UK Graduate Route Explained: How the Post-Study Work Visa Works in 2026

The UK Graduate Route is the post-study work visa that lets you stay and work in the UK after your degree, with no job offer and no employer sponsorship. For most Indian students it is the real reason a one-year UK master's makes financial sense. But the route is changing: from 1 January 2027 it drops from two years to 18 months. This post explains how the Graduate visa works, what it costs, who it suits, and how the 2027 cut affects students starting in 2026. (For Student visa fees and funds, see our UK student visa 2026 updates.)

How Long Is the UK Graduate Visa? The 2027 Change

The length depends on when you apply, not when your course started:

• Apply on or before 31 December 2026: 2 years for a bachelor's or master's degree
• Apply on or after 1 January 2027: 18 months for a bachelor's or master's degree
• PhD or other doctoral degree: 3 years, unchanged

In practice, anyone starting a one-year master's in September 2026 or January 2027 will finish in 2027 and get 18 months. Only students whose university reports completion before the end of 2026 can still lock in two years. If that's you, don't wait for your graduation ceremony. You can apply as soon as your university tells the Home Office you've passed.

Who Is Eligible for the Graduate Route?

You qualify if all of these apply:

• You are in the UK on a Student visa when you apply. You cannot apply from India after going home.
• You completed a bachelor's, master's, PhD or other eligible course (such as a PGCE or law conversion) at a licensed sponsor with a track record of compliance.
• You studied in the UK for the full course if it was 12 months or less, or for at least 12 months if it was longer.
• Your university has reported your successful completion to the Home Office.
• Your Student visa has not yet expired.

Missing that last point is the most expensive mistake we see. Student visas for one-year master's courses usually end a few months after the course does. If your leave expires before you submit, the Graduate Route is gone for good.

Graduate Visa Cost in 2026

As of October 2026, the application fee is £937, and you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront at £1,035 per year. That works out to:

• 2-year visa: £937 + £2,070 surcharge = about £3,007
• 18-month visa: £937 + £1,552.50 surcharge = about £2,490
• 3-year PhD visa: £937 + £3,105 surcharge = about £4,042

Budget for this from day one. It falls due right when your Student visa funds have run out and before your first full salary arrives. Our cost of studying abroad guide covers the rest of the UK budget. Fees change often, so verify on gov.uk/graduate-visa before you apply. Decisions usually take up to 8 weeks, and you can stay and keep working while you wait.

What You Can and Can't Do on a Graduate Visa

You can work in almost any job at any salary, work part-time, switch employers freely, be self-employed, and travel in and out of the UK. You cannot claim most public benefits or work as a professional sportsperson.

Three limits matter more than they first appear:

• It cannot be extended. You get one Graduate visa, and when it ends you need another visa.
• It does not count towards settlement (ILR). Unlike Canada's PGWP, time on the Graduate Route doesn't build towards permanent residence.
• New dependants can't join you. Only a partner or children already in the UK as dependants on your Student visa (or children born in the UK) can stay with you.

The Real Goal: Switching to a Skilled Worker Visa

Treat 18 months as a runway to a sponsored job, not a long stay. The usual next step is the Skilled Worker visa, which needs an employer with a sponsor licence and a job at the required skill level. The general salary threshold is £41,700. Recent graduates, however, can use the new entrant rate of 70% of the job's going rate, with a floor of £33,400. You qualify for it if you're under 26, or have been on a Student or Graduate visa in the last two years. New entrant status lasts up to 4 years in total, and that includes your time on the Graduate visa.

With 18 months, the timing is tight. Large UK graduate schemes recruit about a year ahead, and many employers won't hire someone they would have to sponsor almost at once. Students who end up in sponsored jobs start applying during their master's, not after it.

Is the Graduate Route Still Worth It?

• It's a strong fit if: you're in a field where UK employers sponsor (tech, engineering, finance, healthcare, data), you start job applications in your first term, and you see 18 months of UK work experience as valuable even if you come home afterwards.
• Think twice if: permanent residence is your main goal. Canada's PGWP or the US STEM OPT route may serve you better. Our US vs Canada vs UK comparison sets out the trade-offs.

Plan the Job Search Before You Land

With a shorter Graduate Route, the students who stay on in the UK are the ones who picked their course, city and university with a sponsored job in mind. Book a free consultation with Goodwind and we'll help you choose UK programmes with a realistic path from Graduate visa to Skilled Worker, and map your application timeline around it.