Graduate route

If you want to work in the UK after completing your degree or other relevant qualification, you may be eligible for the Graduate route. This allows you to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two years (three years for PhD or doctoral qualification graduates). 

Last updated on April 09, 2025

Annie Spratt Akftchujumk Unsplash

On this page:

Share:

Introduction

Last updated October 21, 2024

If you have been studying in the UK and have a degree or other relevant qualification from an approved UK higher education provider, you can apply for the Graduate route which allows you to work after your studies. The Graduate route does not need sponsorship or any endorsement by an employer or by your institution. 

This route allows eligible graduates to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK. Undergraduate and postgraduate Masters graduates (or those with a relevant qualification) can stay for two years, PhD or doctoral qualification graduates can stay for three years. 

There are particular timings and processes you will need to follow to make your application go as smoothly as possible. We've gone into detail below. 

How do I apply for the Graduate route?

Last updated April 09, 2025

The Graduate route has important conditions relating to where and when you can apply so it is important to read our guidance carefully so that you understand how to apply appropriately. 

You can only apply in the UK. If you are currently outside the UK with valid Tier 4 or Student permission, you will need to travel to the UK before it expires to apply under the Graduate route. 

You can travel and re-enter the UK at any time on your Tier 4 or Student leave before you apply under the Graduate route. 

The Home Office's Student route caseworker guidance confirms this: 

“Students are able to travel outside of, and re-enter, the UK whilst they hold valid permission as a Student, including in the period after they have completed their course and still hold permission under the route.” 

You can apply for the Graduate route from the day your institution confirms your successful completion to you, until the end date of your current Student permission.  

As long as you apply within this window, your immigration permission as a Student is automatically extended until you receive the outcome of your Graduate route application, even if the original expiry date of your Student permission has now passed. This is a general principle of UK immigration law known as 3C leave. 

The earliest possible date you can successfully apply under the Graduate route is the day your sponsor institution confirms that you have passed your course and you have your results. 

Remember that your university needs to notify the Home Office of your successful completion and your eligibility to apply, and they may not be planning to do this immediately after they have notified you of your results. We advise that you check directly with them when they expect to notify the Home Office and plan your application date accordingly. 

If this is not logistically possible (for example, because your Student permission ends before your Sponsor plans to notify the Home Office) we advise you speak with your institution as soon as possible for support and advice. If you were to apply before your sponsor has notified the Home Office, the Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms that your application should not be refused but that the caseworker needs to check with your Sponsor before proceeding with your application. We advise you to wait and apply after you know your sponsor has made the notification. 

What if my Student/Tier 4 permission expires before I receive my results?  

Student permission includes a wrap-up period after the end date of the course on your CAS that can vary in length depending on your course and your institution (see Appendix Student, “Period and conditions of grant for a Student). This normally allows enough time to receive your results and apply under the Graduate route. 

In some situations, your Student permission might expire before you get your results. This could happen in a number of situations (for example, the results process will take longer than normal, you may have changed course and have a new end date, or part of your course was re-scheduled and you have used some of your wrap-up period). 

Whatever the reason, you are likely to be "timed out" of applying under the Graduate route, unless: 

  • your results can be published earlier than planned, before the end of your Student permission (this is unlikely, but you can ask) 
  • you have not yet finished your course and reached the formal end date of your course and your sponsor issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support an application to extend your Student permission 

You can only apply online. As part of your application you will need to scan your biometric residence permit (BRP) with the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app. 

If you have difficulties with the application process, contact your sponsor institution. When you are ready to apply, you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and the application fee. 

The application fee is £880 per applicant, whilst the Immigration Health Surcharge is charged at £1,035 per year of permission granted. 

What are the requirements for the Graduate route?

Last updated May 14, 2024

There are a number of requirements to consider before making your application. You can only hold permission under the Graduate route once, so make sure that you consider your options in full before committing to the route. 


To qualify for the Graduate route you must have current valid immigration permission as a Student. You cannot switch to the Graduate route from any type of immigration permission other than Student or Tier 4. 

Paragraph 6.2 of the Immigration Rules explains that "Student" means someone with permission under Tier 4 or under the Student route. Your Student permission must be sponsored by a Higher Education provider which is listed on the Register of Student Sponsors as a "Student sponsor - Track Record". 

