UK Graduate Visa 2026: 2 Years to Work, the 18-Month Cut, Costs and Switching
The UK Graduate visa in 2026: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months after, the £937 fee plus health surcharge, and switching to Skilled Worker.
If you finish a UK degree and apply for the Graduate visa on or before 31 December 2026, you get two years to live and work in the UK. Apply on or after 1 January 2027 and you get 18 months. PhD graduates keep three years. For anyone graduating this autumn or winter, that date matters more than almost anything else in this guide.
The Graduate route is the UK's post-study work visa. It needs no job offer, no sponsor and no minimum salary. You can work in any job, change jobs as often as you like, or start a business. For international students from Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh and beyond, it is the bridge between a degree and a sponsored career.
It is also a ticking clock. You cannot extend it, and time spent on it does not count toward five-year settlement. The goal is to use it to land a Skilled Worker job.
In this guide
- UK Graduate Visa at a Glance
- Who Is Eligible
- The 18-Month Change in Detail
- What It Costs
- Bringing Family
- Working on the Graduate Visa
- Switching to a Skilled Worker Visa
- How to Apply for the Graduate Visa
- Documents Checklist
- Life After the Graduate Visa
- Common Mistakes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Before You Apply
UK Graduate Visa at a Glance
| Item | Details (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who it's for | Students in the UK who completed an eligible UK degree on a Student visa |
| Length | 2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027; 3 years for PhDs |
| Application fee | £937 |
| Health surcharge | £1,035 per year of the visa |
| Job offer needed | No |
| Processing time | Usually within 8 weeks |
| Extension | Not possible; you must switch to another visa |
| Counts toward settlement | No |
| Official source | gov.uk Graduate visa |
Who Is Eligible
You can apply if all of the following are true:
- You are in the UK when you apply
- Your current permission is a Student visa (or the older Tier 4 General visa)
- You studied a UK bachelor's degree, postgraduate degree, or certain other eligible qualifications such as a law conversion course or PGCE
- You studied in the UK for the required period: the whole course if it was 12 months or shorter, or at least 12 months of a longer course
- Your university has told the Home Office that you successfully completed the course
You do not need to wait for your graduation ceremony or your certificate. Once the university reports completion, you can apply, as long as your Student visa has not expired.
The 18-Month Change in Detail
The 2025 Immigration White Paper proposed cutting the route to 18 months, and the rules now say applications made on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months instead of two years. PhD and other doctoral graduates still get three years.
What counts is the date you submit the application, not the date you finished your course. If you complete a one-year master's in September 2026, apply as soon as your university reports your result. Delaying into January 2027 costs you six months of work rights.
What It Costs
| Item | 2-year visa (apply by 31 Dec 2026) | 18-month visa (from 1 Jan 2027) | 3-year visa (PhD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £937 | £937 (subject to future fee changes) | £937 |
| Health surcharge | £2,070 | About £1,553 | £3,105 |
| Total | £3,007 | About £2,490 | £4,042 |
The health surcharge is calculated per six months and paid up front. It gives you access to NHS treatment on the same basis as residents, though prescriptions and dentistry still cost extra in England.
Bringing Family
You can only include a partner or children if they are already in the UK as your dependants on your Student visa. You cannot bring new dependants on a Graduate visa. Since January 2024, most taught master's students lost the right to bring dependants, so this mainly helps PhD and research master's graduates.
Working on the Graduate Visa
You can do almost any work: full-time, part-time, temporary, freelance or self-employed. You cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
Most graduates start in roles that pay less than they hoped. Salaries vary widely by field and city, according to recent ONS and graduate outcomes data.
| Sector | Typical graduate starting salary (GBP, gross) |
|---|---|
| Software and IT | £28,000 to £40,000 |
| Engineering | £27,000 to £35,000 |
| Finance and accounting trainee | £26,000 to £38,000 |
| Data and analytics | £27,000 to £38,000 |
| Retail, hospitality, care (non-graduate jobs) | Around £24,000 to £26,000 at National Living Wage |
Many graduates first take warehouse, retail or hospitality work to pay rent while job hunting. That is legal, but it will not lead to sponsorship, since those jobs are not eligible for Skilled Worker visas.
