The UK government has decided that international students can apply to love and work in the UK for up to 2 years after graduating with the help of new Graduate visa. This is specially good news given that it takes the average graduate roughly 18 months before landing their preferred graduate role. Two years is just enough time to get prepared for a desired job.
Who is eligible for the post-study visa?
The UK Graduate visa allows holders to stay for up to 2 years, after which they need to switch to a different type of visa (e.g. UK Skilled Worker Visa, also known as Tier 2 visa) if they wish to remain for longer. It is also important to note that this visa does not provide a route to settlement in the UK (ILR)
If you have graduated from a university outside the UK, you will not qualify for the visa. However, you may want to consider the UK High Potential Individual visa instead.
How do I apply for the post-study visa (PSW)?
Student visa or Tier 4 visa does not automatically convert to PSW visa, so you ned to apply for it through special application. The good news is that there is no limit to the number of these visas that can be handed out, so all applicants who meet the requirements will be issued with one. Remember, your student visa will need to be valid at the time you apply.
Graduates visa helps you to land on your desired career
What is the Graduate visa?
The UK government has declared that international students can apply to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years after graduating with the help of new Graduate visa. This is especially good news given that it takes the average graduate roughly 18 months before landing their preferred graduate role. Two years is just enough time to get prepared for a desired job.
Who is eligible for the post-study visa?
To be able to apply for the post-study work visa, To be eligible for a Graduate visa, applicants must be in the UK, hold a valid study visa, and have successfully completed a graduate or post-graduate degree (or another eligible course of study) from a UK university with a track record of compliance and have a valid student visa. To check your university has a ‘track record of compliance’, you can check the list of education providers online 1. GOV.UK: List of qualifying education providers This means both bachelor’s and master’s students will be able to apply for the visa regardless of their field of studies. You don’t need to be sponsored by an employer to be eligible for the visa, so you don’t need to already have a job when you apply for it.
The UK Graduate visa allows holders to stay for up to 2 years, after which they need to switch to a different type of visa (e.g., , UK Skilled Worker visa, also known as Tier 2 visa) if they wish to remain for longer. It is also important to note that this visa does not provide a route to settlement in the UK (ILR)
If you have graduated from a university outside the UK, you will not qualify for this visa. However, you may want to consider the UK High Potential Individual visa instead .
How do I apply for the post-study visa (PSW)?
Student visa or Tier 4 visa does not automatically convert to PSW visa, so you need to apply for it through special application. The good news is that there is no limit to the number of these visas that can be handed out, so all applicants who meet the requirements will be issued with one. Remember, your student visa will need to be valid at the time you apply.
To apply, you must meet the following UK Graduate visa requirements:
• be in the UK when you apply
• hold a current study visa (Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa)
• have studied with an eligible education provider in the UK
• have studied on an eligible course
• have completed a minimum period of time as a study visa holder
• have completed their course of study successfully (your education provider will advise the Home Office if this is the case)
Eligible course types
To qualify under the graduate route UK, you must have completed an eligible course type; these include:
• UK bachelor’s degrees
• UK master’s degrees
• UK PhDs or doctorates
• Law conversion courses approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
• The Legal Practice Course in England and Wales
• The Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland
• Diplomas in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
• The Bar Practice Course in England and Wales
• The Bar Course in Northern Ireland
• Foundation programmes in medicine or dentistry
• Postgraduate Certificates in Education (PGCE)
• Postgraduate Diplomas in Education (PGDE)
Minimum period of study
To qualify for a Graduate visa in the UK, you must have completed an eligible course of study of at least 12 months (if your course was for 12 months or longer) or the total length of your course (if your course was for less than 12 months). During this time, you must have been genuinely studying, i.e., attending lectures.
How to apply for a UK Graduate visa
It is possible to apply for a Graduate visa as soon as your university or college has informed the Home Office that you have completed and passed your course. You do not have to wait to apply until you have graduated or have been given a certificate of graduation. You must apply while your study visa is still valid.
To apply for a Graduate visa, you will need to:
• Prepare and submit the Graduate visa application form online while in the UK. 2. GOV.UK: PSW visa online application form
• Pay the PSW application fee (the graduate route visa costs £715) and the immigration healthcare surcharge of £624 per person per year.
• Book and attend an appointment at a UKVCAS service point to provide your biometrics (fingerprints and photo)
• Upload any documents required to support your application, including: Passport, BRP card and Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies reference number
In most cases, you can expect to receive a decision on your application within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while your application is being processed, even past the date that your visa expires.
UK Post Study Work visa (PSW) stay conditions
As a post-study visa holder, you can:
• Look for work
• Work – unlike most UK work visas, you are not restricted in terms of who you work for and the type of work you do, and you don’t need to be sponsored
• Be self-employed
• Live with your partner and children in the UK
• Undertake voluntary work
• Travel from and to the UK freely
As a Graduate visa holder, you cannot apply to access public funds (e.g., benefits) or the State Pension. It is also not possible to work as a professional sportsperson.
UK PSW visa validity
The UK PSW visa (Graduate visa) is valid for 2 years and cannot be extended. Those who wish to extend their stay can switch to a different type of visa based on their circumstances (e.g. work visa, family visa, or UK business visa).
PSW UK Visa Dependants
As a Graduate visa holder, your dependants can stay with you in the UK for the duration of your stay if they joined you in the UK when you held a student visa. In addition, if you have a child who was born in the UK when you held your student visa, they can also acquire a dependant visa.
Eligible dependants include your partner and children. You and your partner must be married, in a civil partnership, or have been together for 2 years or more.
If your child is 18 years or over, they must be financially dependant on you (i.e., not married or living away from you unless they live away for university).
Your dependants can live, work, and study in the UK for as long as your visa remains valid.
UK Graduate visa to ILR
The UK Graduate visa does not provide a direct route to ILR; however, it is possible to switch to another visa type that does qualify for ILR. If you switch to a different visa (e.g., Skilled Worker visa), it is important to note that the time spent in the UK on a study visa does not count towards ILR as the clock is reset when you switch.
If you apply for ILR using the 10-year-long residence route, you can include time spent on any combination of visas, including the PSW visa.
Other visa options that provide a route to ILR include the following:
• UK Skilled Worker visa
• Health and Care visa
• Scale-up visa
• Global talent visa
• Innovator visa
• Family visas (e.g., spouse visa or unmarried partner visa)
• International Sportsperson visa
The rules are slightly different for PhD students. You will be able to work in the UK for up to 3 years after completing your doctoral degree.
The visa is part of the government’s aim to increase opportunities for international graduates in the UK and bring 600,000 international students into the country’s universities by the year 2030.
This confirms the UK’s commitment to welcoming students from all over the world, and creating fantastic opportunities for them to boost their career prospects with an international education.
