International student support
Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/international/support/visasandimmigration/graduatevisainformation/ Parent: https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/
Graduate Visa information
The Graduate visa allows international students to remain in the UK after successfully completing an eligible course.
On 14 October 2025, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) announced changes to the length of the Graduate Route visa.
A Graduate visa will be granted for:
- 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
- 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027
If you have completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification, the visa will be granted for 3 years. Further information is available on the UK Government website.
You can only apply for the Graduate visa once, and applications must be made from within the UK.
To apply, you must have successfully completed your course and submit your Graduate visa application before your Student visa expires. Please read the eligibility requirements and guidance on when to apply in the sections below.
Eligibility to apply
To apply for a Graduate visa, you must meet the eligibility requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You must:
- hold a valid Student visa (or Tier 4 (General) visa) sponsored by the University of Glasgow when you apply
- have successfully completed an eligible course in the UK
- have studied in the UK for the minimum required period on your Student or Tier 4 visa
- have had your successful course completion reported to UKVI by the University of Glasgow
The sections below explain these requirements in more detail.
Eligible courses
To qualify for the Graduate visa, you must successfully complete one of the following types of course while holding your current Student or Tier 4 visa:
- a UK bachelor’s degree
- a UK master’s degree
- a PhD or other doctoral qualification
- a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
- a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
-
certain professional legal courses, including:
-
a law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
- the Legal Practice Course (England and Wales), Solicitors Course (Northern Ireland), or Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (Scotland)
- the Bar Practice Course (England and Wales) or Bar Course (Northern Ireland)
- a foundation programme in medicine or dentistry
You must be awarded the qualification listed on the CAS used for your Student visa application.
In some cases, you may still meet this requirement if you were permitted to change to another eligible course without applying for a new Student visa and you successfully complete that course.
Studying in the UK (the “required period”)
You must have studied your course in the UK while holding your current Student or Tier 4 visa for:
- at least 12 months, if your course is longer than 12 months, or
- the full duration of the course, if the course is 12 months or less.
Short trips outside the UK during your studies (such as vacations or permitted absences) will not normally affect your eligibility.
Some courses may include study at a partner institution outside the UK (for example Erasmus Mundus programmes). If you held a Student visa for the full duration of the course, you may still be eligible.
Reporting successful completion to UKVI
The University must confirm to UKVI that you have successfully completed your course before your Graduate visa application can be granted.
Once this report has been made, you will receive an email confirmation from the University. You should normally wait for this confirmation before submitting your visa application. Immigration Compliance have further information on their webpages.
You will not be eligible if:
You will not be able to apply for the Graduate visa if:
- you do not hold a valid Student or Tier 4 visa at the time of application
- you have not successfully completed your course
- you are awarded a lower qualification than the one stated on your CAS (for example a postgraduate diploma instead of a master’s degree)
- you did not study in the UK for the required minimum period on your Student visa
- you have previously been granted permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme
When to apply
You can apply for a Graduate visa once:
- you have successfully completed your course, and
- the University of Glasgow has reported your successful completion to UKVI
The Immigration Compliance Team will email you to confirm when this report has been made. You should normally wait for this email before submitting your Graduate visa application.
You must apply before your current Student visa (or Tier 4 visa) expires.
Date of application
Your application date is the date you:
- submit the online Graduate visa application, and
- pay the visa application fee
If you apply before your Student visa expires, this is known as an “in-time” application.
If you make an in-time application, you can remain in the UK legally under the conditions of your Student visa while your Graduate visa application is being processed, even if your Student visa expires during this time.
Travelling outside the UK after completing your course
You may leave the UK after completing your course and return before your Student visa expires in order to apply for the Graduate visa.
Time spent outside the UK after you have successfully completed your course will not affect your eligibility for the Graduate visa.
If you plan to travel and re-enter the UK using your Student visa, please see the International Student Support guidance on travelling to the UK and the documents you may need to carry with you.
Application process
You must apply for the Graduate visa online through the UKVI website.
When completing the application form, you will need information from documents such as:
- your passport
- your CAS used for your current Student visa
- details of your current Student or Tier 4 visa
You will pay the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the online application.
Application fees
- Visa application fee: £880
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year of the visa
The IHS will normally be charged for:
- 2 years for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students
- 3 years for PhD or doctoral graduates
UKVI have announced changes to the Graduate visa length:
- 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026
- 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027
- 3 years for PhD or other doctoral qualifications
The visa will begin from the date your application is approved.
You must submit your application before your Student visa expires to make an “in-time” application, which allows you to remain in the UK legally while your application is being processed.
After submitting your application
After you submit the online form, you will usually need to confirm your identity in one of the following ways:
Using the UK Immigration ID Check app
You may be asked to use the UK Immigration ID Check app to verify your identity. This allows UKVI to reuse the biometric information from your previous visa application.
Attending a biometric appointment
If you cannot use the app, you will be asked to book an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre to provide your biometric information.
