The Graduate visa route is for international students who have successfully completed a degree or higher in the UK and wish to stay here to find work. An applicant must hold a valid student visa and have successfully completed their course before they can apply for a graduate visa.
The main requirements to be met are as follows:
- You have successfully completed an eligible course, which must be a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. It can also include the GDL course, Legal Practice Course, the Bar Practice Course, Foundation Programmes in medicine or dentistry and PGCE and PGDE programmes.
- Your university or college has informed the Home Office that you have completed and passed your course, although you will not need to wait to graduate or receive your graduation certificate.
- You must be in the UK when you apply and are currently on a Student visa/Tier 4.

This visa can last up to 2 years. If you have a PHD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years.
Graduate visa holders can include family members (dependent partner and dependent children) in their application.
A person on the Graduate visa route can apply for a visa for up to 2 years, which cannot be extended. You can switch into a different visa route, which would usually be the Skilled Worker route once you have secured a job and your employer is able and willing to sponsor you. The Graduate visa route does not lead to settlement.