UK Graduate Route Visa: Costs and Timelines Explained

The UK Graduate visa allows you to stay in the UK after successfully completing an eligible course on a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa, once your education provider has told the Home Office you’ve completed it. The application fee is £937, and you will also need to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Decisions are usually made within 8 weeks, and you can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision. The length of your stay depends on when you apply and your qualification level: 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 completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification. This page sets out what the official guidance says about the Graduate visa’s costs and timelines, so you can plan your application and budget.

Eligibility for the Graduate visa

You can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true: you’re 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 your Student or Tier 4 visa; and your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course. You can ask your education provider if you’re not sure whether they’ve told the Home Office you’ve completed your course.

You must be in the UK when you apply. There is no separate application route from outside the UK; the Graduate visa is for those already in the UK on a Student or Tier 4 (General) student visa. If you’re not eligible for a Graduate visa, you may be eligible for another type of visa to stay in the UK.

Length of stay on the Graduate visa

The length of time you can stay on a Graduate visa depends on two factors: when you apply and the level of qualification you completed.

Qualification level	Application date	Length of stay
Any qualifying course	On or before 31 December 2026	2 years
Any qualifying course	On or after 1 January 2027	18 months
PhD or other doctoral qualification	Any date	3 years

These periods are stated in the official guidance and are not estimates. Your visa will start from the day your application is approved. You cannot extend your Graduate visa, but you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa.

Application fee and healthcare surcharge

The fee to apply for a Graduate visa is £937. You’ll be told the exact amount you need to pay when you apply.

In addition to the application fee, you must pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 for each year you’ll be in the UK. For a 2-year Graduate visa the surcharge is £2,070 and for a 3-year visa (PhD or other doctoral qualification) it is £3,105. You’ll be told the exact amount you need to pay when you apply, so check the current official GOV.UK costs page for the latest figure.

Processing times

For a Graduate visa application, once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision.

Your application may take longer if you need an appointment to prove your identity and provide your documents. You’ll find out if you need an appointment when you start your application.

When to apply

You must apply for a Graduate visa before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires. You can apply after your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office that you’ve successfully completed your course. You do not have to wait until you’ve graduated or have been given a certificate.

As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents. You’ll find out if you need an appointment to do this when you start your application.

What you can and cannot do on the Graduate visa

With a Graduate visa you can: work in most jobs; look for work; be self-employed; continue living in the UK with your partner and children if they’re eligible; travel abroad and return to the UK; and do voluntary work. Any voluntary work you do must be unpaid and for a registered charity, a voluntary organisation, an associated fundraising body (an organisation that raises money for a charity or voluntary organisation), or a statutory body (a government-appointed body).

You cannot apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension, or work as a professional sportsperson. If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Graduate visa. You can only study with a Graduate visa if your chosen course is not eligible for a Student visa. If your course is eligible for a Student visa, you can extend your Student visa instead. You may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if you’re studying or researching sensitive topics.

What to do next

Before you apply for a Graduate visa, check the current fee (£937) and healthcare surcharge amounts on the official GOV.UK Graduate visa pages. Confirm you meet the eligibility requirements: you’re in the UK, your current visa is a Student or Tier 4 visa, you studied an eligible course for the minimum period, and your education provider has told the Home Office you’ve completed it.

You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks. Your application may take longer if you need an appointment to prove your identity and provide documents. Apply before your Student or Tier 4 visa expires, and you can apply once your education provider has told the Home Office you’ve completed your course.