Switching to a Skilled Worker Visa
This is where the Graduate route pays off. Graduates switching to a Skilled Worker visa usually count as new entrants, which lowers the salary bar.
| Requirement | Standard applicant | New entrant (e.g. switching from Graduate visa) |
|---|---|---|
| General salary floor | £41,700 | £33,400 |
| Going rate | 100% | 70% |
| Skill level | RQF 6 | RQF 6 |
| Maximum time as new entrant | Not applicable | 4 years in total, including Graduate visa time |
So a graduate data analyst whose occupation's going rate is £40,000 could be sponsored at £33,400 instead of £41,700. That gap often decides whether an employer says yes.
How to make the switch
- Target sponsors early. Check the official register of licensed sponsors and focus on employers who already sponsor in your field.
- Get an eligible job offer at RQF 6 level with a salary at least at the new entrant rate.
- Receive your certificate of sponsorship from the employer.
- Apply from inside the UK before your Graduate visa expires, using the gov.uk switching page. The in-country fee is £943 for up to three years.
- Pay the health surcharge for the new visa length.
- Keep working while you wait, as long as you applied before your visa expired.
Read the full Skilled Worker visa guide for occupation codes, going rates and fees.
How to Apply for the Graduate Visa
- Confirm completion. Ask your university's international student team when they will report your result to the Home Office.
- Check your Student visa expiry. You must apply before it ends.
- Apply online on gov.uk. You will need your CAS number from your last Student visa.
- Pay the £937 fee and the health surcharge.
- Prove your identity. Most applicants use the UK Immigration: ID Check app; others book an appointment.
- Wait for the decision. Usually within eight weeks. You can stay and keep working under your Student visa conditions while you wait.
Documents Checklist
- Passport or travel document
- Your BRP or eVisa details
- CAS reference number from your most recent Student visa
- Consent letter from your sponsor if your studies were funded by a government or international scholarship in the last 12 months
- Proof of relationship for any existing dependants
Life After the Graduate Visa
The Graduate visa does not count toward the five-year settlement period on the Skilled Worker route. Your settlement clock usually starts again once you switch. Time on it does count toward the 10-year long residence route, though the government plans wider reforms to settlement under its "earned settlement" model.
Plan your time backwards. If you have 18 months or two years, aim to have a sponsored job by the halfway point. Employers can take months to issue a certificate, and many are new to sponsorship.
Common Mistakes
- Applying after your Student visa expires. There is no grace period.
- Missing the 31 December 2026 date. Applying on 2 January 2027 gives you six months less.
- Settling into a non-eligible job. Retail or hospitality work pays the bills but cannot be sponsored.
- Ignoring the new entrant clock. Your four years of new entrant rates include Graduate visa time.
- Overlooking scholarship conditions. Government-funded students may need their sponsor's consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the UK Graduate visa in 2026?
Two years for bachelor's and master's graduates who apply on or before 31 December 2026. Applications made on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months. PhD graduates get three years in both cases.
How much does the Graduate visa cost?
The application fee is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year. For a two-year visa, that comes to about £3,007 in total. You must pay everything when you apply.
Can I extend the Graduate visa?
No. When it ends you must switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, or leave the UK. You must apply to switch before your Graduate visa expires.
Can I bring my family on a Graduate visa?
Only dependants who are already in the UK with you as dependants on your Student visa can be included. You cannot bring new family members on this visa. They will need their own route if you switch to a Skilled Worker visa later.
Do I need a job offer for the Graduate visa?
No. You do not need a sponsor, a job offer or a minimum salary. You can work in almost any job or be self-employed.
Does the Graduate visa lead to permanent residence?
Not directly. It does not count toward the five-year Skilled Worker settlement route. Most graduates use it to find sponsored work, then build their settlement time on the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa.
Before You Apply
- Ask your university now when completion will be reported, and diary your Student visa expiry date.
- If you finish your course this year, aim to submit by 31 December 2026 to secure two years.
- Shortlist licensed sponsors in your field and start applying during your final term.
- If you trained in healthcare, read our Health and Care Worker visa guide for a cheaper route.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Fees, quotas and requirements change often, so confirm every detail on the official government website before you apply or pay anyone. See our editorial policy.