Appendix Graduate (paragraph GR 5.4) allows someone with immigration permission as a students’ union sabbatical officer to apply based on a qualification they obtained in their current period of Student permission or "in the period of permission immediately before [it]". The Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms on page 8 that, "Students who undertake two consecutive periods as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer after their studies will still be able to meet this requirement." 

If you have, or previously had, immigration permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) you cannot apply under the Graduate route. However, if you have previously held immigration permission under Tier 1 (Post Study Work) route, you can make a Graduate route application.  

When you apply, you must have already successfully completed a ‘relevant qualification’. This must be either:
  • an Undergraduate degree
  • a Master's degree
  • a PhD or other doctoral qualification

or one of these qualifications listed in paragraph GR 5.2 of Appendix Graduate of the Immigration Rules:

  • a law conversion course validated by the Joint Academic Stage Board in England and Wales
  • the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
  • the Bar Practice Course in England and Wales, or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland
  • a foundation programme in Medicine or Dentistry
  • a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
  • a professional course requiring study at UK bachelor’s degree level or above in a profession with reserved activities that is regulated by UK law or UK public authority. The Graduate route caseworker guidance (page 9) explains that "Professional roles that have reserved activities include (but are not limited to) medical doctors, architects, lawyers, teachers, and nurses." See also Case Study 1 on pages 9-10 of the guidance.

You must normally have completed this course during your current period of Tier 4 or Student permission and it must be the same course for which your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) was assigned. There are some exceptions:

  • Your CAS was assigned for an Undergraduate master’s degree (i.e., MEng/MPhys), you successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree as part of that programme, and you are applying on the basis of the integrated degree (this is only for degrees, not for other types of course)
  • You were allowed to switch to a different course without applying for new Tier 4 or Student permission (you can use that new course as the relevant qualification)
  • The course provider changed the name of your course without changing the content, or they added an assessed work placement or study abroad programme (this does not stop you meeting the qualification requirement)
  • Your last period of Tier 4 or Student permission was granted to work as a students’ union sabbatical officer and you are applying on the basis of a qualification that was gained during a previous recent period of Student or Tier 4 permission.

There is no exception for someone who finished their degree studies with non-degree qualification (for example, you received a postgraduate diploma not a Master’s degree).

No minimum length is stipulated for a relevant course, but some course providers may have their own rules about this. There is no requirement to have started the relevant course in any specific year. If you are not sure whether your qualification is eligible, check directly with your Student route sponsor.  

To qualify for the Graduate route, you must meet the study in the UK requirement. This requirement is different depending on the total length of your course of study. This is called the ‘relevant period’.
 
If you are studying a course that is 12 months long or less you should have held Student permission for the full duration of your course, during which all study took place in the UK.
 
If you are studying a course that is longer than 12 months you should have held Student permission for at least 12 months, during which all study took place in the UK.
 
There is an exception in the Graduate route caseworker guidance (page 12) for courses of more than 12 months:
 
“If a course lasting longer than 12 months was completed using a combination of immigration routes, then the applicant must have spent the minimum required time as a Student or Tier 4 migrant in the most recent period of permission.”
 
If you applied for Student permission before you started the course, but it was not granted until after you started, the Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms on page 11 that you will be treated as having Student permission from the start date of the course.
 
The Graduate route caseworker guidance (page 11) explains how course length is counted:
 
"A course with a start date of 30 September 2020 and an end date of 29 September 2021 is 12 months long. A course is longer than 12 months if it starts on 30 September 2020 and ends on 30 September 2021 or later."
 
You may be eligible for the Graduate route even if you have spent time distance learning outside the UK due to COVID-19.
 
Any distance learning that was conducted overseas, or in the UK, between 24 January 2020 and 27 September 2021 will be disregarded. Any distance learning conducted overseas between 27 September 2021 and 30 June 2022 will also be disregarded. No periods of distance learning during these times will prevent you from meeting the study in the UK requirement.  

There is no requirement to show you have a certain amount of money (known as the 'maintenance requirement').
 
You will still need money to pay your living costs. It is important to consider whether you have enough money to support yourself until you find work, and what your plan may be if you do not find work as quickly as you would have hoped. As with your Tier 4 or Student permission you will not have access to public funds, including any welfare benefits aimed at those who are not working or who are earning a low income.
 
When you are planning your budget for living costs, remember that you will now be liable for the full rate of Council Tax, without the discount for full-time students. For more information, see our guide to Council Tax.
 
