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Graduate visa: 2 years now, 18 months from 2027

The Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027, with 3 years for a PhD. The application fee is £937, plus the health surcharge, and it is the date of application that decides the length.

The Graduate visa lets someone who has finished an eligible UK course on a Student visa stay and work in the UK without a sponsor. It cannot be extended and it is not a route to settlement. From the start of 2027 the standard length falls from two years to eighteen months, and the line is drawn by the date of the application.

This guide sets out the rule, where it comes from, who can apply, what the visa costs at each length, what the visa lets you do, how dependants are treated, and how the timing fits with a Student visa that is about to expire. It draws on GOV.UK's Graduate visa pages (updated 9 September 2026), Appendix Graduate of the Immigration Rules (updated 3 August 2026), the explanatory memorandum to statement of changes HC 1333, GOV.UK's Immigration Health Surcharge page and the Home Office fee table dated 8 October 2026, all read on 10 October 2026.

It explains how the rules work. It does not say what any student should do, because that depends on the individual's course dates, visa expiry and plans after graduation.

The rule in one place

GOV.UK's Graduate visa page says a Graduate visa lasts for:

  • 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026;
  • 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027; and
  • 3 years if you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification.

It adds: "Your visa will start from the day your application is approved." The length is therefore a function of the application date, not the decision date and not the date the course finishes. Appendix Graduate says the same in its table of the period granted (paragraph GR 8.1). The rule for bachelor's and master's level courses and other relevant qualifications is 2 years where "the application is made before 1 January 2027" and 18 months where "the application is made on or after 1 January 2027". Doctoral qualifications are 3 years in both cases.

The change was announced in the Immigration White Paper of May 2025 and written into the Rules by statement of changes HC 1333 (14 October 2025). The explanatory memorandum says: "The change to 18 months will apply to applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027, with PhD graduates continuing to receive three years of leave." It gives the Government's reason as being that too many graduates are "not moving into the graduate level roles which the Graduate route was created to facilitate access to". GOV.UK's Student visa page repeats the 2-year and 18-month dates.

Nothing in the pages read changes the date or adds transitional protection for people who had started their course before it was announced. The test is the date the application is made.

Who can apply

GOV.UK says you can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:

  • you are in the UK;
  • your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa;
  • you studied a UK bachelor's degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with that visa; and
  • your education provider has told the Home Office you have successfully completed your course.

Appendix Graduate adds detail. The applicant must have, or have last had, permission as a Student (GR 1.3), must not have been granted permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme or as a Graduate before (GR 1.4), and must be in the UK when applying (GR 1.2). They must have last been sponsored by a Student sponsor that is a higher education provider with a track record of compliance (GR 4.1), and the sponsor must have notified the Home Office by the date of application that the course was successfully completed (GR 4.3).

The qualification. A UK bachelor's or postgraduate degree qualifies. So do an SRA-validated law conversion course, the Legal Practice Course, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland, the Bar Practice Course or Bar Course, a PGCE or PGDE, and professional courses at degree level or above in a profession with reserved activities regulated by UK law or a UK public authority (GR 5.2).

Time studying in the UK. The Rules require a minimum period of Student permission during which all study took place in the UK: the full duration of the course if it is 12 months or less, and at least 12 months if it is longer (GR 6.1). GOV.UK adds that time in the UK means being in the UK when the provider needed you there, so a one-year master's with trips away at weekends and term breaks still counts as one year. There are COVID-era exceptions for distance learning between 24 January 2020 and 30 June 2022.

Scholarships. If a government or international scholarship agency paid both fees and living costs for a course you finished in the last 12 months, written consent from that agency is needed (GR 1.5).

Cost at each length

The Home Office fee table dated 8 October 2026 lists the Graduate route at £937 for the main applicant and dependants, unchanged. The application fee is the same whichever length is granted.

The Immigration Health Surcharge is the part that moves. GOV.UK's surcharge page says it is £1,035 per year for most applications, and that for a visa lasting more than a year you pay "the yearly cost plus half the yearly cost, if it's for 18 months or less" and "the cost of 2 full years, if it's for more than 18 months but less than 2 years". GOV.UK's Graduate page lists the surcharge for a 2-year visa as £2,070 and for a 3-year visa as £3,105.

Put together, for a main applicant:

  • 2 years: £937 plus £2,070 = £3,007.
  • 18 months: £937 plus £1,552.50 = £2,489.50, using the rule on the surcharge page (£1,035 plus half of £1,035).
  • 3 years (doctoral): £937 plus £3,105 = £4,042.

There is a discrepancy to be aware of. GOV.UK's Graduate page prints the 18-month surcharge as £1,152.50. The surcharge page's own rule produces £1,552.50. Treat the figure on the payment screen as the one that governs, and expect the 18-month visa to cost £517.50 less than the 2-year one in total, not more.

