UK Graduate Visa Checklist — £937, 2 Years (by 31 Dec 2026), 8 Weeks
The Graduate visa is the route that lets a Student visa holder stay on after finishing a UK course. You apply from inside the UK, it costs £937 plus the IHS, and the length depends on the date you apply: 2 years on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027, and 3 years for a PhD. You cannot extend it, but you can switch to routes such as Skilled Worker. Verified against GOV.UK, September 2026.
Stage A — What you must have
- ☐ A Tier 4 (General) or Student visa — you must have completed a qualifying course, and your school must have told the Home Office you successfully completed it.
- ☐ You must apply from inside the UK.
- ☐ A current passport or identity document to prove who you are.
- ☐ If you are studying a sensitive subject, you may also need an ATAS certificate.
Stage B — Fees and timings
- ☐ Fee: £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, usually £1,035 a year.
- ☐ Decision time: usually within 8 weeks once you apply online and complete your identity and document steps.
- ☐ You can stay in the UK while you wait.
Stage C — How long you get
- ☐ Apply on or before 31 December 2026 → 2 years.
- ☐ Apply from 1 January 2027 → 18 months.
- ☐ PhD or doctoral qualification → 3 years.
Stage D — What you can and cannot do
- ☐ You can: work, look for work, be self-employed, volunteer, bring your partner and children as dependants, and travel in and out of the UK.
- ⛔ You cannot: claim most public funds or the state pension, or work as a professional sportsperson.
- ⛔ You cannot extend the Graduate visa — you can switch to another route such as Skilled Worker.
Get it right the first time
- Apply from inside the UK — this route is not for applications from abroad.
- Watch the date — 31 December 2026 versus 1 January 2027 is a two-year versus eighteen-month difference.
- Budget for the IHS on top of the £937 fee.
- Plan the switch if you want to keep working — the Graduate route is time-limited and cannot be extended.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a UK Graduate visa?
You must hold a Tier 4 (General) or Student visa and have completed a qualifying course in the UK, with your school having told the Home Office you successfully completed it. You must apply from inside the UK.
How long is a UK Graduate visa?
2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027; 3 years for a PhD or doctoral qualification.
How much does the Graduate visa cost?
The application fee is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, usually £1,035 a year.
How long does the Graduate visa take?
Usually within 8 weeks once you apply online and complete your identity and document steps. You can stay in the UK while you wait.
Can I extend a Graduate visa?
No. You cannot extend it. You can switch to another route such as Skilled Worker.
What can and cannot I do on a Graduate visa?
You can work, look for work, be self-employed, volunteer, and bring your partner and children; you can travel in and out. You cannot claim most public funds or the state pension, and you cannot work as a professional sportsperson.
Official source: gov.uk — Graduate visa, retrieved 2026-09-27. Confidence A (official page, quoted verbatim).
Related: the route you are on now is covered by the UK visa family of checklists — see the UK visitor visa checklist for a different purpose of travel. Keep your photo and passport in order with the UK passport photo page, the passport photo checker, and the digital file requirements guide.