The application has no specific test of your knowledge of English. It is assumed from your successful completion of your course taught in English, and having previously satisfied the English language requirement for your Tier 4 or Student route application.  

If your tuition fees and living costs have been paid by a government and/or an international scholarship agency within the 12-month period before you apply, you must provide a letter showing the financial sponsor's consent to this application under the Graduate route. This applies to both the main applicant and any dependant who has had such a scholarship.
 
Financial sponsor’s consent is not required if you are or were sponsored by a university, an international company, an independent school, or any other type of financial sponsor. Even if your type of scholarship does not require the sponsor's consent for a Graduate route application, you should still check its terms and conditions for any restrictions on extending your stay in the UK, and any penalties from the financial sponsor if you break the terms.  

The Graduate route places a responsibility on your institution to make a report to the Home Office of your eligibility. Your institution will only be able to report your eligibility once your grades have been finalised and you have successfully completed your course. Each institution may go through a different process to finalise your grades, so if you have any questions about this, contact your international advice team.
 
Your institution will be required to confirm:
  • That you have successfully completed your course of study during the last grant of permission to study on the Student route
  • That your qualification was a UK bachelor’s degree, a UK postgraduate degree, or a “relevant qualification” That you held permission as a Student for the relevant period
We expect your institution to contact you to confirm they have reported your successful completion to the Home Office. If you are unsure of the process at your institution or have not received confirmation, contact your international advice team.
 
You should not make your immigration application until you know your institution has made this report and confirmed your eligibility to the Home Office.
 
Your institution does not have to assess your current immigration status, or whether you are currently in the UK, as this will be assessed by the Home Office when you submit your Graduate route application. It is important to remember that you can normally only apply for the Graduate route whilst you are in the UK with valid Student leave.  

Conditions of the Graduate route

Last updated October 21, 2024

Although the Graduate route is relatively flexible (particularly around employment), there are some important conditions that are applied to those under the route. Details on these conditions are listed below. 


You can take work at any level of salary or skill. Under the Graduate route, you can work flexibly, switch jobs and develop your career as you wish. When your Graduate route permission is issued you can do any work, either employed or self-employed, except working as a professional sportsperson or coach.
 
Employers should understand that with this permission you can take any work you wish without sponsorship and without any special actions for the employer. If they are unsure about the Graduate route, you can refer them to this guidance from the Home Office for employers which explains that:
 
"The Graduate route enables international students who have been awarded their degree to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for two years, or three years for doctoral students. It is an unsponsored route, meaning you do not need a sponsor licence to hire someone with a Graduate visa."
 

When can I start working under the Graduate route? 

The transition from Student permission to Graduate permission is normally straightforward, however what work you can do and when can be difficult to understand. What you are able to do, and when, depends on what type of Student sponsor you had.

I studied at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance

You may be able to start working in the UK whilst your Graduate route application is pending if your Student permission was sponsored by a higher education provider with a track record of compliance. If your Graduate route application is still pending in these circumstances, you are able to start work (this can be a full-time permanent vacancy). However, you must still wait for the decision on your Graduate route application if you are planning work as an entertainer, or you plan to be self-employed. 

The Immigration Rules permit you to fill a permanent full-time vacancy according to Appendix Student (paragraph ST 26.6). Employers may not be aware of this rule, and your right to work share code will not explain this rule to them. You may need to explain this particular allowance to a prospective employer.

I did not study at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance

If you did not study with a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, then you are able to work full-time (if your Student permission permits this) whilst your Graduate route application is pending, but you will not be able to take up a permanent full-time vacancy. You must wait until your Graduate route application is successful before you can do this. 

You must not work as a professional sportsperson with Graduate permission.

 

Can I be self-employed under the Graduate route? 

Yes, you are allowed to be self-employed with Graduate route permission. If you want to set up as self-employed, see the detailed guidance from the UK government about all the steps and requirements.  Your university Careers Service may also offer dedicated advice on entrepreneurship and self-employment. If you want to continue your business when your Graduate permission expires, you will need to meet the requirements of an extension under a route, such as Innovator Founder. Signposted details of this route can be found on our working after studies page.  

 

Can I have more than one job whilst on the Graduate route? 

