Graduate visa

Complete an eligible qualification during the relevant Student permission at a provider with a track record of compliance. The provider must report successful completion to the Home Office by application; a graduation ceremony or award certificate is not required first. Check permitted course changes, listed professional qualifications and Sabbatical Officer rules.

Where GR1.5 applies to a course completed in the 12 months before application and a government or international scholarship agency funded both fees and living costs, obtain that body's actual written consent to the application. Check the actual sponsorship and dates; an unsigned generated letter is not consent.

Apply in the UK before Student/Tier 4 (General) permission expires. GR1.3 requires current or last Student permission; GR2 suitability and any overstayer exception must be assessed separately. Expired permission does not automatically qualify.

You must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your application to access the National Health Service during your stay.

Partners normally must already have been Student/Tier 4 dependants. Children need eligible prior dependant status or the specified UK-born exception. Check age, relationship and actual status; new family members cannot generally join through Graduate.

You must not previously have been granted Graduate permission or permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme. Prior course completion or a new degree does not reset this validity condition.

For courses of 12 months or less, the relevant UK study period is the full course; for longer courses it is at least 12 months under the relevant Student permission. Check permitted study abroad and the precisely dated COVID distance-learning exceptions against GR6, using actual study history.

You must be physically present in the UK at the time of your application, as you cannot apply for this visa from overseas.