# UK Graduate Route visa — eligibility, length and how to apply

> The Graduate Route lets eligible graduates stay to work without a job offer; confirm the current length on GOV.UK.

The UK Graduate Route (Graduate visa) lets international students who complete an eligible course stay in the UK to work, or look for work, after graduating — with no job offer or minimum salary required. Its length has been reviewed recently (commonly cited as two years for bachelor's and master's graduates and three for doctoral) — confirm the current length on GOV.UK. You apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires; it cannot be extended, but you can switch into a route such as Skilled Worker. Time on it does not count towards settlement.

## Quick facts
- **Job offer needed?:** No
- **Length:** A set post-study period (recently reviewed) — confirm the current length on GOV.UK
- **Where you apply:** From inside the UK, before your Student visa expires
- **Cost:** Application fee + immigration health surcharge (IHS)
- **Extendable?:** No — but you can switch to Skilled Worker

## Key takeaways
- The Graduate Route requires no job offer and no minimum salary to apply.
- It lasts a set period after graduation — commonly cited as two years (bachelor's/master's) or three (doctoral), but recently reviewed, so confirm the current length on GOV.UK.
- You must apply from inside the UK, before your Student visa expires, after course completion is confirmed.
- You pay an application fee plus the immigration health surcharge for the full period.
- It cannot be extended, but you can switch into the Skilled Worker route while on it.

## What the Graduate Route is — and who can apply
The Graduate Route (officially the Graduate visa) is the UK's post-study work route. To apply you must be in the UK on a Student visa, have studied an eligible course (degree-level or above) at a licensed sponsor, and have your university notify the Home Office that you have successfully completed it. Unlike most work visas, there is no requirement to have a job offer, to be sponsored by an employer, or to earn a minimum salary — you are free to work in almost any job, at any skill level, while you build experience or look for a longer-term role. This freedom is one of the single biggest reasons international students choose the UK over other destinations.

## How long it lasts, what it costs, and applying
The Graduate Route is granted for a set period after your course. It has commonly been two years for bachelor's and master's graduates and three years for doctoral graduates, but post-study work durations have been reviewed in recent policy changes, so you must confirm the current length on GOV.UK before relying on it. You apply online from inside the UK, before your current Student visa expires, and pay the application fee plus the immigration health surcharge (IHS) covering the whole period up front. You give biometrics, and you cannot include the time spent waiting outside the UK — so plan to apply before you travel home after finals.

## After the Graduate Route — switching to longer-term routes
The Graduate Route cannot be extended, so treat it as a runway, not a destination. The most common next step is switching into the Skilled Worker visa once you have a job offer from a licensed sponsor that meets the salary and skill thresholds — and you can do this from within the UK while on the Graduate Route. Note, too, that time on the Graduate Route does not itself count towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain) — the qualifying clock generally starts on a route such as Skilled Worker, so factor that into your timeline. Because Skilled Worker thresholds and the Graduate Route length both change with policy, the smart move is to plan your career timeline from day one of your degree. Study UK Now maps your post-study route — Graduate Route then Skilled Worker — against the current rules so you maximise every month you are entitled to.

## Frequently asked questions
### How long can you stay on the UK Graduate Route?
The Graduate Route is granted for a set period — commonly two years for bachelor's and master's graduates and three years for doctoral graduates — but durations have been reviewed in recent policy changes. It cannot be extended. Always confirm the current length on GOV.UK before relying on it.

### Do you need a job offer for the UK Graduate Route?
No — you do not need a job offer, an employer sponsor, or a minimum salary to apply for the Graduate Route. You can work in almost any job while on it. You do, however, need to have completed an eligible course at a licensed sponsor and apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires.

### Can you switch from the Graduate Route to a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes — you can switch into the Skilled Worker visa from within the UK while on the Graduate Route, provided you have a job offer from a licensed sponsor that meets the salary and skill requirements. Because thresholds change, confirm the current Skilled Worker rules on GOV.UK and plan the switch before your Graduate Route expires.

## Sources
- [GOV.UK — Graduate visa](https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa) — GOV.UK, 2026-06-06
- [GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa](https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa) — GOV.UK, 2026-06-06

Canonical: https://studyuknow.com/guides/uk-graduate-route-visa-explained
Verified: 2026-06-16