Yes, unlike a sponsored work route such as Skilled Worker, the Graduate route is not tied to a specific job or employer. Whilst you hold Graduate route permission you are able to have multiple jobs at any skill level. The only restriction is that you are not able to work as a professional sportsperson or coach. 

Study is restricted under the Graduate route. You cannot study any course that can be sponsored under the Student route.
 
There are some types of study that are permitted, examples include:
  • English language courses
  • Some professional courses
  • Any study at a college or university that is not a Student route visa sponsor
  • Online study
  • Evening classes
  • Recreational courses
  • Part-time Undergraduate course

If you are unsure whether you can study a specific course under the Graduate route, check whether the educational provider sponsors students to apply for the Student route to study that course. If they do, you cannot study the course.

Graduate route dependants do not have this study restriction and can study any course they wish.  

You do not need to use the entire period of your Graduate permission. However, it is important to remember that you are only ever eligible for one grant of Graduate route permission.
 
The length of permission cannot be split across multiple grants (such as; one year Graduate route, one year Student route, final year Graduate route) either, so do make sure you consider your short, medium, and long-term plans in the UK when considering whether to apply under the route.
 
You cannot extend your stay by making a further application under the Graduate route, but you can switch to most of the routes listed on our Working After Studies page to continue working in the UK. You will need to meet all the requirements of the specific route.
 
You can also switch back into the Student route for further studies, but completing those studies would not make you eligible to apply for the Graduate route again.
 
Permission under the Graduate route does not in itself lead to settlement, except as part of the Long Residence provision. UKCISA does not provide advice on settlement applications.  

Can my family apply for the Graduate route?

Last updated May 14, 2024

Yes, although only dependants that are already in the UK as a Student dependant can apply to become a Graduate dependant. If your dependants are outside the UK and you want them to apply for Graduate route permission alongside you, they must join you in the UK and hold immigration permission as your Student route dependant first.  

There is no deadline for dependants to join you on the Student route in the UK, other than your current Tier 4 or Student visa expiry date. Therefore, it is important your dependants join you in the UK before your Tier 4 or Student visa expires. If your dependant joins you when you have less than six months remaining on your Student permission, please note that they will not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and would be liable to pay for any NHS treatment they receive until they successfully become a Graduate route dependant. 

The Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms that a dependant does not need to apply at the same time as the main applicant. A Student dependant's deadline for switching to Graduate dependant is therefore the expiry date of their Student dependant permission. 

This means that if you are studying a part-time postgraduate course or an undergraduate course, you will be unable to bring dependants under the Graduate route as these course types do not permit dependants. If this affects you, and if it is important to bring your dependants to the UK, you may want to prioritise switching from the Graduate route into another work route, for example Skilled Worker, as soon as possible. 

When applying for the Graduate route, dependant partners must: 

  • Have, or have last been granted, permission as a dependant partner of a Student that is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route 

Your partner must also meet the requirements outlined in Appendix Relationship with Partner. 

Dependant children can also apply under the Graduate route. They must either: 

  • have been a dependant child under the Student route where the Student is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route; OR 
  • have been born in the UK during the last grant of Student permission of a Student that is now applying for, or has been granted, permission on the Graduate route 

Your child must also meet the Independent Life Requirement, Care Requirement, and Relationship Requirement as outlined in Appendix Children. There are circumstances in which both parents may not be applying for, or currently have, permission in the UK (for example, you are the sole surviving parent). These circumstances are outlined in Appendix Children and the related caseworker guidance, however we would recommend seeking support with any applications that fit these circumstances as they are more complex and require further documentation.  

There is no maintenance requirement for a Graduate route dependant. If someone who applies to switch from Student dependant to Graduate dependant, and they themselves had a government or agency scholarship for UK study, they must obtain the consent of the financial sponsor for their Graduate dependant application. 

Your Graduate route dependant will have the same work conditions as you. The only prohibition is on working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. 

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

Last updated May 14, 2024

The Home Office website has a guide to current processing times for all types of application. It says that, 

"You should usually get a decision on your [Graduate application] within 8 weeks once you’ve applied online and either attended your appointment at a visa service centre or submitted your documents using the ID Check app [...]" 

The Home Office guide for Graduate route applicants contains detailed information about receiving your decision and accessing your e-visa. 


If you apply in the UK to switch to the Graduate route you should not travel until you receive outcome of the application. Travelling outside the Common Travel Area automatically withdraws your application. 