GOV.UK also says the surcharge is refunded in full if the application is refused, or you withdraw before a decision, and partly if you get less time than you asked for. If you later get a job in public sector healthcare you may be able to claim a refund of the surcharge for the periods worked. The surcharge is paid by debit or credit card as part of the online application.

Faster services exist in principle: the fee table lists a £500 priority service and a £1,000 super priority service for in-UK applications, and GOV.UK's faster-decision page says you find out whether you can use them when you apply. The Graduate page itself says to expect a decision "within 8 weeks".

How the date works with a Student visa about to end

Two timing rules interact.

You can only apply once the provider has reported completion. GOV.UK says you can apply "after your education provider ... has told the Home Office that you've successfully completed the course". You do not have to wait until graduation or until you have a certificate. This means the earliest date someone can apply is set by when the provider notifies the Home Office, which is not within the student's control. Appendix Graduate makes the notification a condition (GR 4.3).

You must apply before your Student visa expires. The Student visa's end date comes from the Rules. For a course of 12 months or longer, Appendix Student grants permission for the course plus four months after the end date, and for a course of 6 to 12 months, plus two months (ST 25.3). Where the course ends in the autumn of 2026, that period can run across the turn of the year.

How the rule reads in two cases. Each is an illustration of the rule, not a view on any case.

  • A Student visa ends on 20 January 2027 and the provider reports completion on 10 November 2026. An application made on 20 December 2026 falls under the "before 1 January 2027" row, so the grant is 2 years. An application made on 8 January 2027 falls under the second row, so the grant is 18 months. Both are before the Student visa expires.
  • A Student visa ends on 20 January 2027, but the provider only reports completion on 12 January 2027. The earliest possible application is after 1 January 2027 and the grant is 18 months, whatever the student did.

That second case shows why the "2 years now" version of the rule is not equally available to everyone, and why a student unsure about their provider's reporting date can ask the provider when it will notify the Home Office.

While the application is pending, GOV.UK says you can stay in the UK to wait for a decision, but "you must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do."

What the visa allows

GOV.UK says that with a Graduate visa you can:

  • work in most jobs, look for work or be self-employed;
  • continue living in the UK with your partner and children, if they are eligible;
  • travel abroad and return to the UK; and
  • do voluntary work, which must be unpaid and for a registered charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body.

You cannot apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension, and you cannot work as a professional sportsperson. You can only study with a Graduate visa if your chosen course is not eligible for a Student visa; otherwise you can extend your Student visa instead. Study may need an ATAS certificate for sensitive subjects.

The Graduate visa cannot be extended. GOV.UK says: "You cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa." Appendix Graduate states that "The Graduate route is not a route to settlement." What switching involves, including the salary levels and the immigration skills charge, is covered in our guides on moving from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker and on Skilled Worker costs. If you get a job in health or social care, GOV.UK says to check whether the cheaper Health and Care Worker visa applies.

Because the length is shorter from 2027, the time available to find sponsored work, if that is the plan, is shorter by six months for those who apply from 1 January. What follows from that is a personal decision and one a regulated adviser can talk through.

Partners and children

Dependants must already be dependants on the Student visa. GOV.UK says a partner or child who joined you as a dependant on your Student visa can apply as a dependant on your Graduate visa, and that a child can also apply if they were born in the UK during your current Student, Tier 4 or Graduate permission. Appendix Graduate (GR 9.4A) covers the same cases: a dependent partner or child of the Student, a child born in the UK during the Student's last permission, and a child born in the UK to a Graduate who holds existing permission to stay on the route.

The last of these came from statement of changes HC 259 (9 July 2026), whose explanatory memorandum describes amendments to Appendix Graduate relating to UK-born children. New dependants cannot join from overseas on this route, though GOV.UK says "new dependants may be able to join you from outside the UK if you switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa".

  • A partner must be in a recognised marriage or civil partnership, or have been in a relationship for at least 2 years (living together or, if not, with evidence of an ongoing commitment).
  • A child must usually have been a dependant on the Student visa, must live with you unless in full-time education away from home, and must not be married or in a civil partnership. A UK-born child needs a UK birth certificate or a special guardianship order as proof.
  • Everyone applies separately and pays the visa fee and surcharge. Their visa ends on the same date as yours, so a 2-year or 18-month main permission means the same for them.
  • Their BRP can be used to prove their Student dependant status for 24 months after its expiry date or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first.

GOV.UK's Graduate page also says that if you have a child while you are in the UK, "they do not automatically become a British citizen". See our guide on whether a UK-born child is British.

