Graduate Route Visa application
The Graduate route will open for applications on 1 July 2021.
Requirements
You are international students who
- have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance
- have valid Tier 4 or Student permission at the time of application.
As the visa is unsponsored, you do not need to have a job offer to apply to the Graduate Route.
What you can do
- stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level
- for two years if you are at bachelor’s or master’s level
- for three years if you are doctoral students
- apply to the Skilled Worker route from within the UK, once you have found a suitable job
COVID-19 concessions
If you began your studies in autumn 2020 you have until 27 September 2021 or before your visa expires whichever is sooner (the previous date was 6 April 2021) to enter the UK with permission as a Student in order to be eligible to apply to the Graduate route.
Dependant
Individuals who already have permission as a dependant of a Student who is applying on this route can also apply to extend their permission as a dependant
However new dependants are not permitted on this route.
Q & A
Will I need a job offer?
No. You don't have to have been offered a job in the UK to apply to the Graduate Route.
How many people can access the Graduate Route?
There will be no cap on the number of people who can benefit from the Graduate Route.
What work can I do?
There's no restriction on the kind of work you can do and no minimum salary level. You can spend as long as you like looking for work and you're able to leave or switch jobs without any effect on your visa.
Will my university need to sponsor my application?
No. You will not need any sponsorship to apply for the Graduate Route.
Will this route count towards settlement?
The route is non-extendable and does not count towards settlement. However, graduates who find an appropriate job and meet the requirements will be able to apply to work routes, including the Skilled Worker, which is a route to settlement.
I am graduated and my Student visa leave expires before this new route is introduced. Am I eligible?
No you will not be eligible. However, most of these students will have had no expectation of benefitting from such a route when they applied to study in the UK. You will also be able to apply to a number of other routes, for example Skilled Worker, Start Up, Innovator or Global Talent, among others.
Will I need to make a new application for the Graduate Route?
Yes. You will need to apply for a separate Graduate Route visa before your student visa expires. It will only be possible from inside the UK.
Will there be a fee for the Graduate Route visa?
Yes. You will need to pay a separate visa fee of £700 to access the Graduate Route. You will also need to pay another Immigration Health Surcharge at the full rate of £624 per year to cover each additional year you spend in the UK.
Is the Graduate Route affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?
You will normally need to have studied your degree in the UK in order to apply to the Graduate Route. However, due to coronavirus, the UK government is temporarily allowing students who are studying remotely (from outside the UK) to apply in 2021, provided they arrive in the UK to study before 21 June (if their programme began in the Autumn) or 27 September (if their programme began in January or February).
Can EU students apply to the Graduate Route?
EU (and EEA and Swiss) students without settled or pre-settled status in the UK can also apply to the Graduate Route in the same way as other international students. You won't need a post-study work visa to remain in the UK if you have settled or pre-settled status.
Note that, following Brexit, EU students are no longer automatically entitled to live and work in the UK without a visa.
What will the application deadline be?
You will need to apply to the Graduate Route before your current student visa expires.
Exactly when this is will depend on your course. A Tier 4 or Student Route visa will normally last for the duration of your Masters or PhD plus an additional four month grace period. Masters students who applied through the Tier 4 pilot scheme (before October 2020) will have a slightly longer grace period of up to six months.
You can find out exactly how long your visa lasts by checking your Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS) or asking your university.
Does the Graduate Route replace the Tier 4 visa pilot for Masters students?
The Tier 4 pilot scheme allowed Masters students at 27 UK universities to benefit from a simpler visa application process and a longer grace period after their degree ended. It closed to new applicants in October 2020.
The Graduate Route now allows all international students to remain in the UK for a much longer period after their degree.
Will the Graduate Route replace the doctorate extension scheme for students?
The Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) allowed PhD graduates to extend their student visa for 12 months. It has effectively been incorporated into the Graduate Route for PhD students, which offers doctoral graduates three-years of post-study entitlement instead of two.
From July 2021 you only need to apply to the Graduate Route. You don't need to apply to the DES as well (and won't be able to).
Will this route count towards settlement?
The route is non-extendable and does not count towards settlement. However, graduates who find an appropriate job and meet the requirements will be able to apply to work routes, including the Skilled Worker, which is a route to settlement.
What will happen when my Graduate Route Visa expires?
At the end of the two-year period you will need to leave the UK or apply for a different visa, such as a Tier 2 General work visa.
The Tier 2 visa does require you to have an employment offer with a minimum skill and salary level, but your time on the Graduate Route should make it much easier to work towards this.
You won't be able to apply for a second Graduate Route visa if you aren't eligible for a Tier 2 visa.