UK Post Study Work Visa Options
If you’re an international student in the UK, there are a number of visa routes for you to consider that will allow you to remain in the country after you graduate.
Your UK post study visa options will depend largely on your circumstances and your plans for after you finish your course. For example, do you want to find a job or start a business in the UK, or do you want to return home and come back to the UK later?
It will be important to consider all of the options available to you, and if you do make an application, ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria, have the correct documentation and follow the correct process, since refusal rates for points-based visas are high.
You will also need to ensure you factor in all the costs of making a Home Office application, such as the Immigration Health Surcharge, which you have to pay for each year of your grant of leave. Some visas will also require you to go through an endorsement process before you can apply for the visa, which can add time and cost to the process.
It is also your responsibility to avoid overstaying and ensure you do not let your visa expire before making an application to remain in the UK.
UK post-study visa options for international graduates
Under the current rules, international students could consider the following post-study visa options:
UK graduate route & post study work visa
International students in the UK may be eligible to apply under the Graduate route to extend their stay for up to two years after graduating with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or three years if studying a PhD.
The route is intended to open up the UK job market to international graduates and employers are expected to adjust their entry-level recruitment and graduate programmes to take full advantage of the new rules.
To be eligible, students will have to have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a UK higher education institution, and they must be able to evidence a clear and compliant immigration record. The visa is open to students of all subjects and disciplines and there is no cap on the number of post-study work visas available.
Graduates will be free to use the two (or three) years to find a job and to work, with no restrictions on the type or skill level of the role during this period of leave.
The Graduate route application costs £715. It is not possible to extend the Graduate visa, but you can apply for leave to remain under a different, longer-term visa category, such as finding sponsored work and switching to the Skilled Worker route.