Documents and applying

GOV.UK lists the documents for a Graduate visa application:

  • a valid passport or other travel document showing identity and nationality;
  • your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from your Student visa application. If you cannot find it, ask your education provider;
  • your biometric residence permit, to prove you hold a valid Student visa. GOV.UK says you can use it for 24 months after the expiry date printed on the card or until 31 December 2026, whichever comes first;
  • proof of relationship if your partner and children apply with you; and
  • a letter from your scholarship or sponsorship provider approving the application, if they paid both your fees and living costs in the last 12 months.

Documents not in English or Welsh need a certified translation. The application is online only. As part of it you prove your identity, either by scanning your document with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by giving fingerprints and a photo at a UKVCAS service point. If you need an appointment, GOV.UK says the application may take longer, and the service point may keep your passport and documents. After a successful application you get an eVisa, a digital record of your status, and need a UKVI account to view it.

If the application is refused, Appendix Graduate says the person can apply for an administrative review under Appendix AR (GR 7.2). The deadline and fee are in our guide to administrative review.

Finding a regulated adviser

Which route follows a Graduate visa, how the date of application interacts with a particular Student visa and whether dependants are eligible are questions about a named person's case. Only an IAA-registered adviser (the Immigration Advice Authority, formerly the OISC), a solicitor or another authorised person may give that advice. GOV.UK explains how to find an immigration adviser.

The Migratio directory lists IAA-registered advisers (with their level) and SRA-regulated solicitors, each with their regulator and registration number. Migratio is not regulated by the IAA or the SRA and does not give immigration advice. This page explains how the rules work; it does not tell you what to do in your case.

Questions people ask

How long is the Graduate visa from 2027?

18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027, according to GOV.UK and Appendix Graduate. Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 get 2 years, and holders of a PhD or other doctoral qualification get 3 years either way.

Does it matter when the Graduate visa is approved or only when I apply?

The Rules and GOV.UK tie the length to the date the application is made, not the decision date. The visa itself starts from the day the application is approved.

How much does the Graduate visa cost?

The application fee is £937 per person. The health surcharge is usually £1,035 a year, giving £2,070 for 2 years and £3,105 for 3 years on GOV.UK's Graduate page, and £1,552.50 for 18 months under the surcharge page's rule. The payment screen governs.

Can I extend or settle on a Graduate visa?

No. GOV.UK says you cannot extend a Graduate visa, though you may be able to switch to a different visa such as Skilled Worker. Appendix Graduate says the route is not a route to settlement.

Can my partner and children join me on a Graduate visa?

Only dependants who were already on your Student visa can apply, plus a child born in the UK during your Student or Graduate permission. New dependants cannot join from abroad on this route. Each applies separately and pays the fee.

Can I leave the UK while the Graduate application is pending?

GOV.UK says you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, and that the application will be withdrawn if you do.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • Graduate visa to Skilled Worker: timing and cost — A Graduate visa cannot be extended, but GOV.UK says holders may be able to switch to a Skilled Worker visa. The Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months from 1 January 2027, and total time on Graduate and Skilled Worker new entrant terms is capped at 4 years.
  • Switching from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa — A Student visa holder in the UK can apply to switch to a Skilled Worker visa if the job and sponsor qualify and one of three course conditions is met: the course is finished, the job starts after it ends, or a full-time PhD is at least 24 months in. The in-UK fee is £943 for up to 3 years.
  • UK Student visa cost: fee, health surcharge and funds — A UK Student visa costs £558 plus the health surcharge at £776 per year, and you must also show funds for your course fee and living costs: £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 elsewhere for up to 9 months. Those monthly figures rise on 30 November 2026.
  • Skilled Worker visa cost: worker and employer totals — A worker applying from outside the UK for up to 3 years pays £819 plus £1,035 a year in healthcare surcharge, and usually needs £1,270 held in savings. The employer separately pays a £525 certificate fee and the immigration skills charge, and its licence fee if it is new.
  • Administrative review of a UK visa refusal — Administrative review is a Home Office check of whether a refusal was caused by a caseworking error. It costs £80 and must be requested online within 14 days if you were in the UK, 28 days if you applied from outside, or 7 days if detained. It only covers routes listed in Appendix AR, usually ignores new evidence, and GOV.UK says results can take 12 months or more.
  • Is my UK-born child British? Form MN1 explained — A child born in the UK is automatically British if, at the birth, a parent is a British citizen or settled in the UK. Otherwise the child may be entitled to register on Form MN1 for £1,000 once a parent becomes settled or British.
  • The 2026 UK visa brake: who it affects — Since 26 March 2026, entry clearance applications for a Student visa are refused for main applicants who are nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar or Sudan, and Skilled Worker applications for Afghan nationals. Other routes and nationalities are not affected, existing visas stay valid, and the Home Office describes the brake as an initial 18-month measure that will be reviewed.