Experiencing the UK Graduate route: United States, postgraduate diploma or certificate

The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), a member of UKCISA’s International Student Employability Group (ISEG), has captured the experiences of international graduates seeking employment in the UK after graduation in a series of case studies.

Who are you?

Where do you work?

Thoughts on your visa 

I am allowed to work and live here which is what I wanted. It did take a little longer to come through than I had hoped. 

The application process was very easy and clear. I was disappointed that it took so long for my university to clear me as having passed my course, which took months even after grades were released, but I understand this may not be something UKVI can mitigate. I thought the time from application to acceptance was reasonable. Some of the staff I interacted with were helpful. However, I was charged twice for the application fee, and there is NOWHERE to go to talk to someone about it.  

I emailed who I thought were the correct people to ask, and they told me they weren’t. They pointed me in the right direction after I begged, but then I got a response saying, “There is only one charge from Worldpay, your case is closed”. So rude! And frustrating. This statement was correct because Worldpay only processes the IHS (healthcare surcharge), but it didn’t change my problem, and I had provided screenshots of my bank statements. Then I had to dispute the charge with my card company. I got it back thankfully, but it was really stressful and a financial burden, and it probably cost UKVI money, also.  

Why does the visa cost so much? How many hours are people spending on my application? It seems extortionate.

“I was charged twice for the application… I got it back thankfully, but it was really stressful and a financial burden.”

Support and development 

While at university I received CV feedback and gained access to job vacancy listings.

Employer knowledge and attitudes  

They seem to know a little about the Graduate route, but refused to advise me because they were not knowledgeable enough.

Some employers do not mind recruiting graduates that require a visa at all. Most employers say that they can sponsor a limited amount of people, so they only sponsor people with 10+ years of experience.

What advice would you give to current international students seeking graduate employment in the UK?  

Good luck and keep trying.