A PGCE or PGDE
- Certain specified legal and professional qualifications
Normally you must have completed this programme during your current visa, and it must normally be the same programme which was listed on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
If you changed your degree programme after starting your studies, you are likely to still be able to apply. If you were permitted by the university to switch to a different programme, without applying for a new student visa first, the Graduate Route rules allow for your new programme of study to be counted. You can find the detail relating to this in the Graduate Route Caseworker guidance.
Note: Exit awards of PGDip or below, do not meet the required level for application.
Study in the UK requirement
To apply for the Graduate Route, the rules say that you must have held a student visa for the purposes of the qualification you have completed, for a specific period of time:
- If your programme is 12 months or less, you must have held a student visa for the whole period of the programme
- If your programme is longer than 12 months, you must have held a student visa for at least 12 months (those 12 months should be the last 12 months of the programme).
What you'll need from us
To apply for the Graduate Route, the university must first notify UKVI of your official successful completion of studies.
The Visa Compliance Team will notify UKVI of your successful completion shortly after your official results letter is published.
Please note: depending on your programme, it can take up to 1-2 weeks after a Progression and Award Board for your results to be published.
Once the Visa Compliance Team have notified UKVI of your successful completion, you will receive an email to confirm this.
You do not need to request the university to make the notification of completion. This will be done by the university for all successfully completed students on a weekly basis. This reporting is not undertaken on an individual student basis.
You also do not need any paper letter from the university.
You will need your previous CAS number to make the Graduate Route application. This is the same CAS number that you used for your previous student visa application (you do not need a new CAS number.)
The Visa Compliance Team will provide your CAS number in the email they send to you, so if you cannot find your previous CAS number, don’t worry, it will be provided to you again.
Money and fees
The application fee for the Graduate Route is £822. Applicants will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.
There is no requirement to show maintenance (living costs) when applying for this visa.
Your Dependants
Only dependants who are already in the UK as your Tier 4 or Student dependants can apply to extend their stay as your Graduate Route dependant (it's not possible to bring dependants to the UK for the first time when you hold a Graduate Route visa). You can make an application for children who have been born in the UK, to be your dependant.
If granted a new dependant visa, your dependants will have the same work conditions as you. The only prohibition is on working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
More Information
For official information from UKVI on the Graduate Route, see the Gov.uk Graduate Route pages.
We also highly recommend the guidance from UKCISA on working after studies, which includes detailed information on the Graduate Route.