If you have an urgent need to travel whilst your Graduate route application is pending, your application will be automatically withdrawn when you leave the Common Travel Area.If you have any time remaining on your Tier 4 or Student visa at this point, you will be able to use that time to re-enter the UK after your travel. You would need to then re-apply for the Graduate route and pay the application fee again. Only the Immigration Health Surcharge from your first application would be refunded. 

"Visa nationals" will receive a Biometric Residence Permit to show when re-entering the UK after travel. Other nationals will use their digital status. For full details and who is a "visa national" see the Home Office guide for applicants, page 6 "Travelling in and out of the UK". 

Graduate permission has no restriction or time limit on travel outside the UK. 

As a reminder, most applicants will be granted two years of leave except PhD graduates who will receive three years. 

Experiencing the Graduate route

Last updated May 14, 2024

Students 96X54

What is it like to find employment in the UK after graduation? We spoke to international graduates from across the UK about their experiences of seeking employment in the UK after graduation. They shared their experiences of: 

  • Applying for the Graduate route 
  • Getting support from their universities 
  • Knowledge and attitudes of the Graduate route from UK employers 
  • Useful tips and advice for anyone looking to apply to the Graduate route after graduation. 

 

Read their stories

Frequently asked questions

Last updated December 18, 2024

The earliest possible date you can successfully apply under the Graduate route is the day your sponsor institution confirms that you have passed your course and you have your results.

Remember that your university needs to notify the Home Office of your successful completion and your potential eligibility to apply, and they may not be planning to do this immediately after they have notified you of your results. We advise that you check directly with your sponsor when they expect to notify the Home Office, and plan your application date accordingly.

If this is not logistically possible (for example because your Student permission ends before your sponsor plans to notify the Home Office) we advise you speak with your institution as soon as possible for support and advice. If you were to apply before your Sponsor has notified the Home Office, the Graduate route caseworker guidance confirms (page 8) that your application should not be refused but that the caseworker needs to check with your Sponsor before proceeding with your application. We advise you wait and apply after you know your Sponsor has made the notification.

Your deadline for applying is the expiry date of your Student permission.

Student permission includes a wrap-up time after the end date of the course, either 2, 4 or 6 months depending on your course and your university. This normally allows enough time to receive your results and apply under the Graduate route.

In some situations, your Student permission might expire before you get your results. This could happen in a number of situations (e.g. the results process will take longer than normal, you may have changed course and have a new end date, or part of your course was rescheduled and you have used some of your wrap-up period).

Whatever the reason you are likely to be "timed out" of applying under the Graduate route, unless:

  • your results can be published earlier than planned, before the end of your Student permission (this is unlikely, but you can ask)
  • you have not yet reached your formal end date of your course and your sponsor issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support an extension of your Student route visa

This will vary from institution to institution, there is no set timeline for this process. If you are concerned about how the process works and how your institution will inform you that they have completed their reporting to the Home Office, please contact your institution directly.

You do not need to use the entire period of your Graduate route visa however it is important to remember that you are only ever eligible for one grant of Graduate route leave. The length of leave cannot be split across multiple grants (i.e., one year Graduate route, one year Student route, final year Graduate route) either so do make sure you consider your short, medium, and long term plans in the UK when considering whether to apply under the route.

Yes, unlike a sponsored work route such as Skilled Worker, the Graduate route is not tied to a specific job or employer. Whilst you hold Graduate route leave you are able to have multiple jobs at any skill level. The only restriction is that you are not able to work as a professional sportsperson or coach.

Related articles

  1. Bruce Mars Fwvmhua Wby Unsplash (1)

    Working after studies

    After you finish your studies on the Student route, you may want to apply for immigration permission to work in the UK. Find out more about the immigration options that might be available to you.  

    Read more

  2. M0851 Lqdrw2o GKA Unsplash

    Skilled Worker route

    You may want to stay in the UK to work after you graduate. The Skilled Worker route is a sponsored visa route that requires a qualifying job offer from an employer with a sponsor license.  

    Read more

  3. Desola Lanre Ologun Igur1ix0mqm Unsplash

    Working in the UK

    The essentials of working in the UK as an international student, covering rights to work, tax obligations, and how to secure employment, ensuring you're fully compliant with UK laws and visa conditions.

    Read more

Sign up to our free email newsletter

Stay in touch with UKCISA and get all of our updates before anyone else.