You may also be asked to upload supporting documents as part of the application process.
Important: travelling while your application is pending
If you leave the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man) after submitting your Graduate visa application but before receiving a decision, UKVI will treat your application as withdrawn.
You should therefore remain in the UK until you receive your visa decision.
After a decision is made
UKVI will send you an email confirming the outcome of your application.
If your application is successful, you will normally receive digital immigration status (an eVisa). The email will explain how to access and share your immigration status online.
You should keep this email for your records.
Documents and information
When completing the Graduate visa application, you may be asked to provide information or documents such as:
- CAS number: the CAS you used to apply for your current Student or Tier 4 visa
- Passport: your current valid passport
- Current visa details: your Student visa or BRP (if you have one)
If you are not able to use the UK Immigration ID Check app, you may need to upload copies of your documents and attend a biometric appointment at a UKVCAS centre.
Official financial sponsor consent
You may need written consent from your official financial sponsor before applying for the Graduate visa.
This applies if:
- you completed a course in the UK within the 12 months before your Graduate visa application, and
- you received official financial sponsorship from a government or international scholarship agency, and
- the funding covered both tuition fees and living costs (fully funded).
Your sponsor must confirm in writing that they agree to you applying for the Graduate visa and remaining in the UK.
Examples of official financial sponsors include:
- the UK Government
- your home government
- the British Council
- an international organisation or international scholarship agency
You do not need sponsor consent if:
- your funding did not come from a government or international scholarship agency, or
- your funding only covered tuition fees or living costs, but not both.
Can I have dependants under the Graduate Visa route?
Your partner and children may be able to apply for a Graduate dependant visa.
They can only apply if they already have permission as your Student dependant, or if they are a child born in the UK during your Student visa.
This means:
- Your partner can apply if they currently hold permission as your Student dependant.
- Your child can apply if they currently hold permission as your dependant child.
- A child born in the UK during your Student visa can also apply as your dependant.
New dependants cannot usually apply under the Graduate route if they did not previously have permission as your dependant.
When your dependants should apply
Your dependants do not need to apply at the same time as you.
However, they must apply before their current dependant visa expires.
How dependants apply
Each dependant must submit their own online visa application through the UKVI website.
They will need to:
- complete the online application form
- pay the visa application fee
- pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
- verify their identity using the UK Immigration ID Check app or by attending a UKVCAS biometric appointment
Documents dependants may need
Documents dependants may be asked to provide include:
- their passport and current visa
- evidence of relationship to you (for example a marriage certificate or birth certificate)
- evidence you live together in the UK (for partners)
Children over 18 years old must also show they:
- were previously your dependant
- are not married or in a civil partnership
- live with you (unless in full-time education)
- are financially supported by you
Official financial sponsor consent
A dependant may need written consent from an official financial sponsor if they:
- completed a course in the UK in the 12 months before applying, and
- received full financial sponsorship from a government or international scholarship agency.
The sponsor must confirm they agree to the dependant applying for the visa and remaining in the UK.
After submitting your Graduate Visa application
Waiting for a decision
Once UKVI has made a decision on your Graduate visa application, you will receive an email confirming the outcome.
If your application is successful, the email will explain how to access and share your digital immigration status (eVisa). You should keep this email for your records.
If you change your UK address
If your UK address changes after you submit your visa application, you should update your details in your UKVI online account as soon as possible.
You can find guidance on how to do this on the UK Government website.
Working while your application is being processed
If you submit your Graduate visa application before your Student visa expires (an “in-time” application), you can remain in the UK while you wait for a decision.
During this time:
- you continue to have the same work conditions as your Student visa
- you may start work in a full-time permanent role
However, you will only be able to work under the full Graduate visa work conditions once your application has been approved.
When your Graduate Visa is granted
Visa decision email
UKVI will send you an email confirming the outcome of your visa application.
The email will include details of:
- whether your application was successful
- the length of your visa
- the conditions of your permission to stay in the UK
You should keep this email for your records.
If your application is successful, you will normally receive digital immigration status (an eVisa). The email will explain how to access your status online and generate a share code when you need to prove your immigration status.
Conditions of the Graduate visa (work and study)
Information about what you can and cannot do on a Graduate visa is available on the UKVI Graduate visa webpages and in Appendix Graduate of the Immigration Rules.
Graduate visa holders are allowed to work in most roles.
You can also study in the UK while holding a Graduate visa. However, this is only permitted if the course is not eligible for a Student visa.
If you want to study a course that requires Student visa sponsorship, you must instead apply for a new Student visa.
If you already hold a Graduate visa and wish to start a course at the University of Glasgow that requires Student visa sponsorship, you must:
- apply for and receive a Student visa, and
- present your new Student visa to Visa Registration before the course start date listed on your CAS.
Useful links
UKCISA information on the Graduate Route
UKVI Graduate Visa Caseworker Guidance
Immigration Rules: Appendix Graduate