The Graduate Route lets international students stay in the UK after finishing a degree and work, look for work or start a business, without a job offer or an employer sponsor. For many families it is part of the reason for choosing the UK. The rules are changing, so it is worth understanding them before your child chooses a course.
The details below were checked on GOV.UK in October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
How long it lasts
- Applications made on or before 31 December 2026: 2 years.
- Applications made on or after 1 January 2027: 18 months.
- Graduates of a PhD or other doctoral qualification: 3 years.
The visa starts on the day the application is approved. What counts is the date the application is made, not the date the course started, so a student beginning a bachelor's or master's degree in 2027 or later should plan on 18 months.
If your child is finishing a course this autumn, timing matters: an application made on or before 31 December 2026 still leads to a 2-year visa. They can apply once the university has told the Home Office that the course has been successfully completed; they do not need to wait for the graduation ceremony. They must be in the UK, and their Student visa must still be valid, when they apply.
Who can apply
According to GOV.UK, your child can apply if they:
- are in the UK on a Student visa, or the older Tier 4 (General) visa;
- studied an eligible course, usually a UK bachelor's degree, master's degree or PhD, or certain professional courses such as a PGCE, with a provider that has a track record of compliance;
- studied in the UK for at least 12 months, or for the whole course if it was shorter than 12 months;
- have had their successful completion reported to the Home Office by the university.
A one-year master's therefore qualifies, provided the student studied in the UK for the whole course.
What it allows, and what it does not
On a Graduate visa your child can work in most jobs, look for work, be self-employed, and travel abroad and return. They cannot claim most public funds or work as a professional sportsperson.
Three limits are worth knowing early:
- It cannot be extended. To stay longer, a graduate has to switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, and meet that visa's own requirements, including a job with a licensed sponsor.
- Family rules are narrow. A partner or child can apply only if they were already a dependant on the Student visa, or if the child was born in the UK during that visa. New dependants cannot join on this route.
- It is not free. As of October 2026 the application fee is £937, and the health surcharge is usually £1,035 for each year in the UK, the higher non-student rate. For an 18-month visa the surcharge covers one and a half years.
A checklist before applying
- Confirm with the university that it has reported successful completion to the Home Office.
- Check the expiry date on the Student eVisa and apply well before it.
- Make sure the passport linked to the UKVI account is valid.
- Budget for the application fee and the health surcharge, both paid when applying.
- Plan any travel abroad carefully, since the application has to be made from inside the UK.
Planning with 18 months in mind
Eighteen months passes quickly. Graduates who use it well usually start preparing during their studies rather than after them.
- Use the careers service from the first year. UK universities run careers services, employer fairs and CV workshops, and some large employers open graduate recruitment a year before the start date. Alumni networks and industry events help too.
- Build UK experience in the holidays. Students can usually work full-time in official vacations, which is the natural time for internships and placements.
- Think about the next visa early. If the long-term aim is to stay, find out which roles and employers in your child's field sponsor Skilled Worker visas. GOV.UK sets out the current requirements, which change from time to time.
- Consider the course length. A one-year master's after a degree in Türkiye can be a good route, but it means arriving, studying and job-hunting in quick succession. Our article on master's degrees in the UK looks at the options.
The Graduate Route is a useful bonus, but we would not choose a university or a subject for the visa alone. A course that suits your child's interests and strengths will serve them for far longer than any visa.
How YES can help
When we help with undergraduate and postgraduate applications, we talk about life after the degree from the start, including what the Graduate Route can and cannot offer. For immigration advice on a particular case, use a regulated adviser listed on GOV.UK. If you would like to plan ahead with us, get in touch.
Questions families ask
My child starts a master's in September 2027. How long will the Graduate visa be?
Under the rules on GOV.UK as of October 2026, applications made on or after 1 January 2027 lead to an 18-month visa. Only PhD and other doctoral graduates get 3 years.
Does my child need a job offer to apply?
No. The Graduate visa does not require a job offer or a sponsor. To stay on afterwards, though, they would normally need a visa such as the Skilled Worker visa, which does require a sponsoring employer.
Can my child apply from Türkiye after going home?
No. The applicant must be in the UK and hold a valid Student visa when applying, so plan any trip home around the application.
Sources and further reading
This article is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change; always check the official sources before you apply.
